Why High Quality Body Jewelry?

More than ever before, we citizens of the 21st century accept different ways of being. Different ways of being a woman, or a man. Different ways of being grown up. Different ways of having fun, and different ways of being professional. At Krikawa Master Jewelers, we are artists. That makes it our passion (as well as our job!) to engage with this expanding scope of human expression. And as creators of fine jewelry, we are especially excited about one new horizon in particular: Body jewelry! Of course body jewelry itself is far from new—despite a 20th century fallow period, its roots are both ancient and noble.

Jewelry itself is one of humankind’s earliest cultural products, and body jewelry was not far behind—it had only to wait for the invention of pointy things and piercing. The practice of piercing stretches into prehistory—the world’s oldest mummy had his ears pierced seven millennia ago—and ancient civilizations did not discriminate between body jewelry and the non-piercing variety with regard to prestige. The twin practices of piercing and adornment ruled from Egypt to India, and from the Aztec homeland to modern-day Peru. In all these cultures, jewelry for the body played the same roles as any other form of adornment—to beautify the wearer, and project his or her status. In both functions, and even in those early days, the distinction between body jewelry of high quality and that of low quality was clear.

Jewelry enthusiasts of the West continued to pierce their below-earlobe bodies well into the late 19th century, at which point the fashion fell victim to the forces of bourgeois Victorianism. When men and women began to explore body piercing again in the mid-20th century, it had been out of the mainstream for long enough that the practice was exciting but distinctly countercultural. As the teens of the 60s and 70s grew up however, their children blurred the distinction between culture and counterculture.

The result is that, although body jewelry is not embraced as a universal Western norm, neither does it preclude interaction with the mainstream. Body jewelry retains its edge, but raises the hackles of none but the most puritanical critics. Now at the peak of its vitality, body jewelry is reclaiming its high quality legacy, without abandoning the spirit of its hardscrabble counterculture origins. And is this renaissance any wonder? High quality body jewelry is art with inherent value—fashioned from the earth’s most precious gifts, and at the hands of master craftspeople.  Like high fashion, its aesthetic merits raise it above the fickle whims of popular fashion.

Any adornment falls along a scale between pure function and luxury, and pieces that fall closer to the former end of the spectrum have their place—the challenge with body jewelry comes when this is the only part of the spectrum which is accessible. While high quality body jewelry elevates, the low quality variety merely exists—its beautifying qualities rest on drawing attention to a body part, while a high quality piece enhances one’s overall self-presentation. The right piece on the right person projects both confidence and class.

Looking beyond the aesthetic advantages of high quality body jewelry, the conscious consumer will find even more to love. For example, it is impossible to manufacture high quality jewelry under the factory conditions common to low quality jewelers. Only a true artisan can make high quality jewelry, meaning that ethical labor practices are baked into the production of such pieces. By the same token, any master jeweler will source their materials responsibly. And although some gold alloys can activate allergies, a high quality jeweler will refrain from using these—at Krikawa Master Jewelers, our gold is 100% nickel-free. These hallmarks of quality are no mere perks; they mean that, when you wear a high quality piece in your facial or body piercing, you can do so confidently—knowing that your timeless piece was crafted with the passion and care of a true artist.

Ultimately, there is no reason why a woman wearing a handcrafted luxury engagement ring should resign herself to the same jewelry that she wore as a teenager, simply because that jewelry is attached to her body rather than resting on top of it. Or why a man wearing designer cufflinks shouldn’t wear piercings of the same caliber, rather than putting them away for the night.  So embrace your inner nobility, and proudly wear body jewelry that is worthy of that elegance. Expertise, passion, and world class craftsmanship are the hallmarks of any Krikawa piece. With Queen’s Gold, we are so proud to bring those qualities to the world of high quality body jewelry.