Tyson Burlingame

Haley Hughes’ rings hold significance for her.

Silver and gold, it’s all around us. Whether it be a necklace, ring or piercing, it’s no secret that jewelry is prevalent among our student body. Jewelry might be everywhere, but what does it mean, what does it represent, does it have a deeper meaning? For many of our students, their jewelry is about more than just adornment.

“I think jewelry is a great way to show significance like self-expression,” Natalia Lucca (11) said.

For some people, jewelry might not always have meaning, as sometimes it’s just part of their style or part of their personality. For some, the metal or mineral just look appealing to the eye.

“I wear jewelry, but it doesn’t have a significant meaning … I just ordered it online,” Paul Curran (11) said.

Although jewelry can simply just be for looks or style for others, jewelry can tell you a lot about a person: where they come from, who they are and what they believe in.

“My ring is a Claddagh ring. It’s like a tradition for Ireland. So depending on how you wear it, it shows if you’re single, dating and engaged and married. There’s a huge story behind it that you can look into …” Haley Hughes (12) said, “and then this one (gold cross necklace) I got in Mexico, it’s for God and Christianity. Then my other necklace that I usually have has an ‘R’ on it for my friend who died recently.”

Proposals, gifts and surprises, jewelry is given all around us and can even tell a story of not just what it represents but how you got it or where it came from.

“I have a necklace with an Italian horn on it. It’s called cornicello and it’s a traditional Italian piece of jewelry that was used as a way to sort of ward off the evil eye in ancient Italian culture. Now people wear it as a symbol to show that they’re Italian and that they’re protected…” Lucca said. “My necklace was given to me by my mom. It has the significance that you’re not supposed to buy the cornicello for yourself — that is bad luck. It’s supposed to be given as a gift for protection by your loved ones.”

Additionally, jewelry can tell a story. Some stories represent your family, your culture and even your religion. Jewelry can be more than just a piece of mineral, as for some people, it is much more.

“My favorite piece of jewelry is my junior ring. It’s not really a junior ring. It’s just a ring that I got and I tried to make it significant to me,” Chloe Ruth (11). “It’s silver and it has three opal stones together representing past, present and future.”