Way back in ancient Egypt, jewelery was used symbolically to show as persons wealth or place in society. The Pharaohs were dripping in highly ornate jewelry of gold and precious stones, and these were buried with them so if future generations found them they would know that this was the grave of somebody of extremely high importance. The Hellenistic period of ancient Greece also produced many elaborate pieces of jewelry to symbolize importance, as did the Romans. Although their first popular piece of jewelry was also practical as it was a brooch which held their togas in place.

In the UK, the crown jewels are a status symbol. These treasures have been passed down through generations of Monarchy and still have their place in traditional royal occasions. The imperial state crown, which plays a vital part in every coronation, is effectively classed as piece of jewelry, yet the thought of any king or queen without a crown is ridiculous. Various other embellishments, such as diamond necklaces and rings are also brought out for state occasions, symbolizing the importance of the Royalty.

In the US military, rings are worn to show the rank of the wearer, and dog tags have become synonymous with the military. These carry vital pieces of information but you can't get away from the fact they are a necklace, and are worn throughout the world by young men as jewelry. Military men off duty still wear their dog tags, unless you are close enough to inspect carefully, most assume these men are wearing them as adornments. There are many on line sites that sell exact replicas of rings worn by the military, coastguard, police etc. These are again worn as jewelry by civilians, despite the symbolism.

Jewelry plays a major part in Eastern religions and elaborate adornments cover both the bride and groom on their wedding day. In the western world, wedding day jewelry is usual minimal, there is an exchange of rings to symbolize the union and the bride will often wear a tiara. Gifts of jewelry are often given to bridesmaids to recognize the part they have played in the ceremony, and many recipients choose to keep them as reminders of the happy day rather than wear them. Many brides will tell you that should their husband have proposed without an engagement ring they would have refused. This is one of those scenarios that girls dream of all their lives, where their handsome prince drops onto one knee proffering a stunning diamond ring. Although the proposals aren't always like this, and many couples are choosing to stay engaged rather than taking the next step, an engagement rings shows others at a glance that you are betrothed to another.

More and more single girls on nights out are wearing fake wedding rings to ward off unwanted male attention. A ring on the third finger of the left hand symbolizes a union, so keep away, although there are also those that remove these rings for a night out! Although the jewelry of today is generally more tasteful and less ornate than that from past centuries, certain piece will always remain symbolic and won't be merely just an adornment.