A Rose Isn't Always A Rose by Nancy L. Eady

          I did online research this week on jewelry because I was looking to buy a present. Then the week finished with the receipt of a beautiful rose-gold diamond ring for my 35^th wedding anniversary present (a little early due to anonymous packaging and the mistaken belief that the package was a replacement outdoor light for our RV, another story entirely). In looking through the possibilities for jewelry I was astounded by the variety of ways in which jewelry can be defined. I was equally astounded by how precisely devoid of any emotional content those descriptions were.

         For example, my favorite jewelry metal is rose gold, with non-tarnishing silver second. Why? Rose gold has a subtle warmth, richness and kindness that to me is absent from yellow gold.  It’s okay if you don’t agree with me.  But when you read a description of rose gold, you are told something like “rose gold is an alloy of 24 K gold and copper.” That description, chemically and metallurgically correct, does not begin to convey the same emotions that words like “subtle warmth” and “richness” do. (In the “it’s amazing what you learn from Google” department, gold rose is harder and wears better then pure gold because of the extra copper.)

          White gold is similarly described as combining pure gold with zinc and nickel. But to me, a desire for white gold is somewhat mystifying, since white gold looks pretty much like silver, which is less expensive. 

Gemstone definitions are similarly technical. Gems (in which I include semi-precious stones) are classified by type (topaz. emerald, ruby, diamond) and by grade. The distinctive characteristics of a gem include color, cut, clarity and carat weight and all of those characteristics are figured into the grade a gem stone is to receive. According to Fire Mountain Gems and Beads, gemstones are rated between A and D, with A being the best quality and D being the poorest quality. In addition, some sources I’ve read suggest that for stones such as emeralds and rubies, the rating can increase from A up through AAAA. There may even be a category above AAAA called “heirloom.” The more “A’s” the better the quality of the gemstone, and the more expensive the gem stone is. All of which is very useful if you’re going buy an expensive piece of jewelry but which does nothing to excite the imagination or give a glimpse into the character of person wearing the gemstone. 

For example, all of the above doesn’t tell you nearly as much about me as a person as would knowing that I love the color and variety of gemstones to the extent that most of the time (with the exception of my anniversary ring) I prefer them over diamonds. Diamonds are brilliant, and hard; emeralds, for example, are inviting, mysteriously green and dancing with reflected color.

What do you think a person’s jewelry tells you about their character? How would you use it in a story or novel of your own?