It was a momentous week for love in all forms with the Supreme Court ruling on allowing same sex marriages and all the associated rights and privileges that come with it. The Three Graces has always catered to any couple who approaches us for wedding rings, engagement rings, or gifts of every jeweled variety.
Our rainbow jewelry examples today mark a symbol of love in triumph and for the LGBT community as a whole. Yet, a few years ago, say about 100 to 200, a multicolored arrangements of gemstones still meant love, but perhaps with a hidden message or twist. Often termed acrostic jewelry, each first letter of the gemstone name spelled out a message. DEAR was usually formed by a diamond, emerald, amethyst and ruby. Common acrostics also came in the form of the words regard, love, dearest, adore and even others words associated with friendship and love.
Some of the more common forms were rings, as well as pendants, brooches and occasionally bracelets. Especially popular from the earliest part of the 19th century, around 1820 to about 1840, the form still persisted well into the Victorian era and beyond, even up to about the 1900s.
