Fun Facts about Jewelry

Jewelry has always been a part of every culture around the world. In fact, dressing the body with different types of ornaments represents one of the earliest developments in human history. As time moved, these fun facts about jewelry changed our ways forever.

The first Diamond

Back in the 4th century, the first diamond was found in India. Because of their sparkle and resistance, they quickly became highly valued. In fact, people always thought India was the only source of diamond until the 18th century when, in 1866, a diamond over 21 carats was found in South Africa. This marked a switch and quickly made Africa among the leading diamond suppliers around the world.

Engagement rings

It seems strange to imagine a time when engagement rings were not around. But when did they become a tradition? In 1477, Maximilian of Austria gave his beloved Mary of Burgundy a ring as a promise of forever. This influenced those of higher social class and significant wealth to give diamond rings to their loved ones.

Organic Jewelry

The oldest pieces of jewelry found date back to 100,000 years ago. They were organic and consisted simply of a couple of beads made from a shell.

Anklets

As a mark of respect, in the Indian culture, women wear anklets containing a single bell or multiple bells. The sound of the anklet signified the presence of a woman in the house and members of the family would have to show her respect.

The most expensive engagement ring

When it comes to engagement rings, some celebrities have gone beyond our expectations. However, the most expensive ring ever bought went to Mariah Carey from when James Packer proposed. She has recently sold the ring.

The Evil Eye

The evil eye is known to protect one’s life against misfortune and bad luck. It is also known to bring good luck and protect from anything that could have a negative impact on one’s wellbeing or their life in general

The most recognized piece of jewelry

Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring, now worn by Kate Middleton if often mentioned as the most recognized piece of jewelry around the world. The iconic blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds cost at the time of purchase around 60,000 dollars and is now worth approximately half a million dollars.

Here at 22 jewelry, we make beaded jewelry and embrace each type of ornament and its history to make our collections meaningful and unique. We use history, travel and learning about different cultures to find new ideas.