Skip to content Skip to navigation

Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design
Blog

Responsible Jewellery Council Certified
Harriet Kelsall's Facebook page Follow Harriet Kelsall on Twitter National Association of Goldsmiths Logo British Jewellers' Association Logo
Antoinette Corbishley
16th August 2010 16:38

Gem and Flower Symbolism

 

We are all used to seeing things like hearts, clasping hands, flowers or animals/insects on pendants and rings, crosses, and different charms on bracelets like keys and locks. These all make attractive decoration on jewellery and usually carry significance and meaning to the owner, but during Victorian times these pretty details often held a deeper meaning, which are largely forgotten now.

Symbols in modern pieces:

White and yellow gold engagement ring
White gold and sapphire engagement ring
Yellow gold star bracelet
Sterling silver charm bracelet

A modern take on the clasping hands of a Claddaugh engagement ring.

Claddaugh inspired engagement ring

Messages were contained in jewellery, sometimes these were hidden while at other times they were open messages that the wearer wanted to convey to the world; for instance a crucifix - an open symbol of a person's religious belief, or simply a band worn on the third finger of the left hand to tell everyone they are married.

Victorians had built up a whole language of symbols, a language of gem stones and a complex language of flowers. They put meaning in their Jewellery by using a combination of these symbols.

Language of Gem stones:

Amethyst: Devotion

Coral: Protection against evil

Diamond: Constancy

Emerald: Hope

Yellow gold and emerald ring

Pearls: Tears

Ruby: Passion

Sapphire: Truth, sincerity and faithfulness

Heart shape pink sapphire engagement ring

Language of flowers:

Bluebells: Constancy

Daisy: Innocence and purity

Daffodil: regard

Daffodil inspired engagement ring

Forget-me-nots: Remembrance

Fern: fascination

Fern brooch

Ivy: Evergreen love or marriage/fidelity

Ivy engraved wedding ring

Lilac: the start of love

Mistletoe: A kiss

Pansy: signifies thought

Red Roses: passionate, romantic love

Pink roses: affection

Rose vine inspired engagement ring

White roses: virtue and chastity

Yellow roses: friendship or devotion

I have added a few examples of stones and flowers used in pieces we have created here at HKJD within the lists, but as I mentioned earlier, more than one symbol can be used combined to form a message in your jewellery. For example a forget-me-not brooch set with pearls in Victorian times could be a memorial/mourning brooch, or a heart shape pendant set with diamonds and rubies might be given as an anniversary gift meaning constant love and passion.

So, why not next time you think about having a piece of jewellery made, consider the additional meaning and symbolism you could add to it by your choice of shape and stones set into it - it might be quite fun to do a bit of research and have your own personal code or message that only the select few might think to interpret.

Bye for now Antoinette

Antoinette Corbishley
 

Archives

Entries by date

RSS Feed

Click here for our Blog RSS Feed

What is RSS?

Weddings Blogs - Blog Catalog Blog Directory

British Blog Directory

Blogarama

Directory of Design Blogs

The Blog Directory

 
 
  • Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design, North Barn, Fairclough Hall Farm, Halls Green, Weston, Hertfordshire, SG4 7DP, England
    Phone: +44 (0)1462 790565 Fax: +44 (0)1462 790140 enquiries@hkjewellery.co.uk
  • Harriet Kelsall Jewellery Design, 6/7 Green Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 3JU, England.
    Phone: +44 (0)1223 461333 Fax: +44 (0)1223 365269 cambridge@hkjewellery.co.uk

Our designs are legally protected by design right and copyright law and cannot be copied.