1. Early definition; In earlier times, jewelry referred to holding ornaments worn on the head. In ancient China, jewelry was also referred to as "head face", such as combs, hairpins, crowns, etc.
2. Modern definition; Also known as narrow jewelry, it refers to jewelry made of various metal materials or precious jade materials, which is matched with clothing and serves as a decorative accessory. Due to the use of rare precious metals and jewelry, jewelry has a higher value. In modern times, clothing is mainly woven, and various low value materials are also used. This is a clear difference from jewelry.
3. Generalized definition; Refers to decorations made of various metal materials, precious jade materials, organic materials, and imitations to decorate the human body and its related environment. It can be seen that the broad range of jewelry has already included parts of jewelry, accessories, and decorations, or rather, the three have moved towards integration, which is the development direction of the jewelry industry today. With the acceleration of social pace and the continuous entry of new materials and concepts, the boundaries of jewelry are becoming increasingly blurred.
classification
It is difficult to accurately determine when humans wear jewelry. But it is not difficult to infer that since humans began to realize the importance of decorating and beautifying themselves, they have also formed an inseparable bond with it. The most primitive jewelry of humanity can be traced back to the distant Stone Age.
From collecting information on the Paleolithic period discovered around the world and modern primitive tribes, it can be found that the early primitive forms of body decoration were mainly collar, waist, arm, wrist, headwear, etc. Among these forms, collar and waist decorations were the main ones. They are largely decorated around the human reproductive area, and the reason for this is that in addition to the ability of these parts to support the wearer, a large number of studies have shown that this choice has another purpose.
The colors and patterns on animal bodies are also a type of body decoration. Natural body decorations, such as the head, neck, chest, and tail decorations of male birds, often exhibit regular changes and display during the breeding season. These decorations are also effective in attracting the opposite sex. A large amount of biological materials have confirmed that animal bright decorations have great advantages in sexual selection. Human body tattoos are a similar form of body decoration, and human body decoration is a qualitative transformation of natural animal decoration.
The earliest human ornaments discovered in the late Paleolithic period around the world, whether they were animal teeth, feathers, or stone beads, all had a very prominent feature: smooth, regular, compact, and beautiful. And this feature further illustrates the important psychological factors that body decoration generates, such as makeup, self display, and attracting the opposite sex. Therefore, it is very scientific to attribute the psychological origin of body decoration to the beauty of physiological instincts. The function of "beautifying the human body" derived from this origin is the most primitive and fundamental function of jewelry.
There are two other important motives in the origin and development of jewelry, one is the religious function motive, and the other is the social function motive, both of which are based on physiological instinctual motives and developed and evolved on this basis. Religion originated from the witchcraft of prehistoric humans, and the religious driving force behind the development of body decoration was gradually formed and deeply rooted in people's minds through the witchcraft activities of prehistoric humans and under the guidance of this witchcraft ideology. In the process of labor practice, primitive humans gradually developed a vague and mysterious view of some materials closely related to their lives in nature, such as plant fruits, seeds, animal feathers, teeth, bones, and stones (jade). They even regarded them as objects of worship in their own witchcraft activities, endowing them with mysterious power.
If they string the fruits or seeds of plants onto the mother's body to pray for the reproduction of offspring; Wearing the fur, teeth, and bones of hunting animals on their bodies to achieve success in hunting and their own safety; The worship of stone (jade) materials stems from the deep affection of primitive people for stone tools, among which those with slight luster and bright colors are seen as gifts from a mysterious ruler in their minds. They carefully collect and protect them, and in this process, gradually enrich the connotation of this natural worship object. The initial enlightenment idea of Chinese jade culture was derived from this. In various cultures of the Stone Age in China, jade has always been regarded as a natural worship object with rich spiritualityWidely used in witchcraft rituals. And it was carried by prehistoric people, one as a decoration to beautify oneself, and the other as a mascot to ward off evil, disasters, and bring good luck. In the ancient western civilization, colored gemstones have been familiar for a long time. They have also been endowed with some mysterious religious power in the process of being familiar and used. Ancient Babylon offered emerald to the goddess statue 6000 years ago to pray for some mysterious power. Hailan gem stone is regarded as the essence of sea water to pray for the safety of navigation or fishing.
Material classification
Diamond: It is the hardest substance discovered by humans in nature to date, and a well maintained diamond will always be eye-catching. But hard things are also brittle, so diamond jewelry should be avoided when doing physical labor or vigorous exercise. Diamonds have lipophilic and hydrophobic properties, and getting contaminated with oil can affect their luster. Therefore, when doing household chores and applying cosmetics, diamond jewelry should be removed. Monthly care and upkeep can be provided at a specialty store, or self cleaning can be done at home. After soaking in neutral detergent, gently brush with a toothbrush, then rinse with water or alcohol, and finally dry with a soft cloth. Do not mix with other jewelry during storage to avoid friction and damage, which may affect the wearing effect.
Platinum: When wearing, avoid hooking, pulling, pulling, and pressing, especially the mechanism hard body chain. It is not advisable to wear gold jewelry at the same time, as gold is relatively soft. If it rubs against each other, it will not only damage the gold jewelry, but also dye it onto platinum, causing it to turn yellow. Platinum jewelry worn for a long time may darken the surface or discolor locally. Go to a professional jewelry store for cleaning and protection.
Jadeite: Hard but brittle, prone to cracking or fracture under external forces. Avoid external collisions or falls when wearing it; Avoid contact with high temperatures to prevent cracks caused by lack of water in jadeite; For daily wear, the surface should be kept clean. If there is dirt, rinse with clean water. Regularly check if the hanging rope is secure and replace it at a jewelry store.
Pearl: If not properly maintained, it will lose its charming luster. If not worn, rinse with pure water and store in a soft silk bag; Avoid contact with acidic or alkaline substances and high temperatures; When exercising, doing household chores, or taking a shower in the bathroom, one should remove pearl jewelry.
Caibao: Ruby and sapphire are resistant to strong acids and alkalis, and have a hardness second only to diamonds. When exercising or doing household chores, it is also advisable to avoid wearing them as much as possible to avoid damage or detachment of the gemstones; When wearing red and sapphire jewelry, it should be done after wearing to avoid hanging on clothes and causing gemstones to fall off; Frequently worn gemstone jewelry should be inspected once a month to check for any signs of wear or forward detachment, and then remedied and repaired.
Gold: Pure gold jewelry is prone to chemical changes with metals such as mercury and lead, causing white spots on the jewelry. However, after being burned, it can restore its original color. Avoid contact with highly volatile substances such as perfume and hair gel, or it will easily lead to metal fading. To protect the luster of gold, you can apply a thin layer of nail polish on it, clean it with warm water and detergent, take it out and wipe it dry. Wipe it with a detergent mixed with salt and vinegar, so that it will last forever. Because pure gold is soft, it avoids being subjected to large external forces and deformation. Wrap it in a velvet cloth before placing it in the jewelry box to avoid friction and damage.
Precious metals: Avoid wearing or coming into contact with acidic or alkaline environments in rough and miscellaneous environments to prevent the electrical metal layer on the surface from being damaged
Corrosion fading. Avoid contact with mercury, lead and other metals and cosmetics, perfume, vinegar, fruit juice, bleach, correction liquid and cosmetics containing lead and mercury. Human sweat can corrode metal jewelry, so it is best to clean metal jewelry every day when wearing it in summer.
Precious metal jewelry with complex craftsmanship is difficult to repair and restore to its original state once it is damaged. Therefore, it must be handled with care and must not be pulled or folded. It should be avoided to wear it when bathing or sleeping. Avoid storing precious metal jewelry together, rubbing against each other, and affecting the wearing effect. Is the white 18K gold alloy jewelry containing 75% pure gold and 25% other metals? Its basic color is slightly yellow. If worn improperly, it will damage the metal surface, expose its true color, and affect the appearance of the jewelry. Please contact a professional jewelry store for handling.
Allergic phenomenon
Different materials
Copper jewelry: After copper reaction, it will make the skin appear green. The jewelry people wear may not be pure copper, but the copper content in it is also sufficient to react with the skin. Especially when some human bodies have strong body chemistry, they are more likely to produce spots.
Pure Silver Jewelry: Pure silver contains 7.5% copper, but most of the spots caused by pure silver jewelry are black and occur after the metal reacts with air to turn black. Some pure silver jewelry will be coated to prevent air oxidation, but the coating will gradually peel off over time.
Gold jewelry: Gold itself hardly leaves any stains on the skin, but other metals mixed in gold will. Copper, nickel, and silver are mixed with gold to change the color tone of gold and make it harder, reducing its cost. But because K gold is mixed with other metal substances, some people may be allergic to these metal substances. If allergic to K gold, it is recommended to purchase 24k pure gold.
Nickel containing jewelry: If someone is allergic to nickel, it leaves more than just stains. Wearing nickel containing jewelry can make the skin itchy, swollen, and even yellow water flowing out.
Avoid allergies
Wear high-purity metal jewelry, such as 18K gold. Try to choose platinum jewelry as much as possible. It is very expensive, but it hardly reacts with the skin and generally does not cause allergies; Apply a layer of transparent nail polish where the jewelry touches the skin; If possible, choose stainless steel jewelry; Titanium jewelry is less likely to react with the skin and does not cause metal allergies; Purchase jewelry with a label indicating "low allergy", specifically designed for those with sensitive skin; Keep your skin dry when wearing jewelry; Keep jewelry clean and avoid rusting.
