Gold Lockets
Few pieces of jewellery are as treasured as gold lockets. They are available in a wide range of designs from simple, classic hearts to intricately carved and embellished circles, ovals or rectangles, and they compliment any style of attire from casual to dressy.
Gold lockets have been fashionable for centuries, and never go out of style. They often become cherished family heirlooms, handed down from one generation to the next. A gold locket was especially popular in Victorian times, when the ancient metalworking techniques of repose and chasing were employed to create beautiful embossed designs. Victorian lockets were frequently adorned with pearls or other gemstones. Today, lockets with reproductions of lovely antique Victorian designs continue to be popular.
Gold lockets make splendid gifts for any special occasion. A heart-shaped locket, the time-honoured symbol of love, makes an outstanding Valentine?s Day or anniversary gift. A gold heart engraved with a floral design makes a delightful birthday present for a little girl. For Mother?s Day, a locket inset with the birthstone of each of her children is a gift any mother would love. Mother-daughter locket sets are a unique way to express the closeness of a mother-daughter relationship. The lockets may be identical, or the mother?s locket may be a slightly larger version of the daughter?s, in the same style. Gold lockets engraved with names and dates are often given to commemorate special occasions such as christenings, communions, graduations and anniversaries. Lockets can also be engraved with short inscriptions such as Bible verses, poems or favourite quotes.
A feature that sets lockets apart from other jewellery is that they can be opened to carry a special keepsake such as a lock of hair, the photo of a loved one, a four-leaf clover, pressed flower or other memento. While it is most common for lockets to hold two pictures, book lockets either in the form of a miniature book with several pages, or opening out like an accordion, can hold four, six, or even eight photographs. Gold lockets are increasingly being used for cremation jewellery, a form of personal memorial in which the ashes of a loved one are kept in a locket, close to the heart of the bereaved.
While traditionally lockets have been made of yellow gold, many lockets today are fashioned from white gold, which lends a stunning look that evokes the elegance of platinum but at a much more affordable price.
Gold Earrings - A history and more information on current trends
A beautiful pair of gold diamond earrings can complete the look of any outfit and make you appear more polished. There are earrings for every occasion ? work, a casual night out, a wedding, the board room or a day at the beach. Gold diamond earrings come in many styles ? hoops, studs, buttons, earrings that dangle, chandelier earrings and droplet earrings just to name a few.
The oldest pair of earrings unearthed by archaeologists was discovered in Iraq and has been dated back to 2500 BC. At that time, only royalty and the very wealthy could afford jewellery, especially jewellery made from precious gold and diamonds.
The following is a time line of earrings and their trends in history:
1559 BC to 1085 BC: Earplugs became very popular in Egypt during this time period.
Dark Ages: Poverty was rampant during this time period and there was a sharp decline in the use of metal for jewellery. Wealthy women wore gold diamond earrings to show off their status. Precious gems such as sapphires, aquamarines and emeralds were commonly used for earrings by the end of the 2nd century AD.
330 AD to 1200 AD: This is known as the Byzantine period. During this time, more elaborate body ornamentation was employed and earrings took a back burner. Due to elaborate hair styles and headdresses that were popular during the Middle Ages, earrings became almost obsolete for some time.
16th Century: During this time earrings began to make a comeback. High collars disappeared and women began to wear their hair in up-swept styles which showed off the ears and neckline. This was the perfect opportunity to adorn the ears and show off beautiful gold diamond earrings.
18th Century: Long, dangling earrings became very popular in the latter part of the 18th century, balancing out the bigger hairstyles that were popular at the time.
1800s: Jewellers began to mount gemstone in open back claw settings during the early 1800s. The gems colour and brilliance was enhanced by this type of setting since it allowed light to pass through the setting and into the gemstone. By the 1850s, changing hair styles once again put earrings on the back-burner. Hair was worn in a gathered knot at the back of the head. This hairstyle completely hid the ears from view. It was during this time period that bonnets gained popularity. The bonnet's design made wearing earrings somewhat difficult.
20th Century: Screw backs were introduced early on in the 20th century. This type of earring could be worn without having pierced ears. These quickly gained popularity and many began to view piercing ones ears as rather barbaric.
Shorter hair styles became more popular after WWI, once again revealing the ear and making long dangling earrings popular again. Art Deco styles that were marked by straight, angular designs gained popularity during the 1920s, as did very long chandelier earrings.
The clip on earring was introduced in the 1930s and was more secure than screw backs. Pierced earrings faded into the background as clip on earrings became the number one choice of women for many years to follow.
During the 1950s and 60s earrings styles became much more innovative and whimsical. Colour and texture became a key design element. Earrings also became a fashion accessory that could be worn any time of the day or night. Previously, earrings had been reserved for evening wear, but this changed drastically in the 1960s as the distinction between what was acceptable for day or evening faded away.
Pierced earrings had made their comeback by the 1970s and women were buying several pair of earrings to wear for every occasion.
Today, it is hard to find anyone who doesn't have pierced ears. Even men have taken an interest in wearing earrings. The different styles of earrings have come a long way over the years but one thing's for sure: earrings are here to stay!
