Jewelry has always played a vital role in human history. Learn more about the amazing world of jewelry with these 5 interesting facts.
1. The oldest jewelry is organic
The oldest known pieces of jewelry date back some 100,000 years. You may be wondering what these were. The oldest pieces of jewelry that have been found are simply a pair of beads made of shell.
2. The first diamond
The first diamond was found in India in the 4th century. They quickly became highly valued due to their incredible durability and brilliance.
3. The largest gold producer
For the past 100 years, South Africa has been the largest gold producer, in recent years it has been overtaken by China.
4. The first replicated diamonds
In the 1950s, scientists were able to successfully grow diamonds in laboratories, providing an environmentally friendly, economical and fast alternative to mined diamonds.
5. The first engagement ring.
The tradition began when Maximilian of Austria gave his beloved Mary of Burgundy a ring as a promise of the impending nuptials in 1477. This became fashionable and today engagement rings are a multi-million dollar industry.
Sources: Jewelryshoppingguide.com. (2019). 17 jewelry facts you probably didn’t know – Jewelryshoppingguide. [online] Available at: https://www.jewelryshoppingguide.com/facts-about-jewelry/ [Accessed October 8, 2019].