In order to trace the history of diamond jewelry, one must also look at the history of jewelry itself. While diamond jewelry may be a commonly thought of type of jewelry in the modern day, jewelry can actually be made of many materials. In the history of what jewelry has gone through since it first began, to what it is today, crosses the course of thousands of years.
Early Forms of Jewelry
While most jewelry in modern countries today is made of metals, jewelry in the earliest times was actually made of natural materials that were usually easier to work with. For example, stone, wood, bone, and animal teeth were used to make jewelry in ancient times.
Evidence points to the fact that jewelry has mainly always been used for the same purpose it is used for today. That purpose of course is to demonstrate wealth and adorn one's body for cosmetic reasons. Throughout history jewelry has been used to show social status, in many cases people are actually buried with their jewelry still on. Although that is less common today, it was very common in the past. One extravagant example of this practice is seen with the ancient Egyptian pharaohs.
Jewelry’s Uses
In the past jewelry has also been used as a way to store wealth. In ancient times, especially, banks and similar institutions were not available or not readily available to everyone. Jewelry provided a convenient way to store wealth, while taking up less space than other methods. Conveniently, this method of storing wealth provided a great way for individuals to showcase their wealth as well.
Jewelry Materials
As mentioned previously, in ancient times materials such as stone, wood, bone, and animal teeth were used to create jewelry. Other materials that have been used through the centuries to create jewelry include metals such as gold, iron, bronze, silver, platinum, and titanium. Diamonds and other gemstones are also commonly used in the creation of jewelry, and have been for centuries.
Diamond jewelry, can trace its roots back centuries. However, it is only been commonly used in jewelry since the 19th century. This is when a large diamond trader named De Beers Group started extensive marketing campaigns to promote diamond jewelry. This diamond jewelry campaign conducted by De Beers group was very successful. One of the most well-known marketing slogans of all time can be traced to this campaign. The slogan is, of course “a diamond is forever”.
