Jewelry Brand History Appreciation

Author: Chief Editor: Wang Genyuan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1997-11-01
Features:
Introduction This book systematically and comprehensively introduces historically famous jewelry treasures, including famous diamonds, large diamonds, colored gemstones, pearls, and legendary treasures in Chinese history, etc. It explores their extraordinary legendary experiences in terms of discovery, cutting and polishing, and historical evolution. This book serves as a valuable reference for jewelry professionals, enthusiasts, and students to understand jewelry and broaden their knowledge of jewelry culture.
Excerpt:
While humans develop and utilize these natural resources, they have created rich material and spiritual culture. Especially after the advent of the civilized era, people further mystified, personified, and socialized gemstone products (such as jewelry and jade artifacts), giving gemstones a distinct social attribute. Therefore, gemstones and their products not only possess scientific and economic value but also artistic and historical appreciation value. The mystical value of gemstones lies in their origin from specific regions of the Earth's crust, formed through various geological processes from chemical elements in the crust. They have certain chemical compositions and specific internal structures, resulting in unique forms, physical properties, and chemical properties. The economic value of gemstones is immense, making them the highest-value mineral resources. In terms of economic value, among all natural gemstones, diamonds are the most valuable. For example, South Africa's main economic income relies on diamond resources; the former Soviet Union invested significant human and material resources over many years to search for diamonds in the vast Siberian region and discovered diamonds in the 1950s, becoming one of the world's leading producers of gem-quality and industrial diamonds, providing a strong economic pillar for the country. Botswana was once one of the poorest countries in Africa, with most of its land covered by deserts. Since the discovery of the world's second-largest diamond mine in the Orapa region in 1967, the substantial foreign exchange earned from diamonds has significantly driven the country's social, economic, and cultural development. Thus, in modern society, gemstones still have a significant impact on economic development.
The artistic value of gemstones lies in their ability to impart artistic charm and endless beauty. The beauty of gemstones can be reflected in color, material, crystal, and special optical phenomena, while the beauty of gemstone products can be seen in craftsmanship, design, and symbolism, evoking noble sentiments and artistic enjoyment. They can also satisfy people's various desires, thereby producing positive psychological effects. It seems that some people still believe that gemstones can ward off evil, avoid disasters, and turn misfortune into good fortune. Even during times of social turmoil and frequent warfare, the artistic appeal of gemstones and their products has not diminished.
The historical value of gemstones and their products reflects a nation's historical development, social environment, and the level of social productivity and scientific and technological advancement, as humans have evolved in their utilization of gemstone resources from simple to complex, from primitive to advanced. At the same time, historically significant and legendary jewelry has had direct or indirect impacts on humanity. This influence manifests in two aspects: first, some jewelry has been believed to possess imaginary mystical properties, greatly affecting humans; second, some jewelry has extremely high economic value, which can be used to raise funds to equip armies and alter the balance of power between nations. Countless historical examples illustrate this role of jewelry. Additionally, the deliberate pursuit of certain gemstones has led to long-term conflicts and bloody massacres.
From a natural perspective, gemstones possess stable physical and chemical properties and are durable. Their influence on humans is primarily through psychological effects. The owners of gemstones may change over time, but the gemstones themselves can endure, passing down through generations, unless intentionally destroyed. Moreover, gemstones should be rare, though rarity is a relative concept. The desire to possess something others do not have is a common trait among rulers throughout history. Gemstones, especially rare ones, are particularly suited to their needs. Gemstones should also be beautiful, but the concept of beauty changes with time and prevailing trends. While it may be impossible to trace when people first began using gemstones, one thing is certain: gemstones are always beautiful and appealing. Many famous historical diamonds were discovered in India, perhaps explaining why gemstones play a significant role in India's customs, myths, legends, and poetry. The discovery of diamonds may have been accidental, but it was certainly different from other pebbles—it was harder, thus eroding less in riverbeds, and may have retained an octahedral crystal form with a brighter surface, all determined by its inherent physical properties.