Jewellery

The word jewellery itself is derived from the word jewel, which was anglicized from the Old French "jouel", and beyond that, to the Latinword "jocale", meaning plaything. In British English, New Zealand English, Hiberno-English, Australian English, and South African English. It is spelled jewellery, while the spelling is jewelry in American English. Both are used in Canadian English.

Jewellery may be made from a wide range of materials, but gemstones and similar materials such as amber and coral, precious metals,beads, and shells have been widely used, and enamel has often been important. In most cultures jewellery can be understood as a status symbol, for its material properties, its patterns, or for meaningful symbols. Jewellery has been made to adorn nearly every body part, from hairpins to toe rings, and even genital jewellery. The patterns of wearing jewellery between the sexes, and by children and older people can vary greatly between cultures, but adult women have been the most consistent wearers of jewellery; in modern European culture the amount worn by adult males is relatively low compared with other cultures and other periods in European culture. Read more...