Jewelry is made using a variety of different metals. It is one of the most ancient of arts. In primitive age people used to wear necklaces made of bones and animal teeth. While others used to decorate themselves with shells and feathers. Of course jewelry making becomes made more interesting and worthwhile if you can gift the jewelry to other people to wear. More than 3,000 years ago in ancient , jewelry was made of gold and silver. The Egyptians also used gemstones in their jewelry making, such as amethyst, turquoise and lapis lazuli. In medieval times, brooches, rings and torques (massive solid necklaces) were made of all kinds of metals, and a person's wealth and social rank was expressed by what metals he wore.
In the 14th century, faceted stones appeared at the scene. Thus began the journey of stones acquiring more importance than their settings. Pearls became the jewel of choice during the Renaissance and Elizabethan eras, and were used in the making of the first earrings. This era is often termed as "the jeweled age." When Henry the VIII died, for instance, he had 234 rings and 324 brooches, in addition to his necklaces and chains of office.
Today, jewelry such as wedding rings or religious pendants have a symbolic value. Social class is judged based on the type and quality of a person's jewelry. The techniques of creating jewelry are not that complicated, but the artistry and skill involved requires an understanding of design basics in order to be successful.