All You Ever Wanted To Know About Earrings But Were Afraid to Ask

It is thought that earrings date back to 3000 BC where they originated in Asia and appeared in 2 formats, one being the simple hoop earring and the other the more elaborate pendant earring.

The oldest earrings ever found by archaeologists were discovered in royal graves in Iraq and date back to around 2500 BC. Gold, silver and bronze hoop earrings have also been found dating back to 2000 BC in Crete. In those days it was customary to bury jewellery with the dead.

In 16th century in the New Kingdom of ancient Egypt a type of earring called an earplug became fashionable and these fitted snugly into a wide stretched hole in the earlobe. This type of piercing is seen on the sculpture of Tutankhamen.
Poverty in the Dark ages meant that work with precious metals dwindled although some goldsmiths preserved designs that were to later emerge in 7th century Greece. The most popular earrings then there were the pendant type and they often featured a bird or likenesses of the gods Eros and Nike.

In the 2nd century during the Roman Empire, earrings became a popular way for rich women to show off their wealth and the use of precious gemstones in the jewellery also became more popular.

During the Middle Ages, earrings became less popular and practical due to the popularity of elaborate hairstyles and headdresses.  In fact for a time it was considered immoral for respectable married woman not to have their heads covered in public.

In 16th century Italy, hairstyles changed with hair being swept away from the face leaving ears exposed although for another 100 years things stayed the same in England, Spain and France with the wearing of high collars keeping earrings out of fashion.

By the 17th century, earrings became very fashionable accessory for the well dressed lady across the whole of Europe. One of the most popular designs of those times were the very large heavy pendant type earrings called girandoles which were great favourites of Queen Victoria. These earrings required a substantial amount of precious metals and gemstones and so were very heavy, which meant that most people that wore them suffered from elongated earlobes.

Although earrings were popular with wealthy people throughout the ages, they were also popular with poorer people who adopted their own styles which were less elaborate and made from less expensive materials.

It wasn’t until the 20th century that earrings were completely revolutionised. Different fittings appeared such as screw and clip on as well as those for pierced ears and it also became the norm for women to wear earrings in the day and not just for special occasions. The 1960’s marked a massive change for the wearing of earrings when designs became completely unrestrained and it became common to see men also wearing earrings although most only usually wear one earring. Women began to collect earrings and with so many designs available the choices were endless.

Today the choice is even greater and the popularity of earrings increases with many people now having more than one set of piercings in which to display their jewellery. Modern materials such as titanium and different types of plastics have also become popular in the making of earrings because of their lightness, design possibilities and in the case of titanium because of its hypoallergenic qualities.

There is now a never ending choice of different types of earrings from modern trendy cheap and cheerful everyday earrings to the more expensive gold, silver or platinum earrings inlaid with diamonds and other precious gemstones.

All About Jewelry

Be it any moment of your life you always aspire to look the best and posses the best possible appearance. And if it’s your marriage you want to look, as beautiful as never before. Sparkling array of designs for every mood and personality from wild sensuality to serene gracefulness, from divine beauty to alluring exotica and much more for every woman is available all over the world. A lot of people know the fact that buying and specially importing bulk jewelry in wholesale price can save a lot of money for them and they do follow this tip while spending on jewelry.

The glamour of trinkets and Jewelry has eluded minds since its evolution and will never fade out. There are a number of ornaments that fascinate everybody like necklaces, bracelets, watches, scarves, rings, handbags, brooches, belts and clips. In fact the power of its dazzle has kept men and women spellbound till today. The glitter, its sheer worth and the aura it radiates has gripped us all. Society owes importance to women and women owe it to Jewelry. When it is Diamond, it is not only the investment of your money but also like rewarding your emotions. Exceptional and mesmerizing, mysteries and magical, the diamond has brought up flames in romantic passion throughout history. The one, signifying wealth and status, the diamond remains one of the most luxurious and sought-after gifts for any romantic and triumphant occasion, a gem whose purity and brilliance symbolizes long lasting love. As it is an old saying that Gold is an investment, but Diamonds are forever. You can get a wide range of classic and modern Jewelry at incompatibly lowest prices. And their designs take your breath away.

Jewelry with all its glitter is a subject of lasting interest. Silver, gold, diamond and other gem stones are most commonly found ingredients of good jewelry.  Jewelry rich in ethic beauty and craftsman can transform a girl into glamour queen. Styles and dress code change from time to time but jewelry has held ground through centuries. Loyalty of woman to this fashion accessory remains unraveled, the constancy may have got something to do with the value of gold which can be cashed in time of need but women basically want to adorn themselves with jewelry which upgrades their feminity. There are many BIS approved jewelry stores all over the world and also the distributors for the big brands like D’dmas and Nakshatra diamonds. Jewelry comes in various designs like polka stone studded Swarovski Austrian crystal and gemstone bridal jewelry styles in both sterling silver and traditional styles. Unique and classical designs consist of precious and semi-precious gemstones with Swarovski crystal because it glistens like no other. Now a day’s kundan and polki Jewelry is in great demand.  We should not deny the fact that glittering gold and sparkling diamonds are surely going to make any occasion a lot more different for years to come.

For more info on jewelry visit: http://www.mtcimport.com

‘It’ bags are the classic cars of the fashion set

Handbags are the new shoes, the must have “it” accessory that has all the fashion-istas clamouring for the latest offering from popular designers. It’s also a market that has more in common with the male-dominated world of classic cars than you’d realise.
Few of you will have missed the fuss a couple of months ago when Sainsbury’s sold 20,000 “I’m not a plastic bag” Anya Hind-march totes for [pound]5 each. Within hours those same unbleached cotton bags were selling for in excess of [pound]150 on eBay. “Every girl has a handbag,” says Christie’s specialist Monica Turcich, “and every girl wants one. Women now want the ‘it’ bag and the one nobody else is carrying. They’ve always been popular and they are the section of our 20th-century fashion sales for which we get the most phone calls, but now they are doing particularly well because everyone wants handbags, whereas 10 years ago there weren’t the ‘it’ bags like we have today, simply the classics.”
Like cars, most of the more recent designer handbags which sell through dealers and auction houses make significantly less than their original retail price, losing value the second the initial purchase has taken place. That is good news for both collector investors and handbag enthusiasts, but there are some exceptions to the rule.
Last March Christie’s sold a red Hermes crocodile skin Kelly bag for [pound]10,800, this had only been purchased in 1994 and was originally a bespoke product. The Kelly bag is the “holy grail” of the classic handbag world according to Turcich. “Chloe and other more contemporary bags are more driven by what’s popular now, but for Hermes and Chanel’s quilted bag, these are classics which never go out of style and are always useable.” Kelly bags can be bought for [pound]600 and can often be sold on for [pound]1,000- [pound]2,000, which isn’t bad for a bag which might have been bought back in the 1960s.
There’s no doubt that most handbags are being bought to be used, it’s not an investment market in the same way as many other collectables such as paul smith,Abercrombie and Fitch,dsquared etc, but again there are parallels to the car market. By buying a classic bag and looking after it, you are unlikely to lose money, rather see a steady gain with the added return of enjoying using it.
Hindmarch’s “I’m not a plastic bag” bags are unlikely to make it to “classic” status, they are after all mass-produced cotton totes, but other handbags from her range might well do so. So far Christie’s has-n’t sold any Hindmarch bags, but Turcich says she wouldn’t be surprised if they start turning up at auction soon and she wouldn’t turn them away. “Kylie Minogue was pictured carrying a Chloe bracelet bag around a few years ago which sparked a fashion and now we are selling the same thing at auction.”
There is a pristine one in the next auction which is estimated at [pound]800 to [pound]1,000 along with another Chloe handbag in the same lot. “I think Chloe has started the ‘it’ bag scene” adds Turcich, “I don’t know how long it will take for them to become classics of their own, but I’m sure these will hold their value in five or 10 years’ time. People just don’t seem to have paid attention to the fact that handbags have become the new shoes in the last few years, there is now an appreciation of the design that goes into them. There are shoe designers that are artists and so too with handbags.”
It’s not always about big names, a few weeks ago Ms Minogue was at the shop of Tony Durante, a handbag dealer at Alfie’s in London, and purchased a white raffia bag with a horse’s head on the front for around [pound]200. Brightly coloured raffia bags are in at the moment because it’s summer. Durante says that Kylie loved this particular bag because it was unusual. Buying it from a vintage fashion dealer she’s unlikely to bump into another celebrity carrying one. Durante says that his customers are looking for this “unusualness” factor.
If you do want to retain the value in your handbag then you should go for one that is in excellent condition, is a good design and beautiful. Some “it” bags will undoubtedly go down in value as fashions change, but the classics should stay steady.