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National Jewel Day on March 13 recognizes precious stones, special heirlooms, and the gems of people that make them! They have our hearts. Jewelry has the uncanny ability to make time stand still. In that moment, all we can see is its beauty. There is so much love and care that goes into crafting a single piece of jewelry. On National Jewel Day, we remember to appreciate and wear these delicate works of art.
The origins and founder of National Jewel Day are unknown. What we do know is that humans have always used jewelry as a form of adornment. In prehistoric times, people wore jewelry made from stone, bones, and shells to mark status.
As humans became more skilled at working with metals, jewelry-making became increasingly more sophisticated and decorative. As a result, the value of metals like gold began to grow over time. In the ancient world, people buried gold with the dead to serve their owners well in the afterlife.
Soon, jewels would come to signify a person’s status and rank. It was especially true in Medieval Europe with its intensely hierarchical society. The rich reserved the right to wear silver, gold, and other precious gems. Those belonging to lower ranks typically owned base metals like pewter and copper.
Jewelry also became flashier over the ages. Cutting techniques became more advanced during the Renaissance Age, which meant shinier stones and elaborate enamels encasing both sides of the stone. It was also during this time that people wore jewelry to signal political strength or religious affiliations.
By the 19th century, the world had grown increasingly weary with industrialization. So as a way to reclaim their souls and reject machine-led systems, jewelers of the time focused on creating beautiful, handcrafted pieces instead.
Since then, the art of jewelry making has continually pushed boundaries. It began with movements like art deco and art nouveau in the 1950s. By the 1960s, conventions would upend entirely. A radical new generation of creators redefined what we knew about jewelry. New technology and non-precious materials emerge each year. It means we can take concepts of status traditionally associated with jewelry and throw them out the window! Today we have jewelry made from textiles, paper, and even plastic. The symbolism may have evolved, but some things remain the same. Jewelry is a personal expression and brings everyone untold joy.
You can create your own personal expression on Tuesday afternoons with Tahira. Come and learn the fine art of jewelry making. You will find peace and tranquility while you create beautiful bracelets, necklaces or earrings. Tahira has been making jewelry for over 15 years and most of what she makes is donated to local women's shelters. She says that she loves to be able to create wearable art from different types of media. In addition to making jewelry in the class, many friendships have been created as well. The class jewelers will sometimes go out to lunch together of just get together outside of Joslyn to socialize. If you like to be creative and learn something new, come and join Tahira and others to create, share ideas, help each other, be social and have fun.
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