For thousands of years, artists have tried to capture the beauty of nature in art and decorations, often turning to motifs and figures from the world of flora and fauna in search of inspiration. Fascination with wild creatures was expressed in stories, paintings, songs, and jewelry. Jewelers have long known that Mother Earth is an inexhaustible source of inspiration, from which one can draw abundantly.In this article, we will introduce you to a rich tapestry of the most common animal motifs found in diamond jewelry around the world.
Butterflies
Valued for their beauty and mystery, butterflies are tiny wonders of the natural world, and jewelry with their motif is delicate and intricate. Iridescent and shiny wings, delicate antennae, and the multicolored nature of butterfly species are a graceful and very common pattern of winged fauna in jewelry. The way precious metals such as gold and gemstones like diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, or rubies—which perfectly catch the light—are used allows the beauty and charm of these small creatures to be captured in a unique way.
Birds
Birds have been depicted in jewelry since ancient times, but their popularity increased especially in the 19th century, along with the interest in ornithology in Europe and North America. Proud peacocks, delicate doves, exotic hummingbirds and parrots, slender flamingos – the range of inspiration is inexhaustible. They captivate with their striking plumage, and jewelers borrow some of this splendor in their jewelry designs.
Mythical beasts
Fossils and minerals contain within them the mystery of their formation, pointing to past eras that stretch along the geological time scale. It is precisely towards this incomprehensible mystery that ancient cultures for centuries conjured mythical creatures in order to respond, to explain to themselves, what might have existed before us.Three-headed dragons, phoenixes, pegasi, mermaids, unicorns – depictions of these legendary animals are projections of dreams and desires, expressed in original and imaginative jewelry designs.
Sea creatures
Oceans and their mysterious inhabitants are a perfect inspiration for creating unique jewelry. Jewelers reflect their fascination with this part of the natural world in their designs, making earrings, brooches, rings, and necklaces featuring sea creatures such as starfish, sea turtles, fish, seahorses, jellyfish, and shells. These animals represent different concepts in many cultures, from rebirth and purification to abundance, harmony, and immortality.
Snakes
The snake motif is undoubtedly one of the most common motifs in jewelry worldwide. From the kingdom of Cleopatra to the royal courts of the Javanese empire, snakes have long inspired people, revered as symbols of fertility, sexual desire, immortality, healing, wisdom, nobility, and prosperity.In 1839, Queen Victoria received from Prince Albert a snake-shaped engagement ring with her birthstone; this design was an elegant symbol of eternal love and started a trend for snake jewelry throughout England and the rest of Europe.
Dragon engagement ring from the 79 Element workshop
The example of the ring with dragons and tanzanite perfectly reflects what our Client wanted to achieve: his dream was an engagement ring featuring a dragon figure (preferably two) and his partner’s favorite stone, Tanzanite. During the creation process, we made a sketch for the Client showing how we envisioned his idea. We suggested black diamonds on the beast’s back to mimic the scale structure, and white diamonds as eyes that sparkle with every movement. The final result of the design delighted the future wife!
The dragon ring is unique and one of a kind – there is certainly no other like it in the world. That is why, if you have an idea for the perfect engagement ring that will move and make your loved one happy, in our workshop we will create it together with you.