Personalized Jewelry-A Brief History

A unique collection of chic and stylish jewelry adds up for a great wardrobe, and if personalized, all the more better. Personalized or customized jewelry is a work of art and requires technical skill and expertise. It has set a different tradition all together in the world of fashion and today many celebrities are seen wearing sleek and trendy custom made jewelry as part of their signature style.

The history of jewelry dates back to several centuries. But some are of the opinion that it is not appropriate to use the term ‘personalized jewelry’ until the late 60’s of the last century when a new wave started creating an impact in the fashion world, which is otherwise in a state of flux most of the time. However none can deny the quaint and dainty bijouterie that the true blue blood wore in the old and medieval ages. They were distinctly custom-made, representing one’s status. Copper was the first metal used to craft jewelry, and was introduced sometime around 5000 B.C.

Gold was a valued metal to the Egyptians as it was easy to craft jewelry from gold and soon became a symbol of power and wealth. This was around 3000 B.C. Then came the Mesopotamians, using malleable metal sheets to craft jewelry, and rhinestones as a hallmark. The Chinese people preferred silver and jade to gold. The Romans (since they had access to varied resources in Europe and Africa) were fonder of using diverse materials for crafting jewelry, gold being a favorite choice. Necklaces, bracelets, tiaras and clasps were favorites among women. The rings worn by kings were embellished with crafted stones and were used to seal official letters and documents. These stones had the sign of the royal family and it can very well be said that personalized jewelry started evolving from that time onwards. Their tradition of using gold for designing ornaments was followed by the Franks and the Celts.

With the advent of colonial rule, jewelry making saw a beautiful amalgam of different cultures, bringing forth a myriad designs by the talented artisans. Renaissance meant rebirth, and true both in letter and spirit, it was indeed an age of new ideas in jewelry crafting. The kings and queens patronized art and artists alike, and jewelry making flourished greatly in and around Europe, but more so in France and Italy. Gems like emerald, topaz, iolite, lapis lazuli, ruby, turquoise, amethyst, opal and garnet were favorites among jewelers.

The second half of the 18th century was a landmark in the history of jewelry making and with new technologies of developing cheaper metals and artificial stones, the common people could also have access to such embellishments. Of course, the wealthier had finer and expensive collections from such names as Tiffany, Bulgari, Cartier and Faberge.

20th century saw an upsurge in jewelry making for the masses, and now in high quality with simpler designs. The 50’s saw a revival of fine artistic adornments. The late sixties and early seventies found novelty in fashionable bracelets with a person’s name engraved on it. It was called personalized jewelry which came in different shapes and sizes.

In the recent times, personalized jewelry doesn’t only mean engraving monograms on ornaments. Artisans today are engaged in making one-of-a-kind jewelry for gifting purposes as well as for individual use. Charm bracelets, birthstone pieces, and mommy jewelry are a cutting-edge. Many online jewelry stores these days have come up with some designer ranges of archaic bijoux, in the semblance of regalia. You will be spoilt for choice given the attractive discounts they offer on all occasions. If you are single and sad this Valentine’s day, you can actually celebrate Single’s Awareness Day and gift yourself something delicately beautiful, for a change!

The author, Daniella Jones is an expert writer with closer context to stylish women jewelry.