Human Beings Love Jewellery, have always loved Jewellery and continue to love Jewellery!
Historians have shown that hundreds of thousands of years ago, prehistoric humans wore jewellery to channel luck and show power, beliefs or status.
The history of jewellery gift giving has been a practice of humans and has been recorded for generations now. Love has been celebrated through jewelry for as long as we’ve known human history.
So,if you’re interested, here’s a list of romances in recent history where they expressed their love for their loved ones through jewelry:
Napoleon’s Diamond Necklace:
Napoleon Diamond Necklace
If you’re a jewelry lover, you’ve probably heard of this story and if not, here’s a true romantic. Napoleon gifted his second wife Marie Louise a 275-carat diamond necklace to celebrate the birth of their first son. The necklace was so precious to Marie that even after she returned to Austria after Napoleon’s exile, she never let it go. There are numerous portraits of her wearing them. The necklace is still known as Napoleon Diamond Necklace and now sits at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, United States.
King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson:
Who said you couldn’t propose with an emerald ring? Edward VIII went against all the norms and proposed The Duchess of Windsor with a Cartier Emerald Ring. You might have heard of Edward VIII, who gave up his title of a king for his lover Wallis Simpson. King Edward wanted to show how much the Duchess meant to her and through this extravagant ring, he did just that. He might not have been able to make her the queen but made sure that he constantly showered her with jewels to let her know how much he worships her.
A Tiara for Princess Katharina:
This beautiful diamond and emerald tiara that sold in 2011 for USD12.7 million in an auction at Geneva was once home to Princess Katharina of Germany. Gifted by her husband prince Guido Henckel Von Donnersmarck, it had 11 colombian emeralds that weighed more than 500 carats. Now this piece belongs to someone in North America who bought it on a private auction.
The Orlov Diamond:
Ever thought of giving your lover a gift to re-win their hearts after a lovers spat? Count Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov thought of doing just that in 1772 when he gave the 189.62 carat Orlov Diamond to Catherine the Great. It might not have worked exactly in his favour but one more tip for those thinking of using this trick, it only works if you’re actually SORRY!
Cartier Pearl Necklace that was exchanged for a house:
Do you know of the story when Millionaire Morton Freeman Plant traded his apartment building for a double stranded pearl necklace for his wife Maisie? The pearls were valued at a whopping USD 1 million dollar and his wife totally was in love with it. In light of seeing his young wife happy, this was a no brainer for the millionaire. A classic act of love indeed!
One reason why it holds the level of importance is because people hold good jewelleries for life and it becomes a part of themselves. These possessions help us recall and hold something dear at all times gifted by our loved ones. Something physical that we can hold on to forever
These stories have always fascinated and inspired me. Meaningful stories further polish the shine of the precious gems. I have jewelleries that have been passed down for generations in my own family. Perhaps the one that you decide to gift this year will enjoy the same fate in yours.
Love,
Kajal