Sometimes a ring seems to personal a gift. Often a necklace may not seem right. If this is your dilemma, consider the perfection of a diamond pendant. From primeval man onwards, this type of necklace has been worn for religious as well as aesthetic purposes. This ancient form of jewelry has a history and a mystery exemplified by the notorious Hope Diamond.
A Brief History
The pendant, although not specifically the diamond pendant, is probably one of the oldest kinds of ornamentation worn by humans. From the Egyptians to the Greeks and Romans, pendants were an integral fashion and even religious statement. While primeval man chose to slip a beautiful rock or shell naturally or artificially given a hole through a piece of hemp or other natural rope, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans chose gold, silver and precious stones. Moreover, they chose to carve their pendants into shapes.
The most common shapes used by classical and later artists were animals and crosses. Cats and scarabs were worn prominently by the ancient Egyptians. Early Christians opted for crosses. In both instances, these individuals were providing themselves with symbols of their faith as well as religious talismans and/or amulets. These were good luck symbols and protection against evil forces. Although these were not pearl or diamond pendants, this did not prevent them from being aesthetically pleasing to look at.
A variation of the pendant – the locket, could also be used to contain a relic of the faith. Lockets might hold a piece of the true cross or a piece of a Saint’s hair or skin. On the purely secular side, a locket could hold the portrait of a true love or, again, a small lock of his or her hair. In this version of the pendant, the aesthetic and the secular often replaced the religious. Yet, it was also possible to combine the two aspects. Around 1568. A locket – the “Armada Jewel,” created around 1568 to celebrate the English victory over the Spanish Armada, featured on the one side a portrait of Elizabeth the first and, on the other side Noah’s Ark.
In the centuries that followed, pendants continued to play this role. Among the Christians of the post classic era, pendants displayed crosses. Depending upon the status of the individual, they could be simple wooden crosses hanging from ribbon or rope or wealthy, jewel-encrusted crosses swinging from silver or gold chains. These items could, therefore, express religious fervor as well as taste and status. The same could be said of other faiths with the Jewish Star of David, the Islamic Hand of Fatima or the Hindu Om mantra symbol replacing the cross on a pendant.
Diamond Pendants: Modern Pendants
Today, while some pendants retain their religious roots and some still act as good luck talismans or protective amulets, others are pure fashion. Diamond pendants fall into this category. A ribbon or gold chain may hold the diamond firmly in place. The style, uniqueness and material will indicate the worth and exclusiveness of the piece. Yet, whether created as an amulet, a talisman or a locket, diamond pendants still retain that certain mystery and reflect a history like no other ever has.
