Though we all appreciate jewelry pieces, precious or artificial, we don’t know much about them. There are many astonishing facts about the jewelry you wear and love.
Here’s are 9 interesting jewelry facts that you might not have been aware of -
- The very first diamond was found in India in the 4th century and India was the only place where diamonds were mined until 1726 when diamonds were discovered in Brazil. Diamonds were found in various parts of the country but most mining took place near the Krishna river (now in Andhra Pradesh) — a fact recorded by Italian explorer Marco Polo and French traveler Jean Baptiste.
- The oldest known pieces of jewelry known to mankind are 100,000-year-old which were made out of Nassarius shells. It is assumed that they were used for decorative purposes.
- No wedding is complete without an engagement ring in today’s time. But this tradition was not always around. It was in 1477 the Archduke of Austria proposed to Duchess of Burgundy with a ring as a promise of marriage. Though romantic details of the story aren’t available, since then the trend caught on. And, today it’s a billion dollar business.
- Due to an uncanny resemblance to gold, pyrite has earned itself the name fool’s gold. Pyrite is used in artificial jewelry. When crushed, pyrite looks greenish-black, whereas gold powder is yellow.
- While In the West, diamonds and rubies are most sought-after gemstones, in China it’s jade. For Chinese, jade has been a symbol of status, spirituality, purity, and health for centuries. Jadeite, jade’s most expensive and rarest variety, is one of the most expensive gemstones in the world.
- Almost all rubies have flaws. Finding a flawless ruby is exceptionally rare and it is priced higher than diamonds of a similar weight and quality.
- The most expensive piece jewelry ever used in a film was the necklace worn by actor Nicole Kidman in the movie Moulin Rogue. The necklace, which cost over $1 million, was made of 1,308 diamonds and platinum.
- In the 1950s, scientists were able to successfully grow diamonds in laboratories, giving birth to synthetic diamonds, which are eco-friendly and inexpensive. Today, synthetic diamonds are a rage. Often people choose synthetic diamonds over real diamonds not just because of the price but also because of environmental concerns.
- Gold jewelry in South Asia is generally purer than jewelry available in North and South America. Jewelry in South Asia is generally 22 karat where western jewelry is closer to 14 karat.
Stay tuned to this space for more such interesting jewelry facts.
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