1001Jewellery will be a big online shop one day....
But for this time, it is just a directory and a copy of numerous articles. Have fun.
Jewelry (the American spelling; spelled jewellery in Commonwealth English) consists of ornamental devices worn by persons, typically made with gems and precious metals. Costume jewelry is made from less valuable materials. However, jewelry 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.
Jewelry, particularly when made with precious materials, is generally considered valuable and desirable. Some cultures have a practice of keeping large amounts of wealth stored in the form of jewelry. Jewelry can also be symbolic, as in the case of Christians wearing a crucifix in the form of jewelry, or, as is the case in many Western cultures, married people wearing a wedding ring.
Jewelry 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.
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This is a jewelry timeline from the first uses of metal in history to the Renaissance.
An anklet, or ankle bracelet, is an ornament worn around the ankle. Anklets historically have been worn for centuries by unmarried women in India, though in the United States both casual and more formal anklets became fashionable in the late twentieth century. While in western popular culture both younger men and women may wear casual leather anklets, they are more popular among women, and more formal anklets (silver, gold, beads) are confined to women's fashion.
The anklet is meant to draw attention to the wearer's legs and feet, and it can be an aphrodisiac for foot fetishists who are aroused by the clinging sound. Anklets can be made of silver, gold and sometimes iron. Apart from the aesthetic considerations, it is meant for attracting the male's attention.
Anklets are of two types - flexible and inflexible. The flexible ones, often called pajeb or jhanjhar in India, are made by tying links in a chain. Subsequently, sonorous bells can be attached to the chain, in order to make pleasing sounds while walking. Inflexible ones that require less skills to make are created by giving shape to a flat sheet.
A bracelet is an article of clothing or jewelry which is worn around the wrist. Bracelets can be manufactured from cloth or metal, and sometimes contain rocks, wood, and/or shells. Bracelets are also used for medical and identification perposes, such as allergy bracelets and hospital tags.
The recent use of colored silicone rubber as a material for producing sports bracelets was popularized by Nike and Lance Armstrong through the Yellow Livestrong band. Its success has led to the use of these 'awareness' bracelets as low cost tools for information campaigns and charity projects. These sports bracelets are also known otherwise as 'baller id bands', 'wristbands' or 'baller bands'.
The in-line thin diamond bracelet that features a symmetrical pattern of diamonds is called a tennis bracelet. According to Diamond Bug, in 1987 Chris Evert, the former World No. 1 woman tennis player and the winner of 18 Grand Slam singles titles, was playing in the U.S. Open. She was wearing an elegant, light in-line diamond bracelet, which accidentally broke and the match was interrupted to allow Chris to recover her precious daimonds. The 'tennis bracelet' incident sparked a new name for the item and sparked a huge jewelry trend. Tennis bracelets continued to be worn by various tennis stars like Serena Williams and Gabriela Sabatini.
Although the term 'armlet' may be technically similar, it is taken to mean an item that sits on the upper arm. The origin of the term 'bracelet' is from the Latin 'brachile' meaning 'of the arm', via the Old French 'barcel'.
Taken in the plural, bracelets is often use as slang for handcuffs.
A cuff link, cufflink or cuff-link is a decorative fastener worn by men that is used to fasten or link the two portions of a French cuff, typically on a shirt or blouse. Note the cuff is not fastened overlapping itself as casual button cuffs are designed to do. These fasteners may be of very simple design, consisting of a post — a short cylindrical portion — or a chain connecting two disc-shaped parts, one of which is sized to fit through the button-hole of the cuff, the other, which is positioned on the most visible side of, is wider. The visible part of the cufflink is often monogrammed or decorated in some way.
Cuff link designs vary widely, as do many fashion accessories. An almost unlimited variety of designs and construction details may appear on a cuff link. For example, the 'hidden' side of a cuff link may have a portion which swivels on the central post, aligning with the post while the link is threaded through the button-hole, and swiveling into a position at right angles to the post when worn.
An alternative fastener to a cuff link is the cheaper silk knot, which is also known as monkey's fists. This object is far better-known in Europe than North America and, despite the lower cost than cuff links, is just as well regarded and just as formal. French cuff shirts are often accompanied with a set of color-coordinated silk knots instead of double-button cuff links.
An earring is an ornament that is worn in the ear. Earrings are often made out of metal but can also be made out of bone or similar hard material. Earrings are worn by both genders, although they are generally more commonly worn by women.
Earrings are attached to the ear through a piercing in the earlobe or some other external part of the ear, except in the case of a clip earring, which clips onto the lobe. The simple term "ear piercing" usually refers to an earlobe piercing, whereas piercings in the upper part of the external ear are often referred to as "cartilage piercings." Cartilage piercings are more complex to perform than earlobe piercings, and take longer to heal (see Ear Piercing).
Earring components can be made out of any number of materials, including metal, glass, precious stones and beads. Earring designs can range from small loops or studs to large plates or dangling items. Earring size is generally limited by the physical capacity of the earlobe to hold the earring without tearing. People who habitually wear heavy earrings may find that over time, the earlobe and piercing stretch.
Earrings are worn around the world in most cultures, both currently and historically. In many cultures, it is common to pierce the ears of young girls soon after birth. This has become somewhat controversial because of its involuntary nature, similar to, but much less severe than circumcision. Although not as common as with females, ear piercing among males has also become popular in North America and Europe.
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Regardless of the type, modern standard pierced earrings have two primary means of attachment: posts and wires.
Body piercing jewelry is often used for ear piercings, and is selected for a variety of reasons including the availability of larger gauges, better piercing techniques, and a disdain for mainstream jewelry.
Several varieties of non-pierced earrings have been invented over the years, presumably so that the wearers could avoid the discomfort of having their ears pierced.
Whereas most earrings worn in the Western world are designed to be removed fairly easily to be changed at will, earrings can also be permanent (non-removable). They were once used as a mark of slavery or ownership (e.g., see Ex.21:2-6). They appear today in the form of larger gauge rings which are difficult or impossible for the wearer to remove without assistance. Occasionally, hoop earrings are permanently installed by the use of solder, though this poses some risks due to toxicity of metals used in soldering and the risk of burns from the heat involved. Besides permanent installations, locking earrings are occasionally worn by people of both genders, due to their personal symbolism or erotic value.
Pierced ears are earlobes or the cartilage portion of the external ears which have had one or more holes created in them for the wearing of earrings. The holes may be permanent or temporary. The holes become permanent when a flesh tunnel is created by scar tissue forming around the initial earring.
Ear piercing is one of the oldest known forms of body modification, with artistic and written references from cultures around the world dating back to early history.
Pierced ears were popular in the United States through the early 1920s, then fell into disfavor among women due to the rising popularity of clip-on earrings. There continued to be a small male following, however, particularly among sailors, where a pierced earlobe often meant that the wearer had sailed around the world or had crossed the equator. There was also a long-held belief that puncturing the earlobe was beneficial to increasing the accuity of eyesight (see acupuncture) or of hearing (perhaps through resonance).
Ear piercing continued to be practiced by Western women of various cultures, e.g., Hispanic, but was less common in Anglo-based cultures until the 1960s. At that time, the practice re-emerged, but since there did not exist a commercial market, most ear piercings were done at home. Teenage girls were known to hold ear piercing parties, where they performed the procedure on one another. Such an event is depicted in the 1978 motion picture Grease, where Sandy (Olivia Newton-John), the leading lady, is pierced by her friends.
Ear piercing became commonly available in physician offices. Some of the earliest commercial, non-medical locations for getting an ear piercing appeared in the 1960s at Manhattan jewelry stores, although the overall commercial market was still in its infancy. By the 1970s, ear piercing was common among many females, thus creating a broader market for the procedure. Department stores throughout the country would hold ear piercing events, sponsored by earring manufacturers. At these events, a nurse or other trained person would perform the procedure, either pushing a sharpened and sterilized starter earring through the earlobe by hand, or using an ear-piercing instrument modified from the design used by physicians.
In the late 1960s, ear piercing began to make inroads into the male population through the hippie and gay communities. In the late 1970s, amateur piercings - often with safety pins and multiple piercings - became popular in the punk rock community. By the 1980s, the trend for male popular music performers to have pierced ears helped establish a fashion trend for men, which was later adopted by many professional athletes. British males started piercing both ears in the 1980s; George Michael of Wham! was a prominent example. The heavily jeweled Mr. T was an early example of an American celebrity wearing earrings in both ears, although this trend did not become popular with mainstream American males until the 1990s.
In the latter part of the 20th century, some Americans and Europeans adopted the convention that when a man pierced his right ear, it symbolized his being gay. Therefore, a straight male wishing to pierce his ear would usually opt for the left side. Men with bilateral ear piercings were relatively rare, and were sometimes interpreted as feminine or bisexual. However, the trend was never well adopted, and exceptions were common. Some gay men would wear an earring on the left side to symbolize a particular role in a relationship (see hanky code), or just because they liked it, and some straight males would pierce either or both ears. Since the early 1990s, the concept has largely lost its signficance (bmezine.com).
Multiple piercings in one or both ears first emerged in mainstream America in the 1970s. Initially, the trend was for females to wear a second set of earrings in the earlobes, or for males to double-pierce a single earlobe. Asymmetric styles with more and more piercings became popular, eventually leading to the cartilage piercing trend.
A variety of specialized cartilage piercings have since become popular. These include the tragus piercing, antitragus piercing, rook piercing, industrial piercing, helix piercing, orbital piercing, daith piercing, and conch piercing. In addition, earlobe stretching, while common in primitive cultures for thousands of years, started to appear in Western civilization in the 1990s, and is now a fairly common sight. However, these forms of ear piercing are uncommon compared to standard ear piercing.
A variety of techniques are used to pierce ears, ranging from "do it yourself" methods using household items to medically sterile methods using specialized equipment.
A long-standing home method involves using ice as a local anesthetic, a sewing needle as a puncture instrument, a burning match and rubbing alcohol for "sterilization", and a semi-soft object, such as a potato, cork, or rubber eraser, as a push point. sewing thread may be drawn through the piercing and tied, as a device for keeping the piercing open during the healing process. Alternatively, a gold stud or wire earring may be directly inserted into the fresh piercing as the initial retaining device.
Another method for piercing ears, first made popular in the 1960s, is the use of sharpened spring-loaded earrings known as self-piercers, which gradually push through the earlobe. However, these could slip from their initial placement position, often resulting in more discomfort, and many times would not go all the way through the earlobe without additional pressure being applied.
Ear piercing instruments, sometimes called ear piercing guns, were originally developed for physician use but with modifications became available in retail settings. Today most people in the Western world have their ears pierced with an ear piercing instrument in specialty jewelry or accessory stores, or at home using disposable ear piercing instruments. An earlobe piercing performed with an ear piercing instrument is often described as feeling similar to being snapped by a rubber band. Cartilage piercings tend to be more painful.
An alternative and growing practice is to use a hollow piercing needle, as is used for body piercing. This technique is similar to the early sewing needle approach, but when done by a professional body piercer is extremely safe, less painful than an instrument piercing, and produces a piercing with faster healing time. This procedure is available at body piercing shops, and often also at tattoo shops that also offer body piercing.
In primitive cultures and among some neo-primitive body piercing enthusiasts, the piercing is made using other tools, such as bone spurs.
Initial healing time for an earlobe piercing performed with an ear piercing instrument is typically 6-8 weeks. After that time, earrings can be changed, but if the hole is left unfilled for an extended period of time, there is some danger of the piercing closing. Piercing professionals recommend wearing earrings in the newly pierced ears for at least 6 months, and sometimes even a full year. Cartilage piercings will usually require more healing time than earlobe piercings, sometimes 2-3 times as long. After healing, earlobe piercings will shrink to smaller gauges in the prolonged absence of earrings, but may never completely disappear.
The health risks with conventional earlobe piercing tend to be minimal, particularly if proper technique and hygenic procedures are followed. Earlobes will sometimes develop a minor infection. More commonly, the person will develop an allergic reaction to nickel in some jewelry. Earlobe tearing, during the healing period or after healing is complete, can be minimized by not wearing earrings, especially wire-based dangle earrings, during activities in which they are likely to become snagged, such as while playing sports. Also, larger gauge jewellery will lessen the chance of the earring being torn out.
With cartilage piercing, the blunt force of an ear piercing instrument will traumatize the cartilage, and therefore make healing more difficult. Also, because there is substantially less blood flow in ear cartilage than in the earlobe, infection is a much more serious issue. There have been several documented cases of people developing severe infections of the upper ear following piercing with an ear piercing instrument, which required courses of antibiotics and/or surgery to clear up. The use of a sterilized hollow piercing needle tends to minimize the trauma to the tissue, and minimize the chances of contracting a bacterial infection during the procedure. As with any invasive procedure, there is always a risk of infection from blood borne pathogens such as hepatitis and HIV. However, modern piercing techniques make this risk extremely small (the risk being greater to the piercer than to the piercee due to the potential splash-back of blood). It is worth noting that there has never been a documented case of HIV transmission due to ear/body piercing or tattooing, although there have been instances of the Hepatitis B virus being transmitted through these practices (see CDC Fact Sheet: HIV and Its Transmission). See body piercing aftercare for more information on the healing process for pierced ears.
The word hairpin may refer to:
A necklace is an article of clothing or jewelry; which is worn around the neck. Necklaces are frequently formed from a metal chain; often attached to a locket or pendant. Necklaces can also be manufactured with cloth, and they sometimes contain rocks (particularly gems), wood, and/or shells.
A necklace worn high on the neck is a choker.
Many Christians wear a cross or crucifix on a necklace.
A necklace sometimes refers to necklacing, a form of execution in which a rubber tire, filled with kerosene, is forced around a victim's chest and arms and set on fire.
A choker is a tight fitting necklace, worn high on the neck. This type of jewelry can consist of one or more bands circumventing the neck. Chokers can be made of a variety of materials, including velvet, beads, metal and leather. They may or may not be adorned with sequins, studs or some kind of pendant and come in a variety of colours.
Some people value chokers for their aesthetic appeal. However, a choker can also carry strong erotic connotations. In part, this can be explained due to a similarity between chokers and collars. In a BDSM context, collars act as a symbol of submission and function as a practical tool of bondage, as (for example) a leash can be attached to them.
Chokers are distinct from collars, in the sense that the former is an item of jewelry and can be worn as such. Although chokers are of little practical value for BDSM, they can be of symbolic and suggestive relevance.
A Choker is also used to refer to an individual who consistently fails to perform under pressure. For example "Eric is a Choker" or "Eric choked when it mattered".
A promise ring or friendship ring is a small, inexpensive ring given to a boyfriend or girlfriend, to promise not to court a rival. These indicate merely that serious courting is under way. No permanent commitment has been made by either party, but they give the partners an excuse for refusing social invitations from others.
A promise ring can be worn on any finger on the left or right hand, although ring fingers are far prefered. Most often it is the left ring finger, but due to engagement confusion, the right ring finger is finding acceptance in today's world.
In American society, a now-dead subculture in adolescent behavior existed. High school class rings (rings purchased to represent one's high school and year of graduation) were coveted by young women. "Wearing his class ring" meant that the couple was 'going steady' and that theirs was an exclusive relationship (if the young man wore a 'letter jacket' -- an overt symbol of athletic participation -- the young lady may have been gifted with that to show she's 'taken').
Some girls judge the seriousness of a promise ring by its value and by the size of its gem. In general, promise rings with a value of more than a half-week's pay might be considered engagement rings and are refused if the woman lacks a desire for a permanent relationship with the man.
In some cultures, young adults in partnership wear 'friendship rings' as a sign of their commitment to each other. Generally speaking, however, 'promise rings' are uncommon except for the very young.
In American Bahá'í culture, a promise ring may be given to a prospective engagement partner prior to the required consent of both individuals' parents. At that point, this ring can then be considered an engagement ring or can be replaced by another ring for that purpose
In the British-American tradition, an engagement ring is a ring worn by a woman on her left-hand ring finger indicating her engagement to be married. By modern convention, the ring is usually presented as a betrothal gift by a man to his prospective bride while or directly after she accepts his marriage proposal. It represents a formal agreement to chastity and a future marriage.
Similar traditions seem to date at least to the ancient Greeks,Romans, and Egyptians. In Egypt it was believed that the "vein of love" was located on the fourth finger of the left hand.
In the United States, it is more common today than it used to be for a woman also to buy the man an engagement or promise ring at the time of the engagement.
In Germany, both the man and the woman wear engagement rings.
In some societies, it is traditional for the engagement ring to cost the equivalent of one month's pay of the man's wages. In the United States, diamond industry advertisements advocate two months' pay. A spokesperson from Tiffany’s Australia, quoted on the television program A Current Affair (February 1, 2005), suggested that a man should spend two to three month's salary on an engagement ring.
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Women traditionally refuse offers of marriage by refusing to take the offered engagement ring.
A woman who accepts an engagement ring, and then does not marry the man but keeps the ring, is considered grasping and dishonest in some cases, although an alternative argument is that the ring was a gift to which the woman is entitled; because an engagement is also a period for evaluating one's commitment to the relationship, it is not uncommon for either the man or the woman to break off the engagement.
An engagement ring is often intentionally expensive as a sign of the man's permanency of interest. It is generally held that if the betrothal fails because the man pursues other women or himself breaks off the engagement, the woman is not obliged to return the ring. In the United States, this moral argument usually does not hold up in court.
Designs of such rings have varied greatly over the years. It traditionally is a precious band, and mounts a diamond or other gem. Current fashions for engagement rings are for a gold, platinum, or silver band with a single diamond. This trend dates from advertising campaigns in the 1940s by de Beers, the world's leading diamond producer.
The argument for a diamond is that it is the most enduring, beautiful, and expensive gem. Many women, however, prefer different gems or semiprecious stones to the stark clarity of a diamond. Many women prefer colored stones. Sapphires, star sapphires, emeralds, and rubies are often used in engagement rings. Pearls and opals are rare, because these are soft stones.
In some European countries (for example, Germany), engagement rings are usually plain gold bands without a diamond.
The inception of the engagement ring itself can be tied to the Fourth Lateran Council presided over by Pope Innocent III in 1215. Innocent declared a longer waiting period between betrothal and marriage; plain rings of gold, silver or iron were used earliest. Gems were more than baubles; they were important and reassuring status symbols to the aristocracy. Laws were passed to preserve a visible division of social rank, ensuring only the privileged wore florid jewels. As time passed and laws relaxed, diamonds and other gems became obtainable to the middle class.
At one time, engagement rings mounted sets of stones. One traditional sentimental pattern mounted six to celebrate the joining of two families: The birthstones of the bride's parents and the bride (on the left), and the birth stones of the groom and his parents (on the right). The parents' stones were mounted with the mother to the left of the father. The bride and groom's birthstones would be adjacent in the center. Another similar pattern, for four stones, mounted the birthstone of the parents' marriages, and the birthstones of the bride and groom. These token rings often disassembled, to expose a channel in which a lock of the suitor's hair could be treasured.
A Victorian tradition was the Regards ring, in which the initials of the precious gems used spelled out the word 'regards'.
A wedding band, or wedding ring consists of a precious metal ring, usually worn on the base of the ring finger -- the fourth finger (with the thumb counted as the first finger) -- of the left hand. Such a ring symbolises marriage: a spouse wears it to indicate a marital commitment to fidelity. The European custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond Europe.
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According to some customs, the wedding ring forms the last in a series of gifts which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present, and the promise ring, often given when serious courting begins. (Other (more recent) traditions (and the jewelry trade) seek to expand the idea of a series of ring-gifts with an eternity ring, which symbolises the renewal or ongoing nature of a lasting marriage, sometimes given after the birth of a first child, and a trilogy ring (usually) displaying three brilliant cut round diamonds each, in turn, representing the past, present and future of a relationship.)
A European tradition encourages the engraving of the name of one's intended spouse and the date of one's intended marriage on the inside surface of wedding rings, thus strengthening the symbolism and sentimentality of the rings as they become family heirlooms.
The best man has a traditional duty to keep track of a marrying couple's wedding ring(s) and to produce them at the symbolic moment of the giving and receiving of the ring(s) during the traditional marriage ceremony.
In more grandiose weddings, a ring bearer (usually a young boy) may assist in the ceremonial of parading the ring(s) into the ceremony, often on a special cushion or pillow(s).
As for the engagement ring and whether or not it should be worn during the ceremony, there are a few options. The bride may wear it on her left ring finger and have the groom put the wedding band over it. She may also wear it on her right ring finger - although that may cause the surprise of the groom (she can continue wearing the rings on different hands after the wedding - this may prevent the engagement ring from scratching and scuffing). Another option is to have the main bridesmaid keep the ring during the ceremony - there are a variety ways to keep it - in a pouch, on a plate, etc. After the ceremony, the ring can be placed back on either left or right hand.
Before medical science discovered how the circulatory system functioned, people believed that a vein of blood ran directly from the fourth finger on the left hand to the heart. (This belief allegedly dates to the 3rd century BC in Greece.) Because of the hand-heart connection, people named the putative vein descriptively vena amori, Latin for "the vein of love". Due to this tradition, it became accepted to wear the wedding ring on this finger. By wearing rings on the fourth finger of their left hands, a married couple symbolically declares their eternal love for each other. This has now become a matter of tradition and etiquette.
In most Western cultures, the wedding ring is worn on the left hand. In some countries, however (such as Germany, Norway, and Chile), it is worn on the right hand. Orthodox Christians, Hindus, East Europeans and Jews also wear the wedding band on the right hand traditionally.
Etiquette frowns severely on the making of sexual overtures to a man or woman wearing a wedding ring.
In the United Kingdom and the United States in past generations women wore wedding bands much more commonly than men did. Today, both partners often wear wedding rings, but where occupations or professions forbid or discourage the wearing of jewellery (as in the cases of actors, police and electrical workers) either marriage partner may not wear a ring. In addition, people often remove wedding rings for comfort or safety. Others may object to the idea of precious metals, or dislike the idea of declaring their legal status through jewellery. So it commonly occurs for chaste married people not to wear a wedding ring.
Either partner may also wear a wedding ring on a chain around the neck, thus conveying the socially equivalent message to wearing it on a finger.
One interpretation states that the woman wears the wedding ring below the engagement ring, thus making it closer to the heart. Purists hold this practice, though common, as incorrect: they claim no ring should fit above the wedding ring, which should be worn alone.
Most religious marital ceremonies accept a band of any material (even a rubber band) to symbolise the taking of marriage vows, with unusual substitutions permitted in marriages under unusual circumstances. When people marry on shipboard and cannot obtain or adjust a metal ring of appropriate size, the partners often use rubber bands.
To make wedding rings jewellers most commonly use a precious yellow alloy of gold, hardened with copper, tin and bismuth. Platinum and white alloys of gold class as equivalent or superior to gold. Titanium has recently become a popular material for wedding bands, due to its durability, affordability, and gunmetal grey color. Tungsten carbide, often with gold or platinum inlays, is recently being used as well. The least expensive material in common use is nickel silver for those who prefer its appearance or cost. Silver, copper, brass and other corroding metals do not occur as frequently because they stain the skin. Marrying couples seldom use stainless steel (which does not count as a precious metal). Aluminum or poisonous metals are almost never used. Rings made by either spouse rank highest; and as a result become so precious to the couple that any material becomes acceptable, even if practically unwearable.
The plain gold band is the most popular pattern. Medical personnel commonly wear it because it can be kept very clean. Women usually wear narrow bands, while men wear broader bands.
In France and French-speaking countries, a common pattern consists of three interleaved rings. They stand for "faith, hope and love", where love equates to that particular type of perfect distinterested love indicated by the ancient Greek word agape. Provocatively, this pattern slides off quickly, because the rings flow over each other.
A traditional Irish wedding ring, the Claddagh ring, has become popular in the United States and Australia as well, thanks to Irish immigration to those countries.
Men in Greek, Italian and Anatolian cultures sometimes receive and wear puzzle rings -- sets of interlocking metal bands that one must arrange just so in order to form a single ring. Women wryly give them as a test for their mens' chastity. Even when the man masters the puzzle, he still cannot remove and replace the ring quickly!
In North America, many married women wear two rings on the same finger: an engagement ring and a plain wedding band. Couples often purchase such rings as a pair of bands designed to fit together.
"Until death do us part." -- common ending words of the wedding vow.
"With this ring I thee wed." -- from the traditional Church of England marriage-ceremony formula.
"With this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." -- Translated from the Hebrew words said at a Jewish wedding.
"N., take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." -- from the Roman Catholic Rite of Marriage.
A class ring is a ring worn by students and alumni to commemorate their graduation, generally for a high school, college, or university.
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Today these rings are often personalized by each student, although in years past they were uniform to the school's standard, and only the year would change. A typical class ring depends upon the gender of the person wearing the ring; men's rings are larger than women's. The color is usually gold; however, even that can differ from school to school, and students can order their ring in white gold or silver. The center stone is traditionally one of the school's colors, but the size and cut can be individually customized to the student's desire (as well as the size of the ring). Josten's, Balfour, and ArtCarved are the three major companies that sell class rings to students.
The following companies are the largest ring makers in the United States for class rings:
Body piercing jewelry is jewelry manufactured specifically for use in body piercing.
Originally hardly any other other jewelry than circular earring was used in body piercing. As the body piercing became more of a fashion a vast amount of specially crafted jewelry became available. Materials used for production have grown from traditional gold and silver to most widespread surgical steel as well as titanium, glass, several kinds of plastic, wood, silicone, ivory, tusk and others.
Nose-jewels were only mentioned in the Bible in Isa. 3:21, although referred to in Gen. 24:47, Prov. 11:22, Hos. 2:13. They were among the most valued of ancient female ornaments. They "were made of ivory or metal, and occasionally jewelled. They were more than an inch in diameter, and hung upon the mouth. Eliezer gave one to Rebekah which was of gold and weighed half a shekel...At the present day the women in the country and in the desert wear these ornaments in one of the sides of the nostrils, which droop like the ears in consequence."
Non piercing body jewelry refers to jewelry that does not require body piercing. Magnets are often used to hold the jewelry in place. Some of the jewelry squeezes a body part to hold itself in place.
Common types of non piercing body jewelry include:
Julian Snelling and Judy Kirk are non piercing body jewelry designers. Both of them have designed anal jewelry among other erotic jewelry works.
Brooches are decorative items designed to be attached to garments. They are usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material. Brooches are often decorated with enamel or with gemstones and may be solely for ornament, or sometimes serve a practical function as a fastening, perhaps for a cloak.
The earliest known brooches are from the Bronze Age. As fashions in brooches changed rather fast, they are important chronological indicators.
Fibula (or Fibulae plural) are ornamental clasps or broochs used by migratory tribes in Europe during the 3rd through 7th centuries. They were shaped somewhat like a large safety pin and were used to hold clothing together. They came in many varieties and held prominent significance for the identity of the wearer. They were usually made of precious metals and often had encrusted gem stones. Eagle fibula, often worn in pairs, commemorate the worship of the Sun, common among the pagan tribes.
Chateline (French châtelaine, wife of the lord of a castle) is a term used for:
Crown names several entities associated with monarchy:
Crown is also the name of several currencies:
In first-person shooters, crowning is the act of shooting an opponent in the back of the head with a shotgun, and is considered a grave humiliation.
Other entities and concepts named crown include:
A Circlet is a crown without arches or a covering.
Many ancient crowns were circlet in style, notably the original St. Edward's Crown, the coronation crown of English monarchs, which was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell during the Commonwealth of England. In fairy tales, crowns often continue to be represented in circlet form.
In the twentieth century two British consort crowns, the Crown of Queen Mary, and the Crown of Queen Elizabeth, were designed with detachable half-arches connected to crosses pattee so that they could be worn as circlets.
Former Queens Consort whose husbands had died sometimes only wore their consort crowns as circlets after his death.
Both Mary of Teck (Queen Mary opposite) and Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) only wore their crowns as circlets after the deaths of their husbands.
A coronet is a small crown. Traditionally such crowns are worn by nobles, and by princes and princess, rather than by monarchs; in the United Kingdom, a peer wears his or her coronet on one occasion only, for a coronation, when it is worn along with coronation robes.
In the peerage of the United Kingdom, the design of a coronet shows the rank of its owner. The coronet of a duke has eight strawberry leaves, that of a marquess has four strawberry leaves and four silver balls (known as pearls, but not actually pearls), that of an earl has eight strawberry leaves and eight "pearls" raised on stalks, that of a viscount has sixteen "pearls", and that of a baron has six "pearls". Since a person entitled to wear a coronet customarily displays it in their coat of arms above the shield and below the helm and crest, this can provide a useful clue as to the owner of a given coat of arms.
Members of the Royal Family have coronets on their
