Jewellery has inspired many creative types, with books, films and poetry all dedicated to, or inspired by jewels.  There is also no shortage of music which references jewellery, with diamonds being the most popular jewel for songwriters to use for inspiration.  Perhaps the most well-known of all the diamond themed songs is Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend from the Broadway production Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  Originally written by Leo Robin and Jule Styne it has been recorded by many big names, with the Marilyn Monroe version being the most well-known.  Diamonds are also featured in Rihanna's Diamonds, Shirley Bassey's infamous Bond theme Diamonds are Forever, Bowie's Diamond Dogs and The Beatles' Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds to name but a few.

 

Diamonds are considered to be the most desirable stones so it's no wonder that they inspired so many songs, as well as books and poems.  Diamonds can vary in value depending on the clarity, cut and any impurities in the stone.  It's possible to turn a rough looking stone into something beautiful by judiciously cutting a rough in the best way for that particular piece but this skill takes a long time to learn and perfect, with the experts continually honing their craft.  It can be easy to learn the basics, but applying them to each piece of rough stone you get takes a certain natural flair and years of experience.

 

At Amore Argento we prefer to use cubic zirconia instead of diamonds.  Cubic zirconia has the look and sparkle of a natural diamond at a fraction of the price, and only the eagle-eyed can tell the difference.  Because cubic zirconia is more affordable than diamond we're able to use a lot more of it in our designs, to make them as beautiful and opulent as we can while remaining in an affordable price bracket.  We want our customers to wear our jewellery every day, but we also know that very expensive jewellery tends to be “kept for best” and may only see the light of day once a year at the most.

 

Rings are also a popular motif in music, with recent hits such as Ariana Grande's Seven Rings and Beyonce's Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it).  Sheryl Crow's Diamond Ring combines the two most popular jewellery themes in one.  The song is thought to be about her engagement with the cyclist Lance Armstrong which the couple called off in 2006; there are various theories about the reasons behind their split but the lyrics imply that the engagement catalysed other issues in the relationship and ultimately made them realise they weren't right for each other in the long term.

 

The Beyonce classic, Single Ladies, also uses the idea of a ring as a symbol of commitment, stating that “if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it”.  In this song, the ring is a positive symbol, whereas the Sheryl Crow song holds up the ring as the cause, or catalyst of a break up.  In both cases the ring is symbolic of two people coming together in a relationship for eternity, which is the traditional symbolism of the ring and the reason it is used as a symbol of marriage.

 

By contrast, the Ariana Grande song Seven Rings is about the strength of female friendships.  Again, the ring is a symbol of commitment but this time it's not a reference to a marriage or romantic relationship but rather to the bond she shares with her friends.  It also draws on the idea of friendship jewellery that friends exchange as a symbol of their close relationship.  Our birthstone rings are a lovely gift to give a friend – you can purchase your birthstone and that of your friend in the same design and wear them as a reminder of your friendship.  If you have a circle of close friends why not buy the same design of ring for each of you, with your personal birthstone featured in the centre?

 

And there’s more… so please join us in part 2 where we continue to give you great examples of Jewellery in music.