Friday, December 31, 2010

Sterling Silver Celtic Cross Necklaces

Sterling Silver Celtic Cross Necklace

Sterling silver Celtic cross necklaces are made by sterling silver Celtic crosses. Celtic Crosses is one of the most popular categories of both Celtic jewelry and Religious jewelry. In fact, Celtic crosses and Celtic cross necklaces are considered cross over jewelry as they fit within two jewelry genres, Celtic jewelry and Religious jewelry.



Sterling silver Celtic pendant necklaces are made with sterling silver necklace chains and sterling silver Celtic crosses. HandCraftedCollectibles.com has the largest collection of Religious jewelry in America and one of the largest collections of Celtic jewelry in America.




The Celtic Cross necklace is a great way to wear a cross necklace with extra symbolism. The Celtic cross necklace adds more symbolism and a richness to the classic cross necklace.




For the biggest all sterling silver collection of Celtic cross necklaces you need to shop online at HandCraftedCollectibles.com.

The Irish Celtic Cross is a great way to add both Irish symbols and Celtic symbols to your Christian cross. For example:


This Silver Celtic Trinity Cross Necklace is in the basic shape of a classic cross necklace but adds three trinity knot on the top three endcaps. The Trinity knot is symbolic of the Holy Trinity.



This Celtic Cross Necklace of Protection is so named from the time of Heraldic symbols. This likely means it was a symbol on a shield, thus the name. Crosses were commonly use in Heraldic symbols and on shields, swords and body armor. It also has some trinity knots on it. It still has the circle of etenity on it.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Sterling Silver Affimration Jewelry

Links To great sterling silver Affirmation jewelry:


Sterling Silver Jewelry

Affirmation Jewelry Charms

Affirmation Jewelry Heart Charms

Affirmation Charms

Sterling Silver Horse Jewelry

STERLING SILVER HORSE JEWELRY

Sterling silver horse jewelry is as magnificent as the horse it represents. SilverAnimals.com allows you to purchase fine quality sterling silver horse jewelry.

The horse jewelry available at SilverAnimals.com ranges from horse head earrings to horse charms. From horse necklaces to horse pendants.



If you want to create your own horse jewelry their are a host of horse charms and horse pendants to create your own customized horse jewelry.

Select several horse pendants and a few sterling silver necklaces. Swap them back and forth and it will appear as though you have an endless supply of horse necklaces.



The horse charm makes for great horse bracelets.


Sterling silver galloping Horse Necklace.

Sterling Silver Cross Necklace For Men

STERLING SILVER CROSS NECKLACE FOR MEN



The cross necklace for men is a a wonderful way for Christian men to wear a visual reminder of their faith. The cross is highly symbolic for Christians and the men's cross necklace is a great to wear their faith in a fashionable way.



The cross necklace for men is most popular in sterling silver. At HandCraftedCollectibles.com they have the biggest collection of sterling silver of any retail outlet world wide. These men's cross necklaces are a great way to celebrate your faith.


This men's cross necklace is a delightful Celtic Trinity knot weave cross necklace.

Sterling Silver Irish Claddagh Jewelry

STERLING SILVER IRISH CLADDAGH JEWELRY

Sterling silver Irish Claddagh jewelry is one of the most rich and culturally significant jewelry symbols in all of specialty jewelry. It is the most popular type of Irish Jewelry aside from Irish rings which are also made from the Irish Claddagh.


Why is the Irish Claddagh so popular and rich in sterling silver irish jewelry circles? Why is the Irish Claddagh symbol so popular world wide in specialty jewelry?

The answer lies in the story of the Irish claddagh and the meaning behind the Claddagh.

The Irish Claddagh symbol consists of a heart held by two hands. The heart is wearing a crown. The meaning of the symbols that make up the Claddagh are as follows: The pair of hands means friendship. The heart means love, of course. and the crown means loyalty and fidelity.

The meaning of the Claddagh symbol alone explains its popularity in Claddagh Jewelry.



The story of the Irish Claddagh Jewelry Symbol:

It is difficult to separate fact from fiction in the history of the Irish Claddagh. What we do know by scholarly studies is the name of the Claddagh comes from a fishing village in Ireland called Claddagh. Claddagh is a beach area in the western part of Galway, Ireland.







It was in Claddagh that the first Claddagh ring was said to have been made. The Claddagh ring was first made sometime in the 17th century during the reign of Queen Mary II or the reign of King William III.




Some of the oldest Claddagh rings to been traced back to CLaddagh Ireland bear the mark and initials of Richard Joyce.


The story of how Richard Joyce created the Claddagh symbol is as much legend as it is history. The story says that Richard Joyce who lived in Claddagh Ireland, which was a small fishing village left Claddagh which is where the river Corrib meets Galway bay, on a ship bound to the plantations of the West Indies. That same week he was supposed to be married.




The ship Joyce was traveling on was captured by Mediterranean Algerian pirates and the crew and Richard Joyce were sold as slaves. Joyce was sold to a Moorish goldsmith who trained Richard in his craft. Richard Joyce became a master in the goldsmith trade.

While working for the Moorish goldsmith Richd Joyce crafted a ring for the women he was supposed to marry. He could not forget her. She was the inspiration to the design of the Claddagh Ring.

In 1689 British slaves including Richd Joyce were released by pressure from King William III. The story goes that the Moorish Goldsmith offered Richard half of his wealth and his only daughters hand in marriage if he would stay. Joyce refused and went back home to Claddagh, Ireland. A gold Claddagh ring in hand.





Richard returned home and found his fiancé had never married. Richard gave her the ring and they were married. He set up a goldsmith shop in his home town of Claddagh, Ireland.


The Claddagh ring was predominately a local ring in the Irish regions until the late 1800's. Some suggest the great potato famine of 1847-1849 where 1000's of Irish people made a vast exodus, mostly to America and other Western locales.


These determined Irish folk kept the Claddagh ring symbolism going and tradition was that the mother past it down to the first married daughter when she was married. This made the Claddagh ring a heirloom that was worn with great pride.

 
Irish jewelry has two major elements. The type of jewelry that depicts Irish culture and the type that reflects Ireland’s Celtic heritage. It is not uncommon to blend Irish elements and Celtic elements together. Even with the Claddagh symbol which has gone past a ring symbol to its own catagory of jewelry. Now we have a Claddagh jewelry genre, Celtic elements can be found.




The rich meaning of the Irish Claddagh symbol makes it a perfect choice for all gift giving occasions like Christmas, Valentines Day, Mothers Day and Birthdays. Classic sterling silver Claddagh jewelry makes a perfect Irish Celtic gift that can symbolize anything from Irish heritage to romantic commitment and everything in between.



In Claddagh jewelry the two most popular ways to wear the Claddagh is with a sterling silver Claddagh necklace or with sterling silver Irish Claddagh rings.

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Only Sterling Silver Religious Jewelry

Only Sterling Silver Religious Jewelry

Religious jewelry is not just crosses. Besides crosses, Religious jewelry also inlcudes a great deal of inspiration jewelry not made with crosses. This blog will shed some light on non cross religious jewelry.



Religious Jewelry has a nice selection of religious necklaces the celebrate aspects of Christianity like themes from the bible or Christian themes made popular over the years.

Look at a few samples of religious necklaces in these photos:



This religious necklace allows you to select from over 140 round affirmation word pendants to add to your Bible necklace. It comes in four lengths.


Christian Necklaces are essentially the same as religious necklaces, they have a charm or pendant that speaks to the Christian and maintains a Christian theme.





The Ichthus Fish Jewelry is another name for the Christian Fish. It was the first popular christian icon or symbol representing the Christians. It even precedes crosses as a Christian symbol.




Monday, December 27, 2010

Sterling Silver Celtic Jewelry

STERLING SILVER CELTIC JEWELRY



Sterling silver jewelry is the most popular way to wear Celtic Jewelry. The reason being is manyfold but a few of the reasons why so many prefer sterling silver Celtic jewelry over any other precious metal is becasue they can afford more sterling silver Celtic rings, Celtic necklaces, Silver Celtic Trinity Knot Earrings, and Celtic pendants to name a few styles.



Celtic jewelry designs are so popular from the geometric designs, weaves and spirals to the mysterious cultural influence on the Celtic jewelry design you can't have to many pieces of Celtic jewelry. With sterling silver Celtic jewelry you can afford to have dozens of sterling silver Celtic and Irish jewelry in your collection.

Irish Jewelry has its own cultural influence and Irish jewelry has been heavily influenced by Celtic jewelry which is only natural because the Celtic culture preceeded the rich Irish culture.



Whether you are talking about Celtic jewelry by itself or Irish Jewelry by itself or the two combined, the most popular types of jewelry in these genres is the rings and Celtic crosses. The Celtic crosses includes Celtic cross charms, pendants and necklaces. Celtic crosses also includes Celtic earrings and rings.

The Celtic necklace with Celtic pendants is very popular and probably the third most popular Celtic Irish jewelry piece along with the Celtic Irish earrings.

Even with the increase in the price of Gold, silver and other precious metals, sterling silver is still cheaper in jewelry than gold was eight years ago. You can still afford to collect all the sterling silver Celtic jewelry you want.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Irish Claddagh Rings

Sterling Silver Irish Claddagh Ring

The Irish Claddagh ring carries the Claddagh Symbol: A pair of hands holding a heart. The heart is wearing a crown. The heart means love carefully held in the hands of friendship wearing the crown of loyality and fidelity. Click here for more on the Claddagh ring meaning.



The Sterling Silver Claddagh Ring is used for many things. With the symbolism such as it is, it's no wonder it can be used for many things. some of the uses are as Celtic Wedding Rings.


The Irish Claddagh Ring has many uses but it also is used to wear a reminder of ones Irish pride or interest in Irish culture.

Sterling Silver Horse Jewelry Charms

Sterling Silver Horse Jewelry Charms

Sterling silver Horse jewelry is primarily made of sterling silver horse charms and sterling silver horse pendants. With the exception of Horse earrings and Horse rings, everything else in the horse jewelry genre is made of the horse charms and horse pendants.



Sterling silver horse charms are the most popular because they can be used by adding them to a sterling silver chain. The horse charms can be added to silver charm bracelet.



The sterling silver horse charm comes in many different styles and types of horses. Their are Clydesdale horse jewelry charms, galloping horse pendants, thouroughbred horse pendants and many more. These go on sterling silver horse necklace chains.



Their are many different ways to celebrate the beautiful horse with horse jewelry and horse necklaces. SilverAnimals.com also provides horseshoe jewelry and horseshoe charms.


The horseshoe charms do the same thing as horse charms. with horseshoe charms you can make horseshoe necklaces and horseshoe charms.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Most Popular Sterling Silver Cross Necklaces In America

The Most Popular Sterling Silver Cross Necklaces In America

There are tens of thousands of of sterling silver cross necklaces sold throughout America. How does one possibly determine what the most popular sterling silver cross necklaces are?

Go to the online retail leader in sterling silver cross necklaces and see what sells best. HandCraftedCollectibles.com carries thousands of sterling silver cross necklaces. They are an online Religious jewelry retailer so they are available all over America and creates a level field. People who are interested in the cross necklace can easily find HandCraftedCollectibles.com (HCC) by their search in Google.com.

Their prices do not change from one region to the other. They create the perfect measuring stick to measure the most popular selling sterling silver Cross necklaces.

The number one selling sterling silver cross necklace is a sterling silver Celtic cross necklace with a Irish clover inside the circle:

This best selling sterling silver Celtic Cross Necklace comes with three different sterling silver necklace chains: Round Magic Snake Chain, Box Chain and a Ball chain. Each sterling silver chain comes in 16", 18", 20" and 24".

This same cross necklace was also one of the top three cross necklaces solf in 2009 and tops off the best sellers in 2010. it is going strong destined to make the top three in 2011.

Perhaps the reason for its massive popularity is the added symbolism. The cross necklace is symbolic for Christians. The Circle around the intersection is a symbol of eternity. The Celtic trinity knot work represents the Holy Trinity and the three leaf clover is an irish symbol for the Godhead based on the legend of St. Patrick.


The second most popular sterling silver Cross Necklace sold in 2010 is probably where it is for all the opposites reasons of the Celtic cross necklace:


This best selling sterling silver traditional Cross Necklace comes with three different sterling silver necklace chains: Round Magic Snake Chain, Box Chain and a Ball chain. Each sterling silver chain comes in 16", 18", 20" and 24".

This is a traditional, plain and simple cross necklace. For some Christians you just don't need to add anything to the simple design of the cross necklace.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Sterling Silver Dragonfly Jewelry

STERLING SILVER DRAGONFLY JEWELRY

Dragonfly jewelry is best served in sterling silver. Think about a dragonfly darting through the air and they way the sun light catches its wings...Their is for a moment a brilliance of color shoot through the air. A sparkling array coming off the wings of that dragonfly.


All those words describe sterling silver as well. When the sun hits a dragonfly necklace pendant just right, the light sparkles of the most reflective of all precious metals; sterling silver.

This is why dragonfly jewelry must be worn in sterling silver. To see a full collection of sterling silver dragonfly jewelry click on Dragonfly jewelry.
 

Dragonfly jewelry can be worn as a dragonfly necklace.

This dragonfly necklace is made from a dragonfly charm, a pendant and chain, all in sterling silver.

You can create your own dragonfly necklace with a dragonfly pendant.

You can create dragonfly necklaces or dragonfly bracelets with dragonfly charms.


Cross Necklace

CROSS NECKLACE

The Cross necklace selection at HandCraftedCollectibles.com (HCC) is so large, (thousands) that every once in a while it is fun to review a cross necklace or two just to talk about the added symbolism that a cross necklace can come from.

A traditional cross necklace looks like this:


But considering their or so many sterling silver Cross necklaces, it's nice to understand the difference between one cross necklace and another. Cross necklaces date back to over a thousand years. The older cross necklaces typically are associated with cultural influences or Church influences.

Other times the cross necklaces can be associated with the artistic style of the era like this cross necklace:

This cross necklace shown above is a Gothic style from some time in the medieval time frame.

Other Cross necklaces are strictly Cultural like the sterling silver Celtic Cross necklace as show below:

Sterling Silver Fine Religious Jewelry

Sterling Silver Fine Religious Jewelry

Religious jewelry is a genre of specialty jewelry that covers jewelry from all religions. The most popular of all Religious jewelry is Christian jewelry. The most popular material that Religious jewelry is made from is sterling silver. That's right, sterling silver Religious jewelry is by far the most popular type of Religious jewelry that covers the Christian faith of icons.

As stated earlier, Christian jewelry is the biggest piece of the Religious jewelry pie. Christian jewelry includes Cross jewelry. The cross is the most popular symbol in Christian jewelry but it is not the only type of sterling silver Christian jewelry by a long shot. There are Christian necklaces that range from Christian cross necklaces to WWJD? What Would Jesus Do? Necklace. There are many christian necklaces that celebrate difference teachings from the Bible.




What Can You Do With Sterling Silver Celtic Crosses?

What Can You Do With Sterling Silver Celtic Crosses?

Of all the Celtic jewelry, the two most popular genre's of Celtic jewelry are silver Celtic rings and Celtic cross necklaces. The Celtic Cross is the backbone of the Celtic cross jewelry genre. Some silver Celtic rings even feature the Celtic cross.

Celtic jewelry is such a large category of specialty jewelry that their are many different sub categories or genres of the Celtic jewelry like the already mentioned Celtic rings and the Celtic cross necklaces.




Celtic crosses, whether in Celtic cross pendant form or Celtic cross jewelry form are as diverse as the Celtic and Irish cultures and also as diverse of modern Celtic jewelry designers. The Celtic cross is in essence a traditional Christian cross with a circle at the intersection of the two lines.



However the Celtic cross have evolved a long way from that simplistic definition. Now days the Celtic cross has other elements of Celtic knot work and Irish icons depending on the Celtic cross.

Celtic crosses add a lot of additional symbolism to the cross. The circle around the intersection is symbolic for eternity. The Trinity knot work added to some Celtic crosses adds the Trinity symbolism of the Godhead. Notice the Celtic cross pendant above has trinity knots at the end cap of each arm and then evolves into an eternity knot.




The sterling silver Celtic cross necklace is a Christian delight to behold. Click here to see the biggest collection of the sterling silver Celtic Cross Necklace. The Irish Celtic necklace above uses a three leaf clover as the circle and the three leaf circle was used, as legend has it, by St. Patrick to teach the Godhead.

Of all Celtic crosses the Celtic cross pendant seems to be the way the Celtic cross is used most. With the Celtic cross pendant you can design or customize you own Celtic cross necklace. Click here for a awesome collection of the Celtic cross pendant.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Sterling Silver Celtic Jewelry and Irish Jewelry

Sterling Silver Celtic Jewelry and Irish Jewelry
Sterling silver Celtic jewelry and Irish jewelry are two of the most popular genres of specialty jewelry. They are both cultural types of jewelry and they are related to each other as this blog will show as we review the history of Celtic jewelry and Irish jewelry.


Celtic Jewelry History
The Celtic culture didn't have a written language so many the meanings of Celtic symbols and Celtic knots used in Celtic jewelry is unsure. Anthropologists have determined that the meanings of some symbols had meanings that changed from one time period to another.  For instance, a Celtic knot in one generation may have a different meaning one or two generations later.


Another thing to keep in mind that most Celtic jewelry designs are "knot" styled. As the popularity of the designs increase and due to the lack of true definitions of the symbols, many silver Celtic jewelry makers use their creative imagination and create Celtic style jewelry pieces that are new.

Some designers give it a definition and others don't. This is both good and bad. For some they want to know with accuracy what a certain design means while others make up meanings that suit them and the style of the design. So for an accurate name of a Celtic knot there are only a few Celtic designs that are really understood and even then not with 100% accuracy.



Besides the cultural element of silver Celtic jewelry, silver Celtic jewelry is popular because of the popularity of geometric designs. So while some are concerned with names of Celtic designs, others are more concerned with the geometric designs. Most people wear sterling silver Celtic jewelry in the form of sterling silver Celtic rings or sterling silver Celtic necklaces.

The Celtic culture lasted from 450 years to 800 years depending on what you read. Sometimes the history of the Celts are as vague as the actual Celtic culture. It was a vast culture that was eventually consolidated to the area of what is now Ireland and the rest of the UK.


Find large selection of sterling silver Celtic Necklaces by clicking on Celtic Necklaces.

There were some changes in the history of the Celts as it evolved into different cultures we know today as England, Scotland and especially Ireland. That's where Irish jewelry comes into play. The Irish people have more closely maintained their Celtic heritage and their Irish Jewelry often reflects a strong celtic influence.



Celtic Eternity Knot Jewelry Symbol

There are essentially two types of Celtic knot symbols. One type of Celtic knot is where the knot is not fully interconnected and the other part is where the Celtic Knot is connected. The interconnected Celtic knot is also called the Celtic endless knot, eternity knot, or infinity symbol. Some of the traditional meaning of the endless Celtic knot remind us of the endless nature of our spirit. It also calls to mind the cycles of birth, death and rebirth. Our spirits have no beginning and no end and life is just a portion of the life cycle.

The Celtic eternity knot can be shown in many different ways. The Celtic necklace shown above is one example of an eternity knot and the other Celtic knot necklace below is another example of a Celtic eternity knots.


This Celtic knot pendant shown below is a Celtic knot that is not connected, not an eternity knot but a stylish Celtic knot pendant.








Celtic Trinity Knot Jewelry Symbol

The Celtic Trinity Jewelry Knot has meanings from two influences, one pagan and one Christian.


Originally is was referred to a Triquetra design. Triquetra is a latin term meaning "three cornered". The pagan meaning to the triquettra knot has to do with three feminine powers or roles: Maiden, Mother and Crone. Another non Christian definition for the Triquetra or Trinity knot is mind, body and spirit.


As with other Celtic symbols, meanings evolved with the introduction of Christianity to the Celtic culture. The pagan Triquetra symbol evolved into the Celtic Trinity Knot representing the Godhead (Trinity), the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.



Sterling Silver Irish Jewelry


Sterling Silver Claddagh Jewelry
As you can see from the Irish Claddagh Jewelry below there is a Celtic influence in the Irish Jewelry. Notice the Claddagh ring.

This is a traditional Irish claddagh ring. The second claddagh ring has a Celtic Trinity knot worked into the claddagh ring.





The Irish Claddagh symbol is made of three elements: The heart, hands and a crown. The heart represents love, the hands means friendship and the crown symbolizes loyality. Although there is a little dittie that says "In my hand I hold your heart crowning it with all my love." (Unknown)


Sterling Silver Irish Jewelry does have Celtic influences on some pieces if Irish Jewelry but some pieces of Irish Jewelry is exclusive to Ireland like the four leaf clover necklace shown below: 




Sterling Silver Irish Clover Jewelry

This page has a great selection of the sterling silver clover necklace.



Irish shamrock jewelry like the shamrock necklace shown above is classical Irish jewelry with no Celtic jewelry influence and they have classical Irish tradition behind them. It is said that besides being a symbol of good luck it was purported to have been used by St. Patrick to represent the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as a teaching aid.