Special Types of Jewelry

Class rings, military rings, and mother's rings. They all commemorate special times in our lives and the people who made those times special. Any type of group or theme can have its own jewelry designs, including animals, sports, hobbies, red hat society ladies, masons, and even mourners.

Family Jewels

A mother's ring is usually made of sterling silver or solid gold with real or simulated birth stones for each of the months in which her children were born. A family ring also includes the parents' birthstones.

Monograms

Monogram jewelry probably began simply as signet rings. These are made with the family crest, Masonic designs, heraldic designs, or simply a monogram. Once used with sealing wax to protect private letters from prying eyes, such rings are now largely worn for merely decorative purposes.

Military, Police, and Firefighters

Pride in service or in one who serves is the typical motivation behind the purchase of this type of jewelry. It takes a special kind of person to serve others in a dangerous job, so a special type of jewelry is readily available for them to wear, or for their loved ones to wear.

Mourning Jewelry

Letting go of a loved one, whether human or animal, can be the most difficult task of our lives. For this reason, mourning jewelry came about in the 1700s. Most of its popularity occurred during the Victorian era, after the death of Prince Albert, thanks to Queen Victoria's example. After the Civil War, American women embraced the idea. Black gems were used, including jet and onyx, and seed pearls represented tears. Since hairwork was a popular parlor pursuit during this time, women often incorporated a lock of the deceased's hair into their mourning jewelry. These days, besides traditional lockets in which a portion of the deceased's ashes may be placed, you can also have a diamond made from a portion of your loved one's ashes. Diamonds are carbon-based, after all, and so is life on this planet.

Other Special Types of Jewelry

Employee appreciation jewelry is a popular option in American corporations. Most have at least heard about the infamous gold watch, given out at retirement, and many larger corporations provide some sort of commemorative jewelry for noteworthy anniversaries (i.e., 20 years of service).

Women of all ages can enter pageants of almost every description and compete for a chance to win a crown or tiara made of sparkling crystals. Scepters are sometimes awarded as well, and crown pins to hold the contestant's sash to her shoulder are also popular pageant attire. In many cases, the winner will also receive a special commemorative ring as part of her prize package. School proms also award tiaras and/or crowns for their king and queen, along with the occasional scepter.

A gift of jewelry can be special for so many reasons. If you need help finding just the right thing, jewelryaffordable.com can help.