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Saturday, January 10, 2009

Ethnic Jewelry Makes a Nice Change from the Norm

By Erwin Rostuzing

Are you tired of the wearing the same old jewelry as everyone else? Whether you want to get something different from pack or wear a little bit of your heritage, ethnic jewelry could the right choice for you. There are lots of different kinds of ethnic jewelry, including African, Celtic and Middle Eastern, so try a few different cultures on for size and see which kind of ethnic jewelry suits you.

African Jewelry

Ethnic African jewelry is usually made from gold and silver and lots of brightly colored beads, which are also known as trade beads. Trade beads in the jewelry are accented with silver and gold beads to bring the look alive. African ethnic jewelry is almost always handmade, and different African tribes design different styles of jewelry. For instance, you can expect to see jewelry that is made up of geometric shapes from West Africa and simple rows of beads from North Africa.

Celtic Jewelry

With Celtic jewelry, the most important part of the design is always the centerpiece of the jewelry. There are sometimes beads used in Celtic jewelry, but the common design involves some kind of symbol that is craved into or woven out of sterling silver. Pendants are also a feature of Celtic jewelry. The pendants used in Celtic jewelry are usually religiously symbolic or are symbolic of some part of Celtic mythology.

Middle Eastern Jewelry

Jewelry designs inspired by the Middle East are another popular choice for jewelry design. Middle Eastern jewelry designs almost always involve some kind of gemstone, and the gemstone that is used is almost always indicative of the place from which the jewelry comes.

For instance, the stunning blue Afghan Lapis stone is often used in jewelry created in the Central Asian plane of the Middle East. Usually only one type of gemstone is used, but it is used repeatedly throughout the design of the jewelry. Middle Eastern jewelry is almost always made of gold - silver pieces of jewelry made in the Middle East are very rare. This type of jewelry is excellent for engagement gifts.

Buying Ethnic Jewelry

Many manufacturers all over the world specialize in making replicas of ethnic jewelry, however, the real thing is easier to get than ever before. Thanks to the magic of the internet, the wonders of a world of ethnic jewelry are only a mouse click away. Of course, opportune though shopping online may be, be careful. When buying this jewelry, make sure you are dealing with a reputable dealer. Your recourse if you need up with jewelry that you don't like or that was misrepresented is pretty slim. Check out the history of a company before you buy.

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