Jewelry is commonly known as the ornament used to adorn one's body such as ring, necklace, anklet or bracelet which is usually made of precious or semi-precious stones and other expensive metals.
Jewel comes from the word jewelry; it is the anglicized word from the old French word of "jouel". A recent discovery suggested that "jocale" - its Latin word which simply meant a plaything, is actually one of the oldest form of ornaments used 100, 000 years ago.
In the early time, jewelry has been used to connote one's social status and wealth. In Rome for example, only certain position have the right to show off ring on their finger but in the modern day, it is purely used as an adornment. Today, jewelry is often made of semi-precious stones like jade, quartz, onyx, aquamarine and many more matched and finished with gold, platinum, silver or bronze. However, during the older days when semi-precious stones were not yet discovered, early people have used bones, human teeth, shell, wood and stone to make jewelry.
Jewelry is used to adorn nearly the entire body from hair to toe, and it was even used to pin clothes. In some culture from different parts of the world, jewelry was kept in large amounts as a practice and as a way of exercising their belief and traditions. Jewelry was also used as dowry in weddings and as a currency to trade goods.
Jewelry is not only used to decorate one's body or to show one's societal prominence or wealth; it was also used to signify one's involvement in a particular group. Like in the Christian Faith, people often wear Christian crucifix to demonstrate their affiliation to that religious group and Jewish people have worn Jewish Star of David - a symbol generally renowned with Judaism, and married people wear wedding ring to let everyone know that they are already married and committed. Therefore, jewelry is also a symbol that signifies important events, status or beliefs of an individual.
The most recognizable precious stone that can be used to make jewelry is the diamond which was first mined in India. It is now the most popular stone used for engagement and wedding rings. The largest rough gem-quality diamond ever found was called Cullinan Diamond- it was named after the owner of the diamond mine Sir Thomas Cullinan and was found by Frederick Wells, a surface manager of the Premier Mining Company in Cullinan, Gauteng, South Africa in January 26, 1905 - at 3,106.75 carats.
In Asia, jewelry making started in China 5,000 years ago and its designs were very religion-oriented and contained Buddhist symbols which still predominantly exist nowadays. Chinese used silver in making their jewelry more than gold and they decorated it with colour blue- their favourite hue. Though blue was their favourite colour, they chose and revered jade over any other stones because of its human-like qualities that they incorporate with it such as hardness, durability and beauty.
