Seeped in History – Wunderkammer

There is nothing I love more than an antique store hidden away from the world with wooden floors, dust covered shelves and rooms and rooms in which to get lost.  I’ve spent years of my short life wandering around them and make it a point to visit at least one whenever I travel so as to see the true history of the place.

As with any routine one has fallen into, I have a specific attack in mind when entering the antique store.  First, the jewelry displays, then the clothes if there are any, then books, then the paintings and finally the trinkets, baubles and do-dads.

Cabinet of Wonder

In the Renaissance, people displayed their valuables – everything from unique curiosities like pressed plants or taxidermy to  historical paintings and famous prints  to jewelry and heirlooms.  Some were open to the public and almost every household had their own – rich or poor.  These were the Cabinet of Wonders or Wunderkammer.

Cabinet is really a misnomer, because sometimes, it wasn’t a cabinet at all, but an entire room.

These little precursors to the modern museum remind me of the shops I love.  Every shelf, every cupboard, every rack and sometimes every inch of the wall is covered with beautiful and mysterious things.  Only, with these museums, you get to take home the pieces you like best.

For some reason, maybe the magpie reflex, I am inextricably drawn to the jewelry displays.  Some of the best shops have one in every room.  It’s so easy to get lost and drawn in.

It looks like a pirate’s bounty all heaped up together, golden chains dangling from stands, rings with sparkling gemstones piled into bowls, rhinestone and costume jewelry glittering violently.  The messier the pile, the better; it means the best pieces may have been overlooked by previous shoppers.

And of all the jewelry in the pile, I am always drawn to the rings.  Not because it’s what I wear the most, but because I’m looking for love, for thanks, for happiness, for a story.  I’m looking for an engraving.

Engraved rings, once referred to as posey rings or poesy rings, carried hidden messages.

It’s like sitting in a field of clovers and finally finding one with the extra leaf, that one extra thing that pushes the piece into the realm of the extraordinary.

I’ve read messages from ghosts.  I’ve been present at marriage proposals.  I’ve smiled at the birth of someone I will never know.  And I’ve read stories in one entire sentence.

The fewer the words, the deeper the tale.

And the type of jewelry tells the story too.  Wedding rings are obvious, and generally not piled in amongst the others – value you know.  But sometimes you’ll find one that’s been over looked.  There are birthstone rings and plain rings and signet rings.  So far, there isn’t any one kind I haven’t found with an engraving.

The last time I was in New Orleans, about six months ago, I found a plain gold band, all scuffed up and loved at Anette’s of Rue Royal inside a massive jewelry cabinet.  It read, “Parted Though Together.”

I wondered what the story behind the engraving could be.  I began making up my own. Were the two torn apart by war?  Perhaps they were young lovers forced apart by circumstance like forced marriage, the color of their skin or status.  Maybe he was a sailor or off for long periods of time and gave the ring as a reminder of his devotion.  The latter is, of course, my preferred selection.  A thousand stories whirled through my head.

Did they stay in touch?  Were they reunited?

As I walked through the picturesque streets, I couldn’t stop thinking about that ring.  I didn’t buy it.  I should have bought it.  But it doesn’t matter as I am sure the ring and its message served more purpose than most jewelry ever does.  It carried meaning – it carries meaning.

Another I found once in a rural shop (the best kind) in Pennsylvania, was engraved with, “Feed the Animals.”  The engraving was on the outside of the ring as opposed to the inside where most are found.  Maybe it was a loving reminder to an absentminded child.  Regardless, I imagined it a lot easier to do the arduous task with such a pretty thing on the finger.

Locally, I found a gorgeous opal and topaz cocktail ring engraved with, “Squishy, Squishy.”  It was probably from the 1920s or so and immediately it made me laugh.  Interesting, I thought, but most like affectionate too.  It also made me think about conceptions of time periods.  People always seemed so stiff, so proper back then, but this engraving had more character than most I had seen.  I may not have known the inside joke shared by the giver, receiver and the ring, but it was hard not to smile.

These messages, these engravings, convey all that is good about human emotion: Love, laughter, and longing.  That is why, when I see dirty windows screening dimly lit treasures and a wrought iron sign that reads, “Antiques,” I can’t help but push open the squeaky door, leave my time – my world – my life, and breath in the past.

When I depart, laden with trinkets or not, I always have a new story and usually an appreciation for all that has come before and all that there is now.

Engraved jewelry, books with inscriptions, vintage clothes and dark shops are my Wunderkammer.  They are my Cabinet of Wonders and Curiosities.

Today, I love to engrave jewelry – whether it’s just for me or if I am giving it as a gift.  I engrave the traditional sweet and tender things, but also inside jokes and odd phrases.  Each time I do, I think…who will find this someday?  Will they laugh?  Will they smile?

Will they make up a story?

Jewelry History – Rings

Rings are possibly the most popular style of jewelry there is.  Regardless of whether we conduct a phone poll, an Internet poll or simply review our sales: rings are always at the top of people’s lists.

Maybe it’s because rings are easy to wear, range from symbolizing eternal love to one’s purity or funky fashion sense, and date back to roughly 5,000 B.C.  The first rings were made from stone, bone or clay.  They were worn by both men and women.  Artisans crafted rings to represent their station in the group, their prowess as a hunter or to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

Ancient Roman Signet Ring

As time passed, rings became more intricate. With advances in technology, precious metals like gold, silver, copper and bronze entered the scene.  Romans often wore multiple rings at once with each used for a specific purpose.  Many wore signet rings, used to stamp correspondence in place of a signature, others represented family seals and the female head of the household wore a ring set with a key to symbolize her position.  With gold in abundance, gold rings were often the most popular, followed by bronze and other metals.

Roman Ring 100 AD

In additional to stylized rings, gemstone rings became popular.  Certain gemstones represented different things.  If you were afraid of the poison rings of the day, you could wear topaz that was said to change color in the presence of dangerous substances.  If you wanted to party like Dionysus, you would done the purple amethyst as a way of ensuring your sobriety. If it was your birthday, you donned the Annulus Natalitus (the ancient equivalent to the modern birthstone rings we now wear year round).

In the new age with a new monotheistic religion in place, the devout were told to steer away from false idols.  What were once seen as insurance against harm and bringers of luck were now quite the

Gold Cloisonné Ring from the Middle Ages

opposite.   Just like with earrings, many stopped wearing rings as talisman.  Few wore rings simply as adornment, possibly because it linked the wearer with the occult.  In fact, Joan of Arc was accused of her villainy partly due to the fact she wore rings.  Her association with such “charms” led many to believe she was involved with magic.

With time, the negative connotation waned and rings once again became popular.  In fact, rings flourished.  People wore not one or two, but one or two on each finger.  New meanings sprang forth for different types and the popular styles of today were born.  Engagement rings, friendship rings, purity rings, and even religious rings flourished.

Today, there aren’t many rules when it comes to wearing a ring.  Choose something that is versatile, light enough for easy wear and something that makes you smile.  Remember, every time you’re slipping on a ring, your following a historical tradition thousands of years old.

Jewelry Illustrations: Ring Parts Diagram

Shank – the shank is the ring’s band.

1. Upper Shank – The upper shank is the top portion of the ring.  This area is generally where the ring’s decoration lies.
2. Lower Shank – This lower shank is the bottom half of the ring if bisected at the diameter.   The interior of the lower shank is often engraved with personal messages and is where one can find the metal stamping.
   

   Ring Parts Diagram

Under Gallery – The under-gallery is the interior of the upper shank.  It is generally open to allow maximum light to reach the stone and is comprised of the settings and support structure.

Feature Stone – Refers to the only stone in a single stone ring or the largest stone in a multi-set ring.  Generally, but not always, the feature stone is set at the center-top of the ring centralized along the upper shank.

Prongs – A prong is a type of setting that holds a gemstone in place.  While there are various types like bezel, channel and pave, the prong setting is one of the most popular.

Stations – A station is a jewelry term that refers to a repetitive grouping of gemstones.  For example, we this “O” a topaz and this “Y” a diamond, each “YYOYY” in the following pattern YYOYY-YYOYY would be considered a station.

Girdle – The girdle of the ring more specifically refers to the gemstone or feature gemstone’s widest part.  Girdles are generally mentioned more with anniversary, engagement and wedding solitaire rings as the stone’s girdle directly affects the amount of light refracted by the diamond.

Face – Also referred to as the crown, the face is generally the top most facet of the stone.  With many, the surface of a cut gemstone is flat, but with a cushion cut, the face would be multi-faceted.

Don’t Know Your Ring Size?

Check our our Ring Sizing Tool HERE!  Ring size is measured differently across the world, but all sizes are determined by the ring’s diameter.  You’ll find more information on the various ring sizes and ring size conversions at GEMaffair.com’s ring page.

Earrings

Jewelry History: Earrings

Earrings are one of the most popular styles of jewelry because they come in such a huge variety including button, stud, solitaire, clip-on, chandelier, french wire, hoop, huggie hoop, threader, gauged, and even magnetic.

Earrings have been around for thousands of years.  In 1995, a five thousand year old mummy was found.  He or she was wearing a pair of earrings.

2000 Year old Earrings from Jerusalem

It is believed that earrings actually came into fashion as a way to ward off evil spirits. Since many people believed that evil spirits could enter your body through any its openings (mouth, nose, eyes, ears); earrings were a way of dissuading a spirit from gaining entrance through at least one opening. If there was metal placed through the ear, the spirits would stay away, because they did not like solid metals.

As the years progressed and more people began to wear earrings, the original purpose seemed to wear.  What was once a talisman transformed into a sign of wealth. The larger the earrings or the more lavish the display, the more power one had. Roman emperors and nobles wore the jewelry to show their power and wealth.  It was believed a well crafted pair of earrings said more about the man than his mouth.

As the Roman empire fell and Christianity took over many things changed.

Since earrings were originally worn to ward off evil spirits – a paganistic polytheistic belief – and others wore them to flaunt their wealth, it comes as no surprise that many Christians felt earrings were a demonic sign. There were, however, many men and women who wore them – even in the Bible – but to do so was flashy and un-Christian.

At the same time, there may have been another reason that earrings fell out of favor for several generations.  During that era, earrings were worn by slaves.  In fact, slaves were required to have their ears pierced, and most people did not want to associate themselves with the lower caste.

As time progressed, and stigmas died down, more and more people started wearing earrings. They became a status symbol for men and women. For pirates, they were like medals of honor.  Every true pirate was said to pierce one ear with a gold hoop if they survived a wreck.  Others say a pirate pierced his ear if they crossed the equator.

Native Americans and tribes all over the world have practiced the ear piercing tradition. Mostly, its popularity and endurance is seeped in religious history – be it a tribe in Africa or a Julius Caesar (he had his ears pierced).  Today, we owe the earrings’ popularity to the variety that arises from such a rich history.  The styles we wear today all have different backgrounds.  There is a different story for each and many have gone untold.  Regardless, what was once a spiritual tradition is now a multimillion dollar industry.

Next time you slip on your favorite pair, think about the 5,000 year old mummy.  Think about Caesar and the Romans, think about the slaves and think about the swashbuckling pirates.

The Significance of Masonic Jewelry

Born from an ancient fraternity of stonemasons, the Freemasons are a philanthropic

Masonic Cuff Links

brotherhood always striving to learn and improve their lives and the lives of others. Many are fascinated by the intrigue and mystery that surrounds them; they are one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the United States and much of the country’s foundation can be attributed to the organizations contributions to both American architecture, government and philosophy!

Wearing Masonic jewelry is one way members show both pride  and dedication. The signet ring is a traditional piece that has been worn for centuries, but contemporary pieces are also available. Cuff links, tie pins and clips, shirt studs, pocket watches and even pendants are made with Masonic designs. Gold or sterling silver Masonic jewelry is also available.

Masonic Ring

Symbols play a large part in the design of Masonic jewelry. The square and compass are the most recognizable symbols of the freemasons. These tools of the trade represent the cornerstone of the organization, the Blue Lodge. The letter “G” is displayed in the center and it signifies geometry, which is essential to building, and God. Many other symbols are available that represent degree levels, specific lodges and other principles of the brotherhood.

Whether it is antique Masonic jewelry passed down for generations or a gift from loved ones, these pieces are steeped in history and symbolism of the most storied organization in the world.

The Claddagh is not just for the Irish Anymore

Claddagh jewelry design originated in Ireland.   It is named for a small fishing village in Galway with the same name.  Legend tells that a young fisherman by the name of Richard Joyce crafted the ring as a token of his affection for his true love.  The story goes that the young sailor was

Galway

bound for the West Indies but kidnapped and sold into slavery.  His new master was a wealthy Moorish goldsmith.  Though a slave, Joyce learned the art of goldsmithing from his master and it seems an understanding had grown between the two men.

In fact, when King William III ordered the slaves to be released, Joyce’ master invited him to stay on.  Not as a slave or worker, but as a son in law.  He offered Joyce his daughter’s hand in marriage and half of his estate as a dowry, but the sailor could not accept for his heart belonged to another.

Painting of Galway by Daniel Fishback

While in exile, he never stopped yearning for his one true love.  Upon returning to Galway, the ever faithful Joyce presented his lovely lady with a golden ring.  The ring featured two hands securely cradling a heart topped with a crown.  It was the first Royal Claddagh ring.

Though he had been away for fourteen years, the woman he loved remained as steadfast as Penelope from Homer’s Iliad.  She remained faithful.  They married and Joyce continued creating beautiful jewelry, but the design created out of love and longing became his legacy.

Today, the ring symbolizes the same as it did in the 17th century:  Love, friendship, fidelity, and loyalty. The two hands represent friendship as each delicately cradles the heart as though protecting it from harm.  The crown symbolizes royalty and fidelity and the heart everlasting love.  The claddagh design is a beautiful representation of both love and friendship.

For this reason, it is no longer considered simply an Irish treasure.  The distinctive design has  spread to all parts of the world and is given by anyone who wants to show their attachment to another.

Claddagh earrings or necklaces are popular styles given as gifts from one friend to another to symbolize an everlasting friendship.  Earrings, like the ones at the left, are a beautiful representation of one’s  true affection for another.  Claddagh rings are also extremely popular and actually have an additional meaning all their own.

If a claddagh ring is worn on the right hand and the tip of the heart points ourward, it means the wearer is single as their heart is open for another to receive. If the heart points inward, it means the wearer may be off the market soon. If the ring is on the left hand and the heart points inward, the wearer’s heart completely belongs to someone.  This, in addition to the qualities the ring represents in friendship, love, loyalty and fidelity,  makes it a popular choice for engagement, wedding and promise rings.

Whether you choose gold or silver, Claddagh jewelry is a great way to show love and affection for a friend, family member or significant other. It tells the story of two lovers torn apart by fate and returned to one another through chance.  Their love, friendship and faithfulness are as lasting as the style itself.

The hands are there for friendship, the heart is there for love. For loyalty throughout the year, the crown is raised above.