Jewelry History

It seems improbable to believe that this timeless, enduring, popular jewelry design called Celtic originated from the people the ancient Greeks then referred to as the ‘barbarians’. Of course, the Greeks eventually gave them a proper name and came up with “Keltoi”: roughly translated it meant “Barbarian people to the North of Greece”. Simply put, […]

Byzantine-Inspired Diamond Cross Pendants

The most conspicuous characteristic of Byzantine Art (circa 4th Century through 1453 at the Fall of Constantinople) manifests itself in anti-naturalistic shapes. If classical art–which immediately followed medieval Byzantine art–was marked by realism, Byzantine art abandoned verisimilitude in favor of a more symbolic rendition of life. Although not fully abstract in the ways that we […]

The Garnet Attraction: January Birthstone

As one of few ancient gemstones existing today, Garnets have found their exclusive place under the sun. Its earliest use as adornment could be traced back to around 3,000 B.C., as evidenced by remnants of garnet jewelry found in the Nile Delta. Ancient Egyptians have created bracelets, necklaces, and other body adornment made from this […]

Blue Topaz Ring – December Birthstone

“And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row” (Exodus 28:17). Most scholars agree that the concept of birthstones had its origins not in the celestial sphere or the zodiac, but in […]

Celebrate with Three Stone Rings

Since the first diamond engagement ring in the 15th century, the single-diamond stone design had dominated the history of engagements. For centuries, it had enjoyed undivided attention and admiration from every couple who was lucky enough to afford it. Five centuries later, in the early years of the twentieth century, a revolutionary and completely non-traditional […]

The World of Disney

No other company in the entertainment industry existing today could have a story, or history, as interesting, inspiring or innovative as the Walt Disney Corporation. Officially launched in October of 1923 with a 12-minute film called Alice’s Wonderland, Walt Elias Disney introduced animation to the world and the world was never the same since. From […]

Once Upon A Jewelry

There is a treasure trove of historical information regarding jewelry of the bygone days. We all know about rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants because they are very much in existence today. But do you know that there is at least one kind of jewelry that was so much en vogue in the 17th century? […]

Time to Say Yes: The History of Engagement Rings

Every woman dreams her engagement proposal mirrors a fairy tale. There are hundreds of thousands of couples who get married every year and each has a unique engagement proposal story to tell. But in each scenario, there is one fixture that makes and seals the deal: the engagement ring. Chosen to represent the promise of […]

Jewelry: A Modern Story

Jewelry’s modern story begins in the late 19th century, which heralded many historic events affecting jewelry making and design, including: 1. The birth and success of the industrial revolution; 2. The introduction of fashion and costume jewelry, and; 3. The launch of high-quality jewelry firms that have continued the tradition of fine jewelry into the […]