Earrings have been a form of fashion since the beginning of time. Earrings in early times were considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity because only affluent women could afford the precious metals of which earrings were made. In the 17th century in Europe, styles changed and new ideas were adopted; therefore, earrings began to regain their popularity. By the middle of the 20th century, earrings of all sizes and shapes were more popular than ever; however, women were encouraged to only wear conservative earrings during the day and the more ostentatious earrings at night. For many years, pierced ear popularity began to wane. At the onset of the 1970s, pierced earrings regained popularity, and styles merged so that they were no longer segregated to either day or night wear. Although the popularity of earrings has gone up and down over the years, they have always been a part of the fashion scene. Our collection of Earrings includes Turquoise Earrings, Zuni Turquoise Earrings, Turquoise Inlaid Earrings.
Today, many people desire to create their own unique designs of Hoop Earrings, French Hook Earrings, Chandelier Earrings, or Post Earrings in Sterling Silver or 14K Gold settings.
Southwest Coral is a popular gem used with turquoise jewelry, and with different tones of red can contrast the green and blue tones of turquoise. Cultures located near shallow waters and those cultures that had trade routes have utilized Southwest Coral for trade and in their Southwest jewelry. In many ancient cultures Southwest Coral jewelry was important for its many believed supernatural benefits, including as a ward against accidents and a protective amulet against magic. Southwest Coral is also a symbol for the Life Force Energy, and is believed to help bring harmony in your heart. Southwest Coral is a soft gem, making it easy to shape and work with, attributes that allowed prehistoric peoples to utilize it for personal ornamentation in various forms of Southwest jewelry. The use of Southwest Coral in early Southwest jewelry evolved from mere adornment to charms with talismanic properties. Southwest Coral jewelry was worn often as a talisman to ward off evil spirits, witchcraft, and the devil. Southwest Coral is also attributed with providing vitality, physical strength, strengthened marital relationships, wealth, increased sensuality, and provided protection while out to sea. Ancient cultures also used Southwest Coral for medicinal purposes to treat ailments of the blood and head, and to strengthen the immune system by supporting the lymph nodes. Southwest Coral grows and is found in salt water depths from 25 to 1000 feet. Increased demand for Southwest Coral has led to the near depletion of shallow-water occurring Southwest Coral. Though Southwest Coral found in shallow waters sees more harvesting, that which occurs in deeper water is of better color and quality. The most desired specimens of the Mediterranean Sea and Sea of Japan are among the nearly depleted supplies. It naturally occurs in many colors including white, black, blue, lavender, pink, and many shades of red. While each color has been used in Southwest jewelry, it is red Southwest Coral that has flourished aesthetically in Southwest jewelry. Because the demand outweighs the supply, jewelers have resorted to alternatives; namely dyed sea bamboo Southwest Coral and sponge Southwest Coral Bamboo and sponge Southwest Coral are more readily available and lessen not only the stress on the dwindling red Southwest Coral supply, but also the cost of materials. The majority of Southwest Coral jewelry on the market today is bamboo or sponge Southwest Coral that provide the attractive look of Southwest Coral without the heavy price. These are attractive substitutions, but there are some notable differences between them and red Southwest Coral. Sponge Southwest Coral is very porous and is known to have brown patches. It can be stabilized to have a smooth surface, but brown swirls can still be visible. Bamboo Southwest Coral is smoother than sponge Southwest Coral, but occurs white in nature. It is dyed to achieve the red color. Poor quality bamboo Southwest Coral jewelry can lack uniform color, and may appear streaky. Also visible can be black spots a natural occurrence in bamboo Southwest Coral. The use of bamboo or sponge Southwest Coral in Southwest jewelry is widely accepted, though it is important the Southwest Coral be labeled as such.
