Diamonds and Gold are Forever
Gems, colorful stones and precious metals have been historically considered as a symbol of wealth and power. Due to their exoticism and the difficulty in finding and polishing them, only the strong, the mighty and the powerful can get these things, or even given with these as gifts as a sign of veneration. Metals like silver, platinum and gold are considered very precious commodity these days. And of all stones, the virtually indestructible diamond is considered the most expensive of them all.
However, gold or other precious did not start as an ornament. In the early Byzantine Empire, they used round silver pellets, called the Byzant, as their first medium of commerce. It was considered as the first widely-used and accepted currency of the world. The Chinese eventually invented the paper money that led to the currencies of the present.
The British was first to switch to gold, albeit many say the reasons were political. Their rivals in mainland Europe started to discover huge silver deposits which they can mint to money. The British, with their empire sitting on gold deposits insisted the currency be switched to gold. Since they were the empire and the super power of the day, countered heeded the call.
Gold officially became the standard means of world trade after World War II after the agreement in Bretton Woods, a vacation spot near Washington DC. With the United States remaining as the only giant economy relatively undestroyed by war, the dollar was considered the international standard for trade with its value pegged on the gold. The wealth of a country, then, was pegged on its gold deposits more than its dollar reserves.
The gold standard has collapsed since President Nixon and the Vietnam War but its economic and aesthetic value remains. It is still one of the very much sought after mineral, mainly for decorative purposes as there is not much commercial or industrial use for it unlike silver, platinum or copper.
Joining the gold in the pedestal of the most valuable natural resource of the earth is diamond. There are many diamond mines in Russia, India and China but those found in the African continent are still considered the highest of quality. De Beers is considered to control more than half of the gold trade while the city of Antwerp in Belgium is widely recognized as the center for diamond trading in the world.
When combined, gold and diamond became the ultimate symbol of success, stature and wealth. They decorate tiaras of monarchies while they command a continuously increasing market value. The diamond’s rarity and indestructibility as well the gold’s malleability provides a perfect art form for the best craftsmen of the world. Their quality a subject of curiosity, interest and even passion for people for generations.
JEWELRY AND ITS REMARKABLE PURPOSES
Jewelry is an ornament such as necklace, ring or earring. It is made up of precious metals combined with gems or imitation gems and other natural materials. This ornament is mostly worn by women, though nowadays, some men wear jewelries already.
The use of jewelries gives attraction to the one wearing it. It is eye-catching and one looks glamorous with it. From the very start, the primary purpose of wearing jewelry is for personal beautification of women and as a status symbol. Way back during the ancient times, most women wore ornaments made up of shells, woods and beads. They wore those ornaments from head to toe. During those times also, amulets were worn to cast away evils as one of the ancient superstitious beliefs. Nowadays, different designs are made and different materials are widely used to meet the increasing demands of the people buying it. The jewelries are already made up of metals combined with gems or imitation gems and other natural and native materials. Craftsmen become more creative and wise in designing their jewelry – such as necklace, ring, earring, pins, bangles, anklets, nose ring, to name a few. They also see to it that they can cater to different markets worldwide. They produce jewelries that are affordable to the masses, and they also come up with jewelries that are expensive, which caters to the higher class.
Aside from personal beautification, people buy jewelries for collection purposes. There are a lot of women who enjoy buying different styles or designs of jewelries and keep them to serve as collection items. These jewelries can range from cheap to expensive ones. Some also buy jewelries, especially expensive jewelries that are mostly made up of gold, for future security purposes. In case of economical blow and other unforeseen circumstances, they can use those jewelries to save them from a financial crisis. They can either sell jewelry or pawn it in the pawnshop.
A lot of jewelries are also designed to cater to the younger generations. They are more on fashion, and they usually constitute items made up of plastic materials, glass, stainless steel and other similar raw materials. These types of jewelries which serve as fashion accessories are usually cheaper in price.
There are also jewelries that are designed primarily for collector item purposes. These kinds of jewelries are made up of excellent craftsmanship of goldsmiths and silversmiths. They are usually made up of expensive materials such as pure diamonds, gold, silver, ruby, sapphire, jade, quartz and other precious stones. Craftsmen see to it that their designs are unique, classy and sophisticated, since they cater to the affluent class. These types of jewelries are seldom used or even not being used by its owners because of its very high price and its purpose. They are bought plainly as a collector’s item so it is usually kept in a safety box.
Whatever a person’s purpose of acquiring jewelry is, does not really matter. What matters is the person’s satisfaction or contentment he/she gets from it – from the style down to the price.