Jewelry & Watches

The Greeks were known for a lot of incredible things, but little is known of their jewelry. The first true examples we have of Ancient Greek Jewelry is pieces that utilize beads shaped in the form of various animals and shells. Around–00 B.C. they started to utilize gemstones and gold into their various jewelry designs. By the time 300 B.C. had rolled around, they had ventured into the area of colored jewelry that utilized amethysts, pearls, and emeralds. They made cameos from a striped down pink and cream agate known as the Indian Sardonyx. As was the case with most cultures, Greek jewelry designs started off simply, but as time progressed, they grew increasingly more elaborate and complex.

The people of Ancient Greece did not wear jewelry in their daily lives. It was worn during special events, occasions, or public appearances. A common gift for women, it was displayed to show off not only their incredible beauty, but also their social status and tremendous wealth. It was thought that jewelry had mystical powers. Many believed that it could ward off the “Evil Eye” (a look that one person could send your way that would bring you injury or other forms of bad luck). Most of the Greek jewelry of this time period was made from (1) silver, (2) gold, (3) ivory, (4) gemstones, (5) clay, and (6) bronze.

We have examples of two types of jewelry that the Ancient Greeks developed. They were made from (1) cast, and (2) hammering out sheet metal. We have only a few examples of their cast jewelry, but we do know the process that they followed. The process had been passed down since the Ancient Bronze Age, and involved joining moulds together with wax, and pouring molten metal into the center of the mould. We have many more examples of their “sheet metal” jewelry. This process meant hammering out sheet metal until it reached the desired thickness, then soldering the various pieces together to create jewelry.

The Ancient Romans were known for a number of things, but their jewelry is not one of them. They were very fond of brooches, an item which they utilized to to hold their clothing together. As the Roman Empire was vast and huge at the time, they took full advantage of it, importing various materials from the far-flung reaches under their control. In the early years they made a lot of their jewelry out of glass beads and pearls, but in later years they incorporated bone, bronze, and gold. Imported sapphires from Sri Lanka were also popular. They also used Indian diamonds, emeralds, and amber, as well as Sri Lankan sapphires.

The Ancient Romans followed the belief set by the Ancient Romans, and felt that jewelry could be used to ward off the “Evil Eye” (a wish from one’s enemies that could bring injury or other harm). Women often wore jewelry all over their bodies, while men often only wore a ring on one of their fingers. Some men used their own personal taste and wore a number of rings on a number of fingers.

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