What’s with jewelry that makes us so in love with it?

Jewelry is the property of the human being. It has always been so. We have always craved the fact of being beautiful in the eyes of others, if only with animal bones, feathers, flowers etc. Of course, jewelry often has a symbolic or religious meaning. At every milestone of our life traditionally corresponds a proper jewel. So what makes us feel that jewelry is so important? Why are we wearing them?

Where does this need come from?

The purchase of jewelry to parry us can be explained psychologically using the Maslow pyramid. The psychologist Abraham Maslow published in 1943 this theory of motivation with the help of which he described the universal needs of man in the form of hierarchy. If we look at the purchase and wearing of jewelry from this perspective, we see that this attitude is placed in the category of our higher needs. Indeed, the category of "need for social contact" appears in the middle of the pyramid. This need for affection is showcased, for instance, when we wear bracelets of friendship and exchanging gifts on Valentine's Day. But it is also expressed when we wear jewelry to emphasize our connection with a certain group.

What can we infer from Maslow's pyramid?

When we come to a higher echelon of our pyramid, we come to the category of "recognition and appreciation". Seventy-five years after the publication of Maslow, this remains a very current need. Is social media and the invention of the selfie not the living proof? Whether you buy jewelry or a new pair of shoes, or try a new recipe: we share all your experiences on social media and hope to get a lot of likes. At the top of the pyramid we see the category of "self-realization". It is obvious that by buying jewelry we want to emphasize our personality and our style. A classy woman knows how to combine and wear her jewelry.

What influence does society have on our needs?

Of course, times and society also influence how we translate these needs. In the past, the purchase of jewelry was reserved exclusively for representatives of the richest class. They wore jewelry to show their origin and wealth, which again corresponds to the higher echelons of our pyramid. In addition, the wearing of jewelry has long been reserved exclusively for women. This has changed enormously in recent decades. As far as men are concerned, we are not talking exclusively about watches and cufflinks. Pure virility also comes from a diamond ring for men.