Jewelry is a high-end market these days. Precious metals and incredibly valuable gemstones come together to create an ever-growing industry. Just a couple of years ago, worldwide spending on jewelry reached $279 billion. Analysts expect this figure to soar to more than $480 billion within the next five years. Of course, as the Museum of Jewelry readily points out, this sector wasn’t always what it is today. It’s almost as old as mankind itself, and the value of treasured trinkets has long transcended the monetary worth of the components used to make them.
Unearthing the History of Jewelry
Jewelry dates back thousands of years. One of the oldest pieces on record is associated with a Neanderthal civilization from ancient Croatian times. Carbon dating places the piece at about 135,000 years old. It was made of eagle talons and other natural resources. Some believe the value of this piece was most likely connected to the time, effort, and risks associated with hunting the eagles.
Moving Forward
Fast forward tens of thousands of years and items like the Hope Diamond came into play. Weighing in at 45.52 carats and valued at $250 million, its worth is attributed to the unparalleled blue diamond and the precious metals and stones surrounding it. By the time this piece entered the scene, jewelry had taken on quite a few different forms than its millennia-old predecessors. Though gemstones, gold, and other elements are technically considered natural resources, the value of rings, necklaces, and other adornments was no longer a matter of the internal strengths and thoughts behind their creation.
In the Meantime
Between those two vastly different eras in jewelry-making history, cultures across the globe incorporated gems and beaded adornments into their ways of life. As mentioned at https://store.museumofjewelry.com, ancient Greece, Egypt, and numerous other civilizations developed their forms of jewelry. In many cases, they used bones, plant fibers, animal hides, and sinew, shells, seeds, nuts, and other items that were available to them to make bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and other pieces.
Egyptian culture is one of the most highly touted for its advanced jewelry-creating techniques. They began using gold and silver earlier than many other civilizations of the time, and they were among the first to work with rare and valuable stones. As is so often the case today, they considered such adornments to be status symbols. Many pieces held significant meanings, but much of their value was ultimately in the materials used to make them.
Bringing the History to Life
At https://store.museumofjewelry.com/pages/about-the-museum, you’ll find that the history of jewelry from various cultures comes to life before your very eyes. They have a vast collection of pieces from ancient Greece and Egypt as well as other corners of the globe. At the same time, the museum’s founder takes inspiration from those pieces to create new ones in the styles of their predecessors.
All That Glitters Isn’t Gold
In the modern world, precious metals and gemstones certainly have their value. Jewelry containing those elements can range from hundreds of dollars to thousands or more. In some cases, though, pieces are worth far more than the sums of their parts. Style thought, creativity, and the stories behind them far surpass the monetary value of the components used to make them. In the eyes of many, those are the more important aspects of jewelry.
Media Contact
Company Name: Museum of Jewelry
Contact Person: Media Relations
Email: Send Email
Phone: 1-800-835-2700
Address:1500 East Juana Avenue
City: San Leandro
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: https://store.museumofjewelry.com