Jewellery

Jewellery (Jewelry in American spelling) comprises ornamental objects worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. Costume jewellery is made from less valuable materials. However, jewellery can and has been made out of almost every kind of material.

The word is derived from the word "jewel", which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" in around the 13th century. Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything.

Some cultures have a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewellery. Jewellery can also be symbolic, as in the case of Christians wearing a crucifix in the form of jewellery, or, as is the case in many Western cultures, married people wearing a wedding ring.

Jewellery in various forms has been made and worn by both sexes in almost every (if not every) human culture, on every inhabited continent. Personal adornment seems to be a basic human tendency.

Types

Materials and methods

Jewellery, particularly when made with precious materials, is generally considered valuable and desirable. A variety of precious gemstones, coins or other precious items can be used, often set into precious metals. Common metals used for jewellery include gold, platinum or silver. Most gold alloys used in jewellery range from 10K to 22K gold, while platinum alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95.0% pure). The silver used in jewellery is often sterling silver.

Common gemstones that are used include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and opals. Dozens more are also commonly used.

Other commonly used materials include glass, such as fused glass or enamel; wood, often carved or turned; shells and other natural animal substances such as bone and ivory; and natural clay and plasticine clays, such as polymer clay.

Beads are commonly used in jewellery. These may be made of many different substances including glass, gemstones, wood, shells, clay and polymer clay. Beaded jewellery commonly encompasses necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and belts. Beads may be large or small. The smallest type of beads commonly used are known as seed beads; these are the beads used for the "woven" style of beaded jewellery.

Among uncommonly used materials are fish scales (Video clip).

Timeline

This is a timeline of jewellery production from the first uses of metal in history to the Renaissance.

  • 7000 BC - Uses of copper in Anatolia, Iran and Eastern Europe.
  • 5000 BC - Uses of copper in Egypt.
  • 4000 BC - Smelting technology for copper in Egypt and Iran.
  • 3450 BC - Use of natural zinc/copper alloy in Egypt.
  • 3500 BC - Gold makes an appearance in Egyptian jewellery.
  • 3000 BC - Egypt and Iran makeing simple hammered iron beads
  • 3000 BC - The Middle East employ semi-mass-production
  • 2000 BC - First signs of the swagging technique
  • 2600 BC - Beaded wires began to be used.
  • 2500 BC - Egyptians using copper/lead alloys.
  • 2500 BC - True iron production technology in Near East.
  • 2500 BC - The intentional addition of silver and copper to gold.
  • 2500 BC - Gold wires are characterised by seam lines that follow a spiral path along the wire.
  • 2000 BC - Use of patterned punches
  • 1500 BC - Earplugs and earrings become popular in Egypt.
  • 1400 BC - Egypt Amarna period, using resin and mud for repoussé backing.
  • 1400 BC - Deliberate addition of zinc to copper in Canaan.
  • 1400 BC - Philistines have iron.
  • 1400 BC - Very copper rich gold alloys popular in Egypt.
  • 1000 BC - Persian sheet bronze work 0.05mm thick.
  • 1000 BC - The start of true engraving.
  • 900 BC - The Greeks have iron.
  • 700 BC - World's oldest coinage in Lydia.
  • 575 BC - In Greece, jewellery is still very rare.
  • 500 BC - Hafted hammers were being used in some parts.
  • 500 BC - Iron in use in Britain
  • 400 BC - Greeks using Beeswax for filler in repoussé.
  • 350 BC - Use of combined punches and dies of bronze.
  • 325 BC - Animal or human-headed hoop earrings were popular.
  • 300 BC - Diadems are first seen.
  • 300 BC - Red Coral popular in Celtic jewellery.
  • AD 50 - Start of the Roman period, where addition of silver to gold becomes almost unknown.
  • AD 100 - Sulphur fills hollow gold items throughout the Roman Empire.
  • AD 150 - Tin rings found in Nubia
  • AD 300 - Lead becomes more common in places.
  • AD 400 - Pewter jewellery is made.
  • AD 400 - A shale die is found in Britain.
  • AD 1500 - The Renaissance

Famous jewelers

  • Paolo Bulgari -- Chairman of Bulgari.
  • William Calley -- the convicted Vietnam war criminal is a jeweler in Columbus, Georgia.
  • Tom Shane -- Founder of The Shane Company and radio advertisement personality.
  • Charles Lewis Tiffany -- founder of Tiffany & Co..
  • Sotirios Voulgaris -- founder of Bulgari.
  • Elias Akaoui -- founder of Akaoui stores in Cairo, Egypt.

This page about Jewelry includes information from a Wikipedia article.
Additional articles about Jewelry
News stories about Jewelry
External links for Jewelry
Videos for Jewelry
Wikis about Jewelry
Discussion Groups about Jewelry
Blogs about Jewelry
Images of Jewelry

This is a timeline of jewellery production from the first uses of metal in history to the Renaissance. Barcodes are frequently used on many products as a convenient way of identification. Among uncommonly used materials are fish scales (Video clip). Identification of vehicle registration and last service details are two examples of stickers on the inside of most car windscreens. The smallest type of beads commonly used are known as seed beads; these are the beads used for the "woven" style of beaded jewellery.
Stickers placed on automobiles, called bumper stickers, are often used by individuals as a way of demonstrating support for political or ideological causes. Beads may be large or small. Other methods of underground forms of voting for your favorite graffiti artists' current productions are by an open form of appreciation such as clapping while passing such a sticker (a smile and a kind reminder to a fellow appreciater throughout the day is common place as well).

Beaded jewellery commonly encompasses necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and belts. They are frequently distributed as part of promotional, advertising, and political campaigns; for example, in many voting districts in the US, stickers indicating an individual has voted are given to each voter as they leave the polling place, largely as a reminder to others to vote. These may be made of many different substances including glass, gemstones, wood, shells, clay and polymer clay. They may also be used to describe characteristics of the products that would not be obvious from simple examination. Beads are commonly used in jewellery. Brand stickers may be attached to products to identify those products as coming from a certain company. Other commonly used materials include glass, such as fused glass or enamel; wood, often carved or turned; shells and other natural animal substances such as bone and ivory; and natural clay and plasticine clays, such as polymer clay. "Stickers" are very widely used when an object requires identification with a word or idea.

Dozens more are also commonly used. Special labels:. Common gemstones that are used include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and opals. [1]. The silver used in jewellery is often sterling silver. It has been known for certain companies to patent "their own" color. Most gold alloys used in jewellery range from 10K to 22K gold, while platinum alloys range from 900 (90% pure) to 950 (95.0% pure). Ink is usually transparent however it can be made opaque.

Common metals used for jewellery include gold, platinum or silver. Additionally specialty inks such as metallic, UV ink, magnetic ink, and more are available. A variety of precious gemstones, coins or other precious items can be used, often set into precious metals. The Pantone system is very dominant in the label printing industry. Jewellery, particularly when made with precious materials, is generally considered valuable and desirable. Ink and base stock color choices commonly conform to the Pantone Matching System (PMS) colors. . Corona treating or "zapping" makes a substrate more receptive to inks.

Personal adornment seems to be a basic human tendency. The stock type will affect the types of ink that will print well on them. Jewellery in various forms has been made and worn by both sexes in almost every (if not every) human culture, on every inhabited continent. . Jewellery can also be symbolic, as in the case of Christians wearing a crucifix in the form of jewellery, or, as is the case in many Western cultures, married people wearing a wedding ring. Labels have many uses, from product identification to name tags. Some cultures have a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewellery. The most common type is made with a paper stock and a colloquial term for it is a sticker.

Further tracing leads back to the Latin word "jocale", meaning plaything. Labels come in many forms and can be differentiated by the type of base material, called stock, that they are printed on, and by the adhesive type that they use. The word is derived from the word "jewel", which was anglicised from the Old French "jouel" in around the 13th century. A label is any kind of tag attached with adhesive to something so as to identify the object or its contents. However, jewellery can and has been made out of almost every kind of material. Radioactive labels The use of radioactive isotopes of chemical elements, such as carbon-14, to allow the in vivo tracking of chemical compounds. Costume jewellery is made from less valuable materials. They can be used on ID cards, credit cards, products such as CD/DVD's, etc.

Jewellery (Jewelry in American spelling) comprises ornamental objects worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. Holographic stickers are used for authentication and protection against counterfeit. Elias Akaoui -- founder of Akaoui stores in Cairo, Egypt. Blockout labels are not see-through at all, concealing what lies underneath with a strong adhesive. Sotirios Voulgaris -- founder of Bulgari. Often used on Express mail envelopes. Charles Lewis Tiffany -- founder of Tiffany & Co.. The label can be applied to any object as normal, the top layer can be a removable label that can be applied elsewhere, which may change the message or marking on the remaining label underneath.

Tom Shane -- Founder of The Shane Company and radio advertisement personality. The bottom layer forms the backing for the top. William Calley -- the convicted Vietnam war criminal is a jeweler in Columbus, Georgia. Piggyback labels are made from combining two layers of adhesive substrate. Paolo Bulgari -- Chairman of Bulgari. This is useful for labeling objects that are to be stored in a freezer for any length of time. AD 1500 - The Renaissance. Freezer permanent- special type of removable adhesive that remains fully permanent under certain temperatures.

AD 400 - A shale die is found in Britain. Semi-permanent - aka repositionable - Adhesion strenghtens fully after application (approx 48-72 hours), allowing the label to be removed easily if placed incorrectly and still be a permanent label. AD 400 - Pewter jewellery is made. The adhesive is usually strong enough to be applied again elsewhere. AD 300 - Lead becomes more common in places. Removable - Adhesion is fairly strong and will not fall off in normal circumstances, but the label can be removed relatively easily without tearing the base stock or leaving adhesive behind on the old surface. AD 150 - Tin rings found in Nubia. This is considered the most popular and cheapest option by many self adhesive paper manufacturers.

AD 100 - Sulphur fills hollow gold items throughout the Roman Empire. For example, full adhesion can be nearly instant, or the label can be almost removable for a short period with full adhesion developing in minutes or hours. AD 50 - Start of the Roman period, where addition of silver to gold becomes almost unknown. The adhesion strength and speed can also be varied. 300 BC - Red Coral popular in Celtic jewellery. Permanent - Typically not designed to be removed without tearing the stock or using solvents. 300 BC - Diadems are first seen. A disadvantage is durability, because another heat source can ruin or obscure the image, or it may fade completely over time.

325 BC - Animal or human-headed hoop earrings were popular. Custom labels can be easily be made on location in this way. 350 BC - Use of combined punches and dies of bronze. A heating element in the shape of letters or images can be used to create an image on the label. 400 BC - Greeks using Beeswax for filler in repoussé. Thermal - direct thermal label stock will change color (usually black) when heated. 500 BC - Iron in use in Britain. Foil - has the shiny properties of a metal foil.

500 BC - Hafted hammers were being used in some parts. A bumper sticker is usually a vinyl label with a very strong, durable adhesive and Lightfast Inks. 575 BC - In Greece, jewellery is still very rare. They typically require special equipment and printing methods (ultra-violet curing is common) as they do not normally print well with conventional ink. 700 BC - World's oldest coinage in Lydia. Various plastics such as acetate, vinyl, and mylar allow a variety of features, such as greater strength, flexibility, transparency, resistance to tearing, etc. 900 BC - The Greeks have iron. Latex - a litho stock with some added latex allows the label to be much more flexible and form around certain curved objects more easily than standard litho.

1000 BC - The start of true engraving. Litho - one of the most common base stocks. 1000 BC - Persian sheet bronze work 0.05mm thick. 1400 BC - Very copper rich gold alloys popular in Egypt. 1400 BC - Philistines have iron.

1400 BC - Deliberate addition of zinc to copper in Canaan. 1400 BC - Egypt Amarna period, using resin and mud for repoussé backing. 1500 BC - Earplugs and earrings become popular in Egypt. 2000 BC - Use of patterned punches.

2500 BC - Gold wires are characterised by seam lines that follow a spiral path along the wire. 2500 BC - The intentional addition of silver and copper to gold. 2500 BC - True iron production technology in Near East. 2500 BC - Egyptians using copper/lead alloys.

2600 BC - Beaded wires began to be used. 2000 BC - First signs of the swagging technique. 3000 BC - The Middle East employ semi-mass-production. 3000 BC - Egypt and Iran makeing simple hammered iron beads.

3500 BC - Gold makes an appearance in Egyptian jewellery. 3450 BC - Use of natural zinc/copper alloy in Egypt. 4000 BC - Smelting technology for copper in Egypt and Iran. 5000 BC - Uses of copper in Egypt.

7000 BC - Uses of copper in Anatolia, Iran and Eastern Europe.