Reaching all the way into the histories of numerous venerable, ancient civilizations, jewelry has played an important role in the culture of various peoples. Often, the fine jewelry that people wore was reflective of the values, humanity and the artistry of that era and usually offers many insights into the way of life during that time. In addition to the works of jewelry, the jewelry boxes of each age can also lend additional insights and should be equally treasured.



In fact, it is fair to declare that the history and the significance of the intricate jewelry boxes date back for as many centuries as the pieces of jewelry. Especially in ancient cultures, fine jewelry was revered and was often used to display the position and the power of a particular person or family. In addition, fashion jewelry and embellished items, such as various gemstone and diamond jewelry pieces have always been, as they are today, outward expressions of wealth.

Because of this, the jewelry boxes that came from different time periods and cultures can also provide additional clues and insights into the people who owned precious jewelry. The owners of fine jewelry take care to protect their collection, and this was the case even more so in ancient times when acquiring and refining precious metals was more difficult. Therefore, a jewelry box was an important form of protection, in addition to practical storage.

Historically, such boxes were specially designed and hand-crafted items created by skilled craftsmen. In fact, in some instances, the same artisans responsible for the wonderful fine jewelry that was being made also put their talents to work to build beautiful such boxes. In this way, their works of jewelry art would be housed in proper vessels that would do justice and honor to their craft.

Many of the traditions of fine workmanship that went into jewelry boxes of yesteryear are still quite alive and well today. Just as one can find an enormous selection of fine jewelry, from simple costume one to highly embellished fashion one, there is also a wide array of such boxes to carefully store the precious items that people collect.

Since so many people do collect a significant number of jewelry pieces over the years, often jewelry boxes that once provided adequate space are replaced with a larger container. Some people simply buy another box or two, while others decide to go with grander options. One of the common items seen nowadays, which is an offshoot of the basic box, is a jewelry armoire.

The jewelry armoires are really more of a piece of furniture than the standard jewelry boxes that are common in many homes. They can range in height from about three feet to about six feet. They typically feature swinging doors on the front which reveal many specially designed nooks, crooks and crannies for storing different types of fine jewelry, such as diamond rings, silver jewelry, gold jewelry and watches.