Historical factoids

1. Earrings date back to 3000BC in Asia. Archaeologists discovered them in graves from royal kings and queens. Burying jewellery with your dead is a custom from ancient civilisation.

2. Earrings throughout history have been designed in two formats one being the well known hoop type and the other being pendant designs.

3. Revolution is not a word that comes to mind when talking about jewellery but in the 20th century earrings went through just that. Men started wearing them in the 1960's when designs became more modern and forward thinking values entered our new society.

4. Women in the 2nd century during Roman times would show off there wealth with the type of jewellery they wore including earrings.

5. The statue of Tutankhamen has earrings. In Egypt they were called earplugs as they fitted into the earlobes.

6. In the dark ages poverty meant that the making of jewellery dwindled as crafts men could not afford to work with the precious metals. In the seventh century in greece designs dating back to the dark ages were recreated by goldsmiths as pendant earrings.

7. In the middle ages earrings become less popular as hairstyles got longer with hair pieces that covered the ears. Ladies that were married were expected to cover their heads.

8. Queen Victoria wore girandoles which were a type of earring that became very fashionable across Europe in the 17th century with well dressed ladies. They were very heavy as they were made from large amounts of precious metals and gemstones.

9. Earrings have been made from less expensive materials also throughout the ages so that poorer people could afford them too.