| Throughout time, man has sought to decorate | | | | bracelets worn by a person who has a medical |
| the human body and this has manifested as body | | | | condition or requires vital medication have helped |
| painting, tattoos, piercing and for those a little | | | | medical personnel decide on appropriate treatment |
| squeamish or less brave, decoration by the | | | | when faced with a person who has been |
| wearing of adornments generally know as | | | | rendered incapable of communicating because of |
| jewelry. | | | | for instance an accident. |
| In ancient times, jewelry may have been simple | | | | Over recent years, popular items have been the |
| pieces made from natural materials such as shells | | | | brightly coloured rubber bracelets sold in aid of |
| plucked from the seashore or pebbles worn | | | | various charities, which demonstrate that the |
| smooth and polished by years of being tumbled | | | | wearer supports that cause and has donated |
| along the sea or river bed. These would have | | | | money to help raise funds for that cause. Some |
| been strung together perhaps as necklaces or | | | | traditionalists may not regard these strictly as |
| wrist pieces as early examples of a charm | | | | being jewelry although who said that the article |
| bracelet. Nature gives up so many beautiful things | | | | had to be expensive or made from precious |
| that can be used to make items such as earrings, | | | | metals to qualify for the name. |
| rings, bracelets, hair pieces and so the list goes on. | | | | In modern times, we have seen a huge increase |
| Skilled craftsmen would have laboured for many | | | | in the type and variety of jewelry available and |
| hours intricately carving small pieces of bone, | | | | the discovery of new strong and lightweight |
| ivory or wood to fashion exquisite unique pieces | | | | metals such as titanium or other alloys has given |
| of jewelry, no two of which would ever be the | | | | rise to new many new possibilities. Man made |
| same. | | | | materials such as acrylics and plastics also lend |
| To ancient man, jewelry was not just decorative | | | | themselves very well to the manufacture of |
| but very symbolic and the wearer often held the | | | | affordable, colourful jewelry and in the shops you |
| belief that these trinkets were lucky, that they | | | | can see many examples of wonderful, bright and |
| would ward off evil spirits or that they would | | | | modern fun items, to be worn on any occasion as |
| even help them defeat their enemies in battle. | | | | the mood takes. |
| To the Romans and Ancient Egyptians the | | | | Whilst most of us choose to spend a little extra |
| wearing of jewelry and the type of jewelry worn | | | | on that special piece of jewelry such as our |
| was a direct indication of a persons standing in the | | | | wedding rings, we now have an endless choice of |
| community. Large heavy ornate pieces forged | | | | less expensive everyday jewelry which we can |
| from solid precious metals such as gold, encrusted | | | | change to suit our mood or match our outfit. |
| with precious or semi precious gemstones were a | | | | Who knows what the future holds with regard to |
| sign to say - look how rich and important I am. | | | | the designs and materials we will have at our |
| Styles and materials may have changed over | | | | disposal to make attractive pieces of jewelry to |
| time but the wearing of mens jewelry has always | | | | be worn by both men and women. One thing is |
| been a practice adopted by both men and | | | | for certain and that is that there will be a never |
| women. | | | | ending supply with something to suit all tastes and |
| Over the years there has even been functional | | | | all budgets from the most traditional to the most |
| jewelry such as the medical alert items, which | | | | contemporary. |
| have saved many peoples lives. Identity type | | | | |