A bouquet of distinct cultures, unique lifestyles and exotic destinations, jewelry displays a particular country’s special attributes.Wouldn’t it be nice to own pieces of jewelry from all over? Jewelry bought while on holiday vacation is wonderful to wear: a memento for posterity and an item for collection, just for the sheer pleasure of possessing a rare item. Indeed, pieces of jewelry acquired from different parts of the world are a collector’s delight, not to mention interesting conversation pieces.
And in the ever-evolving trend in fashion, exotic necklaces, one-of-a-kind earrings and singular pendants are now choice pieces of creative stylists who want to add hints of individuality and eccentricity into their fashion statement. If it’s a pendant obtained in China, or a bangle bought from an obscure shop in Italy, the quaint rareness of a piece of jewelry makes for a bold statement.
There has been much ado about period pieces of jewelry: Victorian, Romantic and Byzantine. Today, the trend in jewelry is as global as it gets. Here’s a tour of pieces of jewelry from different countries:
Chinese Jewelry
How would you like to wear the archeology, myth, and the daily life of mystical China? Mind you, Chinese jewelry is not about fancy, eye candy chunks. Chinese craftsmen create pieces of jewelry that are as serious as the ancient sages’ conceptualzation of the Great Wall.
Chinese jewelry derives inspiration from magnificent old dynasties and enigmatic Oriental heritage; perhaps a pendant inspired by the belt buckles of the warriors of the Han dynasty hanging in a string of loose jades. Or a flat bracelet with inscribed with characters in calligraphy, an ancient Chinese art form.
Whatever inspires a piece of Chinese jewelry, the wearer will gain some understanding and maybe even own a little bit of China. The curious can delve into the work of unnaturally quiet Chinese craftsmen. You will suspect that the jewelry designer is both a historian and Chinese art collector.
China is sort of ‘bringing back the beauty’ in their jewelry designs. Using mostly jade, pearl, and vivid-colored precious stones, more and more innovative jewelry designers in China today are using archeological sources for their design ideas.
Even if Chinese jewelry designs are given a new, modern interpretation, they still are highly recognizable for their graphic simplicity and for beautifully blending divergent elements: the Eastern sensibility combined with Western aesthetics.
Italian Jewelry
Sure, there is everybody’s favorite, Italian gold, but a mention of handmade ethnic jewelry would not be complete without including Italian jewelry. More than the materials used, what makes Italian jewelry popular is the superior Italian workmanship, such as the very intricate filigree design. If it’s a filigree design from Italy, one can be sure that it’s handcrafted: the finest pieces of metal wire twisted together and pounded flat with gorgeous detail.
One cannot miss on pieces of Italian jewelry that look like attractive miniature paintings: Italian mosaic jewelry. Often called ‘Pietra Dura,’ Italian mosaic jewelry is assembled using neatly cut and fitted tiny bright-colored stones (sapphires, amber, garnets and emeralds are popular choices) mounted on a dark material, usually Italian marble. Infusing Greek, Egyptian, and Asian cultures into various Italian mosaic jewelry creations, the designs are mostly floral, birds and animals. More avant-garde Italian mosaic jewelry designs feature abstract type patterns and geometric interplay.
Another Italian jewelry item worth collecting is the Italian cameo. Authentic Italian cameos are carved by hand using mostly shell or German agate as base.
And yes, there’s the famous Italian gold — make sure it’s 18K! Clasps, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, charms and earrings, Italian jewelry shops are overflowing with high quality and trend setting designs. Italian gold is considered the best in the coffer.
Peruvian Jewelry
In the treasure trove of ethnic tribal jewelry, handmade Peruvian jewelry stands out from the rest, exceptional in material, design and overall impression.
One can’t help but appreciate the complexity of the designs and the amount of work — and perhaps emotion too — involved in the way Peruvian jewelry designers fashion their bracelets, earrings, pendants and necklaces. They use “magic gemstones” in all shapes and sizes imaginable: green serpentine caramel tonalities, blue sodalite, black onyx, translucent Andean opal, fine alpaca silver threads, carnelian spheres, amethyst blossoms.
Handmade Peruvian jewelry designs celebrate mystical Andean tradition as well as the rich pre-Hispanic loom. Inspirations are drawn from ancestral images such as a hand-painted amulet akin to the one worn by the Incas to fetch good fortune or ancient Inca stylizations captured in a cuff bracelet.
Peruvian jewelry also has silver vines richly crafted to fall and flow like water, perhaps inspired by Peru’s magnificent Amazon valley. Meanwhile, more contemporary-looking bracelets appear like representations of Inca textile arts.
Brazilian Jewelry
In the jewelry industry, Brazilian designs seem to appeal only to a small number of consumers. But fine jewelry aficionados salivate over the creations of H. Stern, Hollywood-favorite Brazilian jeweler. There lies the cue for the curios among us.
We know for a fact that high fashion and fine jewelry share a beautiful coexistence in the glitzy runways and swanky fashion shops of Rio de Janeiro, and that Brazilian women are exuding confidence and glamour with their sense of style. It’s high time then that we take a closer look at Brazilian jewelry. We can only surmise that the pieces of Brazilian jewelry are cut for the luxurious set.
Brazilian jewelry designs typically use large colored gemstones for greater highlight, and 18K yellow gold, with lots of it in the mountings. They’re dominated by long curvy silhouettes and laden with nature, flora and fauna motifs. With a purchase of Brazilian jewelry, one should be ready to pull off big, bold, colorful designs - and be prepared for long stares from strangers.
Brazilian jewelry designers describe their creations as “full with diversity, cheer, and movement” — perhaps evocative of the free-spirited, carnival-riding attributes of the Brazilians. A highly-desired piece of Brazilian jewelry though would be a necklace-pendant combo inspired by Amazon Indian or regional folk art, or Brazil’s rich natural wonders.
Currently, nature-inspired jewelry is very popular in Brazil. This includes a fist-size leaf-motif pendant (with the leaf appearing to have naturally fallen from a tree) meticulously dipped in 18K gold. Upon scrutiny, one will notice that a real leaf from a Brazilian tree was used. That’s how natural and stylish Brazilian jewelry can get.
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