Wearing jewelry as an everyday accessory is an accepted norm around the world. However, there is probably a lot more that you don’t know about your favorite stones and jewelry pieces. Here are some fun and intriguing facts about precious jewelry that you should know:

The Oldest Jewelry

The oldest known piece of jewelry dates back 100,000 years ago. Unlike the modern pieces that boast beautiful diamonds and gemstones, the earliest piece was made of a few beads and shells.

The First Diamond

The first diamond dates back to the 4th century. The diamond, which was first found in India, quickly became a sensation owing to its beauty, sparkle, and durability.

The First Engagement Ring

It’s hard to believe there was a time when the idea of engagement rings was none existent, right? Well, up until 1477, when Maximilian of Austria presented his fiancé Mary of Burgundy a ring as a promise of the impending nuptials, nobody had bothered about engagement rings before.

Other Interesting Jewelry Facts

• The most popular engagement rings: In the last two centuries, diamond has grown to become the most popular gemstones for engagement rings.
• The rarest jewelry: Platinum is the rarest metal of all the other available options. Platinum’s annual output is 15 times less than that of gold and 100 times less than silver.
• The largest diamond: The largest diamond in history is called the Star of David, or Cullinan. Weighing in at an impressive 530 carats, it is the largest colorless cut diamond in the globe to date.
• The priciest engagement ring: The world’s most expensive engagement ring was given to Mariah Carey by James Packer. The ring cost a shocking $10 million at the time of purchase.
• About fool’s gold: Owing to their uncanny resemblance to gold, pyrite earned itself the name a fool’s gold. Pyrite is commonly used in making artificial jewelry.
• Rubies and flaws: Almost all rubies have flaws, and finding a flawless one is quite a challenge. A flawless ruby is priced higher than diamonds of a similar weight and quality.

Michael’s Jewelers is your source of unique fine jewelry for engagements, weddings, anniversaries, and other important occasions. We also offer in-house jewelry, custom jewelry design, and appraisals done by our experts. For more information, contact us today!