jewellery overview

Jewellery

An Overview

Form and Function

Currency, wealth display and storage, Functional use (such as clasps, pins and

buckles) Symbolism (to show membership or status) Protection (in the form of amulets and

magical wards) Artistic display

Egypt 3000-1000 BC

Amulets were a form of jewellery with sha-sha beads and a pectoral which was a portable shrine.

Sha was the Egyptian work for luck.

Beads were affordable for even the poorest worker.

Egyptian Headdress

The spectacular ornament took the form of an outer wig.

The wig of long flexible strings of gold beads was held in place by a gold head band.

The head band was worn later by the Greeks and has been reinvented as a modern fashion accessory.

Greece and Rome 1000BC In ancient Greece, beads shaped as natural forms like shells,

flowers and beetles were manufactured on a large scale. 

By 300 BC the Greeks were making multi-coloured jewellery and used emeralds, garnets, amethysts and pearls.

  Roman men and women wore rings with an engraved

gem on it that was used with wax to seal documents.

Roman and Greeks wore jewellry as a form of protection against the evil eye

Middle Ages - Ireland

Ireland was cut off from Europe and the World. The Celtic style remained uninflenced by other cultures and is

unique The Torque is an example of the unique style. The neck ring

was formed by twisted gold. Newbridge still uses this form in their designs.

•Costume jewelry has been available for over 300 years but its popularity rose in the 1930’s

•Costume jewellry is made out of cheaper materials, mass produced and fashionable rather than collectable

•Coco Chanel encouraged people to wear both faux and real jewelry.

•A significant factor in the popularisation of costume jewellery was the Hollywood movie. The leading female stars of the '40s and '50s often wore and then endorsed the pieces produced by a range of designers.

Costume jewelry 1930’sCostume jewelry 1930’sCostume jewelry 1930’sCostume jewelry 1930’s

Costume Jewelry - 1930’s

Wire Jewelry Wire Wrapped jewelry

consists of bundles of wires that are wrapped together to create settings and jewelry framework

Wire Sculpted jewelry is similar, wire is swirled and curled to create an ornate framework of bindings and intricate designs.

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