Giving jewelry has served many different functions, both sentimental and practical. It serves to mark the passing of time, it can commemorate a special occasion, it provided some financial security to women, and it symbolized commitment and love. Jewelry wasn’t just about looking beautiful, although certainly the aesthetics also makes giving jewelry an enduring social tradition.
Mark Passing of Time
Some tribes would signify a woman’s eligibility to marry based on the jewelry she wore, like neck rings or ear plugs. It may seem a little odd by modern standards, but it was an important ritual that helped a person to come of age and take a useful role in their community. A rite of passage could include bestowing jewelry to signify adulthood.
Commemorate Special Occasions
We know this one well in modern times. Whether it’s an anniversary or a birthday, we love to celebrate special occasions with gift giving. Some gifts are even personalized with birth stones, either of the birthday girl or boy, or for each child represented on a mother’s ring.
Financial Security
Women depended on men for their subsistence, in prior ages, so dowries were a gift to keep her financially stable should something leave her widowed unexpectedly. Dowries often included gifts of jewelry that were kept within the family and represented the giving of the man’s wealth to support the woman.
Commitment or Love
Valentine’s Day, engagements, weddings, and anniversaries are a prime example of when a gift of jewelry is given to symbolize commitment or love. Even though women don’t depend entirely on the financial support of the men in their lives, it’s still a delight to know that they can express the love they have through such an ancient and valued tradition. And, now, even men get to have some fun too by enjoying the gifts of jewelry they can wear given to them by the women in their lives as tokens of affection or love.
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