subject: The development of Jewellery and Gemstones [print this page] The development of Jewellery and Gemstones
Throughout history jewellery and gemstones have been used as a way of enhancing natural beauty. People all over the world have followed a natural instinct to wear and collect beautiful silver jewellery and gemstones.
Unfortunately, very little jewellery made before the 18th century has survived. The best examples are those used by the ancient Egyptians. The majority of it is gold and set with gems such as Turquoise or Lapis Lazuli
The large majority of jewellery up to the 19th century was worn by the social elite and aristocracy. However, over the past century there has been an increase in demand for affordable jewellery for everyday use. The main focus has been to maintain the natural beauty that comes with gemstones which, combined with the intrinsic value of silver, creates items of jewellery that can be beautiful and yet be for everyday wear.
What are gemstones?
Gemstones are generally minerals that have formed over thousands or millions of years. The minerals from which they are formed originate from basic processes in the earth that create three types of rock:
Igneous rocks Formed from volcano's magma that is cooled beneath the surface of the earth.
Metamorphic rocks Cooled in a similar way to igneous rocks but with the aid of water and pressure.
Sedimentary rocks Rocks that erode from their origin into deposits at the bottom of mountains.
Characteristics of gemstones
The key characteristic of gemstones is that they are crystals formed in regular patterns with chemical atoms.
The physical characteristics of gemstones can be divided into three basic areas:
Hardness
Gravity or density
Colour and lustre
Crystals may be formed in a single or multiple discrete crystals (eg. Diamonds), in massive collections of microscopic crystals (eg Chalcedony) or in amorphous structures (eg Opals).
The colour of gemstones
Colour is the most obvious feature of a gemstone. The colour of a gem depends largely on the way it absorbs light.
Hue, Tone and Intensity are the three characteristics that combine to form a gem's colour:
Hue is a function of the frequency of light best described as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo or violet.
Tone is the variation from light to very dark.
Intensity is the measure of saturation or purity of a colour
The human eye can identify approximately 150 pure hues, but approximately one million colours. The difference among colours may be obvious or so subtle that direct comparisons to discern them are only possible under controlled conditions.
The shaping of gemstones
The effects of light on a gem are affected by how it is cut and shaped. The transparency of each gem will dictate whether light is best enhanced by letting it through the gem or reflecting from it. That is why certain stones are cut cabochon and others shaped and faceted into many different planes.
At Sundari jewellery, we have taken the best from over eight different countries in terms of their gems and jewellery skill to form our own collection. Because we source this directly from the manufacturer and combine this with our own design capability Sungari's jewellery is unique and reflects a modern style which is also classic. We believe in providing quality and offer our jewellery at affordable prices, which make a beautiful gift or a personal treat.
