Earrings complete your fashion wardrobe. Every fashionable woman wears them. When did people start wearing earrings? Some historians claim earrings date back to 2500 BC - 3000 BC. However, it was only the wealthy and royal families that could afford to wear them. The original earrings were hoops and elaborate earring pendants or dangles.
Ancient Egyptian Gold Rams Head Earrings
(www.web.williams.edu)
Ancient Roman Blue Glass & Gold Earrings
(www.christies.com)
Ancient Roman Garnet & Gold Earrings
(www.christies.com)
During the ancient Roman times gemstones such as sapphires, emeralds and aquamarines were used in earrings. When the Middle Ages rolled around, earrings fell out of favor and jewelry headdresses took their place. The next big change in earrings came from the Italians (who else, right?!) in the 1500's. Ladies hair was being no longer being worn straight down; the style was to pull the hair up and away from the face. Thus the ears were very visible so earrings made a big comeback. These were drop earrings called girandole earrings", where very heavy due to the weight of the gold or silver and gemstones. It was common to see women with drooping ear lobes.
Gold & Turquoise Earrings from 1835
(www.vam.ac.uk)
In the 1800's the development of the open claw mounting, or setting, allowed a gemstone to be set. This open claw allowed light to pass through the gemstone, which increased the sparkle and enhanced the color of the gem. In the later 1800's the fashion style was for women to wear bonnets ( a type of heat) which made it very difficult to wear earrings so you didn't see many women wear earrings.As ladies hairdos became shorter in the early 1900's earrings made a comeback. During the Art Deco period (1920 - 1939) chandelier earrings became the rage.
Art Deco Diamond & Onyx Earrings
(www.betteridge.com)
The 1970s almost all ladies were getting their ears pierced. Women started buying more earrings. During the 1990s women started piercing their ears in multiple places and wearing two or more earrings at the same time. (Ears weren't the only thing being pierced...)
1980s Door Knocker Gold Earrings
(www.1stdibs.com)
Nowadays, diamond earrings are a staple of every woman's jewelry wardrobe. Diamond studs never go out of style, they hold value (if you purchase good quality and a fair price), you can trade them for a larger pair, and pass them down to your daughter or granddaughter.
Diamond Stud Earrings
(www.yatesjewelers.com)
So come on in our Modesto showroom. You can choose the perfect pair of diamond earrings. We will show you how the cut, color and clarity affect the sparkle. Not all diamond earrings are the same. You deserve a pair of top quality diamond earrings. Modesto's best diamond earrings are at Yates.
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