Butterflies have long held the fascination of people as a symbol of life, transformation, and spiritual change. This is likely due to the nature of a butterfly’s life and its magical metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a beautiful winged creature. Within this article, you’ll find a straightforward guide to the symbolism and spiritual meaning behind the temporality of the butterfly, what to look for when buying jewelry, and the ins and out of tricky lingo used to describe the value of fine jewelry. Whatever the butterfly means to you, it can stand as a permanent reminder to live every day to its fullest as you carry this token on your body wherever life may take you.
Butterfly Jewelry as A Gift
A butterfly on your necklace or another form of jewelry can make a perfect gift for a close family member or friend who’s undergoing a major change or milestone in their life. A thoughtful gift goes a long way and that’s why this paragraph will be devoted to the categories of people who will cherish the hidden significance of this gift the most.
- Newborns: Giving a butterfly to a newborn is a promise of a long, prosperous life. Butterflies can act as a spirit animal that will protect the child throughout their life. A child embodies the spirit of the butterfly as they undergo a metamorphosis into adulthood.
- Mourners: Giving a butterfly to someone in mourning can help ease their grief and suffering by reminding them death is a part of the natural cycle of life, and that it’s not the end. Keeping a butterfly as a token of grief will reassure the griever that, just because someone has passed, it doesn’t mean they are forgotten. In this way, the deceased is now entering the eternal spring of life.
- Travelers: Giving a butterfly to someone who is about to embark on a new journey is the perfect way to show support and wish them safe travels. Traveling is known for its transformational experiences, and a butterfly will surely be a treasured part of the journey.
Whoever you decide to gift with butterfly jewelry, it will hold powerful meaning to the wearer.
The Symbolism and Spiritual Meaning of Butterflies
Butterflies symbolize life, freedom, change, hope, and rebirth. Not only are they an object of beauty, but they are also a sign of spring as they are one of the first few creatures to emerge after a long winter. Given that their lifespans are short–only two to three weeks long–they serve as a reminder that life is short and should be cherished and lived to its fullest. Butterflies are easily one of the most admired insects in the animal kingdom and have long adorned clothing and jewelry as an accessory of expression.
Because butterflies undergo metamorphosis, it is not at all surprising they have become a symbol of change and transformation. Some people believe that butterflies are angels in disguise. There are many stories of these winged creatures appearing at sites of birth and death and are thought to be messengers from the spirit world or heaven, depending on religious beliefs. They are also sometimes thought to be spirit animals that characterize playful, carefree, and flexible personalities.
What To Look For In Fine Jewelry
Looking for a necklace or a fine piece of jewelry seems pretty straightforward, right? When picking out jewelry, people typically look for something that will fit their own tastes or the taste of the person receiving the gift. Actually, there’s a lot more to jewelry than what first meets the eye. It may come as a surprise that a lot of jewelry retailers will have you pay for the design, not the materials that go into crafting the piece. It’s not uncommon to go to a designer store and see a necklace made out of plastic and rhinestones cost hundreds of dollars. Of course, there will always be a little up-charge for the brand name and design–that is to be expected–but it shouldn’t be the majority of the cost.
The Different Purities of Gold
There’s a lot of reasons to buy a fine piece of jewelry whether that be as a gift to a grandchild, daughter, friend, or as a time-valued investment in gold. Whatever the reason, there are a few things to keep in mind when buying fine jewelry. To know for sure if jewelry crafted out of gold, it should always be stamped with the standard 10k, 14k, or 18k, even the chain. These numbers mean how pure the gold is, the higher the number, the more gold and less alloy it contains. However, keep in mind that gold is a naturally soft metal, so 10k gold will actually scratch less than something crafted out of 18k gold. Also, 14k gold-plated is not the same as 14k gold, but it should be stated on the retailer’s website or on an in-store tag. Gold and diamonds are a selling point, so if it’s not advertised, it almost always means that it doesn’t contain any precious metals or stones.
Fine Jewelry Lingo
It can be pretty confusing when shopping for fine jewelry when you’re not familiar with the lingo used by retailers, but this paragraph will provide a quick overview of the essentials so you know what to look for and how much to pay when finally buying that favored piece of jewelry you’ve had your eyes on for so long.
- Four C’s: Carat, color, clarity, and cut. These are the factors that are used to grade the quality of a diamond.
- Cubic Zirconia (CZ): It’s not a real diamond, but it looks like it. They are cheaper and are often times shinier and more sparkly because they don’t have any of the natural imperfections a real diamond would have.
- Pave Diamond: Pave describes how diamonds are set, usually in a straight line or close together.
- Gold-plated: Where a fine layer of gold coats the base metal that severs as the structure to the ring, necklace, bracelet, pocket watch, etc.
- Alloy: Combines two or more different metals together to make it stronger in structure and more resilient against corrosion.
Mistakes to Avoid
Making a big purchase can be an overwhelming experience, but if you follow these simple rules, it can help ease some of the attributed stress and anxiety.
- Check for the metal stamp: If the metal isn’t marked as gold, silver, or platinum, then it’s not a precious metal. Unless you’re buying antique jewelry, all metal should be stamped accordingly. Otherwise, chances are, the metal is cheap and will turn your skin green. To the untrained eye, it’s not always so easy to spot a fake, especially if it’s gold-plated, so just go with the tried-and-true method and double-check the stamps. Almost all diamonds have natural perfections, so look closely. If the stones are pristine and without any impurities, chances are it’s a fake.
- Know your ring size: If the size is off even half a size, it won’t fit the designated finger. Don’t guess, resizing is a pain and can cost anywhere from twenty to sixty dollars extra. If it’s a more complex resizing, it can be anywhere from fifty to a hundred and fifty dollars extra.
- Have a budget going in: It’s all too easy to get caught up in the shopping “experience,” but if you go in knowing your price range it’s not as likely you’ll go over budget. Even if something catches your eye that’s slightly out of range, at least you can come to an honest conclusion if this item is a must-have.
- Find a trusted jeweler: False advertising is illegal, but that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t happen. If you’re buying online, read the reviews. Remember, everything that goes into the piece should be listed in the description. If the words “diamond” and “gold” are not in the description, then it’s not real. Also, be sure to read the whole description. Sometimes retailers try to trick you with false or misleading information in the title that is clarified in the description.
What to Walk Away With
Remember, the most important thing when looking for a piece of jewelry besides it matching your tastes, is to make sure the price is right. It’s sometimes hard to tell what’s a good deal when purchasing necklaces, bracelets, and rings since these items usually hold sentimental value, but there is a way to value jewelry.
Factor in the price of the materials: the weight and purity of the metal, the types of stones used, and the design or brand name. Sometimes, what it comes down to is how much you’re willing to pay for the sparkly gem or the shiny metal that catches your eye, but if you feel good after walking away with your new bling, chances are you paid the right amount. Moreover, jewelry with animal motifs is timeless. A butterfly will increase the value and, likewise, raise the resell value, so there’s really no going wrong with purchasing a beautiful piece of jewelry to treat yourself or someone else as it also serves as an investment.