How Does Jewelry Make YOU Feel?

We have seen some great quotes from different people on how jewelry makes them feel. Here are a few feelings from others: “every piece of jewelry I have carries a piece of my story” or “jewelry makes me feel beautiful,” and “I feel like this ring is taking care of me.”  YES, YES, YES thoughts straight from the minds of the women who inspire Eva Zuckerman, the creative force behind Eva Fehren jewelry and we at Beksan Designs have heard the same thoughts.

People have been decorating themselves through the ages. Animal teeth, bones, feathers, shells and reeds adorned the bodies of our ancestors in different parts of the world, all the way to the royal and aristocratic jewels kept in museums today. It was the jewels at the Topkapi palace in Istanbul that started our interest in jewelry to begin with!

Why do we decorate ourselves, you might ask? “In the 40’s, American psychologist Abraham Maslow came up with the ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ – a pyramid with a base of physiological factors followed by safety, love/belonging, esteem, and self-actualization at its very tip.

If we look at jewelry through Maslow’s lens, then the wearing of it would fall into our higher needs. For example, to satisfy the need of ‘love and belonging’, jewelry has been used to attract mates or through wooing by giving gifts (Valentine’s Day, n’est-ce pas?). Modern-day equivalents include engagement rings, or even those ‘best friend’ bracelets or necklaces.

Clearly, jewelry is still a form of self-expression and beauty. Whether it is a delicate chain or a choker, or a statement necklace, what we choose to wear reflects who we are and sends a message to others.

How can the pieces we wear change the way we see ourselves, the way we feel? Wearing certain rings on our fingers makes some people feel empowered.  Other jewelry, like our evil eye silver bracelet and my little sapphire and gold ring, for example, have special meanings, e.g. keeping negative, jealous thoughts away.