Jewelery or jewelry is an item of personal adornment, such as a necklace, ring, brooch or bracelet, that is worn by a person. It may be made from gemstones or precious metals, but may be from any other material, and may be appreciated because of geometric or other patterns, or meaningful symbols. Earrings and other body rings are also considered to be jewelery, while body art is not. Also, items affixed to a garment, such as buttons, are not considered to be jewelery, even if they are unusual and highly decorative. Also, items such as belts and handbags etc. are not considered to be jewelery, and are considered to be accessories.
Jewelery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known jewelery.
Jewelery is sometimes seen as wealth storage or functionally as holding a garment or hair together. It has from very early times also been regarded as a form of personal adornment. The first pieces of jewelery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved stone. More exotic jewelery was probably made for wealthy people or as indications of social status. In some cases people were buried with their jewelery.
Jewelery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewelery. While high-quality jewelery is made with gemstones and precious metals, such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for art jewelery where design and creativity is prized above material value. In addition, there is the less costly costume jewelery, made from lower value materials and mass-produced. Other variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewelery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.
Jewelery is one of the oldest forms of body adornment; recently found 100,000 year-old beads made from Nassarius shells are thought to be the oldest known jewelery.
Jewelery is sometimes seen as wealth storage or functionally as holding a garment or hair together. It has from very early times also been regarded as a form of personal adornment. The first pieces of jewelery were made from natural materials, such as bone, animal teeth, shell, wood and carved stone. More exotic jewelery was probably made for wealthy people or as indications of social status. In some cases people were buried with their jewelery.
Jewelery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings and many more types of jewelery. While high-quality jewelery is made with gemstones and precious metals, such as silver or gold, there is also a growing demand for art jewelery where design and creativity is prized above material value. In addition, there is the less costly costume jewelery, made from lower value materials and mass-produced. Other variations include wire sculpture (wrap) jewelery, using anything from base metal wire with rock tumbled stone to precious metals and precious gemstones.