Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (2024)

Table of Contents
Infinity Triangle Hamsa Heart Cross FAQs

Jewelry is a fun way to accessorize and glam up an outfit. There are many symbols and characters that are commonly used to create pendants and charms. Many times these symbols are more than just pretty embellishments. The beauty of symbols is that they convey a deeper meaning without the use words. Here is a list of the common symbols featured in jewelry in which their meanings and origins may surprise you. Some will speak to you and some won’t. It is therefore important when choosing the perfect accessory to pick one with a symbol that expresses a value close to your heart.

Infinity

Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (1)

No, you are not looking at a fallen over number eight. In ancient India and Tibet, the infinity symbol represented perfection, dualism, and unity between male and female. It symbolized time looping back and endlessly over itself, and represented the conjoining and equality between male and female.
This elegant sideways figure eight symbol we recognize today was introduced by 17th century English mathematician John Wallis to represent the mathematical concept of infinity, a quantity that's bigger than any number.The word infinity comes from infinitas, which is Latin and means unboundedness.
The meaning of the infinity symbol represents never-ending friendship, and love as the ever looping design possesses no beginning and no end. Infinity jewelry is an ideal way to symbolize your infinity affection and devotion towards a special someone or yourself.

Triangle

Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (2)

This symbol holds deeper meaning than just a three sided shape you recognize from geometry class. In Christianity the triangles represents the trinity of Father, Son, and spirit. The triangle symbol can have different meanings depending on the way it faces.

The upward moving triangle is sometimes called the blade. It is a symbol of aspiration or rising up, male force, and fire. The triangle represents aspiration, rising force, and the male principal.

The downward pointing triangle is sometimes referred to as the chalice. It is the symbol of water (as it flows downward), the grace of heaven, and the womb. It is one of the most ancient symbols of female divinity. The triangle’s duality makes for a great accessory as you can change it up according to your mood.

Hamsa

Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (3)

A Hamsa shaped accessory is one of the biggest trends in fashion right now. Hamsa jewelry is easily identifiable with its palm-shaped design. The symbol dates back many centuries and is believed to have protective powers.The words hamsa means "five" in Arabic and refers to the digits on the hand. The Hamsa symbol is known and believed to provide defense against the evil eye, which is a vengeful stare believed to to cause illness, death, or unluckiness. The symbol can also represent strength, power and blessings.

Heart

Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (4)

Not just the doodle scribbled all over your History notebook. The heart shape is the universal symbol for love, unity, compassion and affection. But it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that the heart symbol took on its current meaning. At that time, according to Christian theology, it was meant to represent Jesus Christ and his love. Devout Christians began to inject the icon into art and literature from that era. When Valentine's Day originated in England in the 1600s, the heart symbol was the obvious choice for symbol to reflect the new holiday.

Cross

Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (5)

The cross is most well known in its Christian context as a symbol of sacrifice and salvation in reference to Jesus's death by crucifixion upon a cross. Many wear this symbol as an indication of commitment to the Christian faith. The cross is also believed to protect wearers from the evil spirit.

Jewelry Symbols - Understanding their Hidden Meanings (2024)

FAQs

What do the symbols on jewelry mean? ›

Symbols with 900 indicate that there are 900 parts per 1,000 pure platinum; whereas symbols with 950 indicate that there are 950 parts per 1,000 are pure platinum. 10K, 14K, 18K, 24K... If you only see these stamps on your piece, it means that the piece is solid gold. The numbers denote the karat fineness of the gold.

What does an upside down triangle necklace mean? ›

A downward-pointing triangle is known as a chalice, and a symbol of the womb, heaven's grace and water because it flows downward. The triangle offers duality and you can wear it up or down, depending on your mood.

How do symbols get their meaning? ›

Some symbols are gained from experience, while others are gained from culture. One of the most common cultural symbols is language. For example, the letters of an alphabet symbolize the sounds of a specific spoken language. Symbolism leads to the “Layers of Meaning” concept.

How do I identify my jewelry markings? ›

Inspect the Hallmark

Hallmarks are distinguishing characteristics that are stamped on gold, silver and platinum items - typically to identify the items purity. There are also hallmarks that can identify where the item was made (called a makers mark), the office the metal was tested in, the year, and the designer.

How do you read jewelry markings? ›

Gold purity is measured in karats with 24 karats representing the highest value. Gold jewelry marked "750" or "18k" indicates a blended metal consisting of 75% gold and 25% other alloys or elements. Likewise, a "585" or "14k" imprint indicates a gold content equal to 58.5% of the whole.

What is the best symbol of love? ›

What Is The Best Symbol For Love? The heart is the most widely recognized and universally known symbol of love. It is a recognized love symbol across the world and is used in many different designs, such as the Irish Claddagh, to represent love and loyalty.

What are the 10 symbols? ›

These symbols are: the sun, clouds, mountains, water, pine trees, turtles, deer, cranes, peaches, and the herb of eternal youth. The 10 Symbols of Longevity reveals a cultural tradition unique to Korea. Of the 10 symbols, not all of them last eternally as the sun and the mountains do.

What is a symbol that represents life? ›

The ankh symbol—sometimes referred to as the key of life or the key of the nile—is representative of eternal life in Ancient Egypt. Created by Africans long ago, the ankh is said to be the first--or original--cross.

What is a circle with upside down a mean? ›

The logical symbol ∀, has the same shape as a sans-serif capital turned A. It is used to represent universal quantification in predicate logic, where it is typically read as "for all".

What does the triangle with a heart inside mean? ›

The adoption symbol is a triangle intertwined with a. heart and is a symbol for both domestic and international adoptions. The. Birth Family, the Adoptive Family and the Adoptee each represent one side of. the triangle and the heart intertwining each side of the triangle represents.

What does the circle with a triangle inside mean? ›

Since it was registered in 1955, it has become a prominent emblem for members of Alcoholics Anonymous. The triangle represents the three key answers to the three-part disease of alcoholism for individuals in recovery meetings. The circle surrounding the triangle depicts recovery or AA itself in its entirety.

What are spiritual symbols? ›

Spiritual symbols: What is their true meaning? Which one suits you best?
  • The Tree of Life, a universal good luck charm. ...
  • The 7 Chakras, the harmony of the body. ...
  • The Christian Cross, between hatred and forgiveness. ...
  • The Lotus Flower, the flower of hope. ...
  • The Flower of Life, geometric perfection. ...
  • The Moon, the star of emotions.

What is the symbol for everything? ›

This symbol means for all (or sometimes, for every). For example, “∀ squares D, D is a rectangle”.

What is the universal symbol of truth? ›

Universal Symbol of Truth – Mirror. The mirror is a universal symbol of truth. You can't hide from the truths of the mirror, which is depicted in songs, stories, and poems.

What does OTP mean on jewelry? ›

Due to the value of some items, a one-time password (OTP) is required on delivery for some orders. An OTP adds an extra layer of security to your packages. If an OTP is required, we will send a six-digit, numeric OTP to your registered email address after we ship the item.

How can I tell if jewelry is valuable? ›

How to Tell If My Jewelry Is Worth Anything
  1. LOOK FOR HALLMARKS. One of the first things you can do when you acquire a new piece of jewelry is to look for hallmarks. ...
  2. LOOK FOR WEARING. Fake chains feel fake. ...
  3. TRY THE MAGNET TEST. Genuine gold will not attract a magnet. ...
  4. INSPECT THE PRONGS. ...
  5. CONSULT AN EXPERT.

Is there an app to identify jewellery? ›

The Gemetrix Mobile App (FREE to download) is for use with the PL-Inspector, the Melee Inspector or the Jewellery Inspector.

What numbers are on real jewelry? ›

The three numbers you might see are actually just a decimal number representation of the karat grade of the item. Since 24 karat is the most pure (24 parts out of 24 parts are gold) we can then figure out the percentage of gold in the other karat grades. So now we know a 10 karat piece is 10/24ths gold.

What does V mean on jewelry? ›

– V (Vermeil): A layer of gold bonded to sterling silver with a minimum thickness of 100 millionths of an inch. The jeweler doesn't need to stamp karat quality.

What does JB mean on jewelry? ›

JB Star, or Jewels By Star, has been long recognized as an exceptional brand specializing in large diamonds and beautiful colored gemstones.

What symbols say I love you? ›

The sign for “I love you” is a combination of the fingerspelled letter I, L and Y. Your thumb and index finger together form an L, while your little finger forms an I. In addition, your thumb and little finger is expressing a Y. So if you combine all three handshapes, you get I-L-Y for I love you.

What is the symbol for loyalty? ›

The heart symbol also has been a common feature on coats of arms. In such uses, the symbol can stand for many of the ideas we associate with hearts today, including love, valor, loyalty and kindness. Hearts can also carry a religious connotation, such as when they're depicted surrounded by flames or thorns.

What is the symbol for soulmate? ›

Lock and Key. The lock and key have been a soulmate symbol for several hundred years and remain popular today. The idea began back in the 19th century when the cast-heart lock was invented. This popular lock happened to be manufactured in the shape of a heart, the organ we most strongly associate with love.

What is the most famous symbol? ›

1. The Heart Symbol. While the modern culture of today depicts the heart as a symbol of romantic love, it was not always so.

What is a symbol of strength? ›

Red. Red is the strongest symbol of strength that you can find. It is the “official” symbol of strength and courage because of the substance it represents. Blood courses through the body and is significant in life.

What is the symbol of happiness? ›

The "smiley face" is a universal metaphor for feeling happy, depicted by a simple yellow face drawn with a big, jolly smile! The smiley face is an international, ubiquitous, and well-loved symbol of joy and good cheer in our 21st Century world.

What is an immortal symbol? ›

The ankh is an Egyptian symbol of life that holds connotations of immortality when depicted in the hands of the gods and pharaohs, who were seen as having control over the journey of life. The Möbius strip in the shape of a trefoil knot is another symbol of immortality.

What is the biblical symbol of life? ›

Water. Water is a Christian symbol for new life. Thus water at baptism is an important symbol for purity and the beginning of life. Just as Jesus was baptised with water by John the Baptist, so those who believe in him are baptised in his name.

What does backwards E mean? ›

In logic, a backward E is an abbreviation for “there exists.” The symbol is called the “existential quantifier.” Its code point in Unicode is U+2203. The TeX command to produce the symbol is \exists . There are a couple common variations on the symbol.

What is the A flipped symbol? ›

The ∀ symbol may look like the familiar capital “A” written upside down, but in mathematics (specifically in predicate calculus), the ∀ is a logic symbol or universal quantifier. You can use it in place of “for all.” This means that ∀ is a shorthand character you'll use when writing proofs, equations, and sets.

What does the U and upside down U mean? ›

In the world of math, the upside-down u represents the intersection of two sets. In other words, the u symbol is the union of two sets. The reverse of this symbol is the union. Using the 'upside down' u in math is a helpful way to illustrate how these two types of numbers are related.

What does the little box in a triangle mean? ›

· 90° angle. The first thing you want to do is label the hypotenuse side of the triangle. Remember, it's directly across from the 90 degree angle. You'll always know which angle measures 90°, because it is always indicated by the "little box". The side across from this angle will always be the hypotenuse side.

What is the little heart symbol with fingers? ›

The mini heart gesture is a trend that was popularized in South Korea in which the index finger and thumb come together like a snap to form a tiny heart.

What does a heart with an arrow ring mean? ›

This represents romantic love and has its roots in the story of Cupid (son of Aphrodite, who is the goddess of love in Greek mythology). Depicted as a chubby babe with wings, carrying a bow and arrow, his favourite pastime was striking one of his arrows into the heart of an unsuspecting person.

What does the triangle mean spiritually? ›

TRIANGLE – a dynamic force of creation – Creative Spirit. An active creative principle of consciousness – sometimes referred to as Fire of Consciousness. SQUARE – stability of Matter in the manifested physical world.

What is the symbol with a circle with a line through it? ›

English: The no symbol (also known as a prohibition sign, no sign, circle-backslash symbol, nay, interdictory circle, or universal no) is a circle with a diagonal line through it (running from top left to bottom right), surrounding a pictogram used to indicate something is not permitted.

What does 3 circles in a triangle mean? ›

Three interconnected circles represent the Holy Trinity. Latin Cross surrounded by circle or oval representing eternity or never-ending existence. Triangle/Trefoil/Triquetra. In Christianity, the equilateral triangle is the symbol of the Trinity.

What is the most powerful human symbols? ›

Perhaps the most powerful of all human symbols is language—a system of verbal and sometimes written representations that are culturally specific and convey meaning about the world.

What is a healing symbol? ›

A snake coiled around a staff is a widely recognized symbol of healing. The staff belongs to Asklepios, the mythical Greek god of medicine. In ancient Greece the sick would go to be healed at shrines called “asklepieia” where priests often used sacred serpents in their ceremonies.

What is a symbol of God? ›

Alpha and Omega: Represents God, the beginning and the end. Three interwoven circles: Represents the Trinity. A circle has no beginning or end, so it signifies the eternal nature of God. The interweaving of the three circles symbolizes the equality among God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

What is the most universal symbol? ›

Cross. This is probably one of the most prominent universal symbols. The cross is an emblem of faith and recovery. Culturally, the four points of the cross reflect self-nature, intelligence, and spiritual force.

What is the universal symbol for nothing? ›

The symbol ∅ is available at Unicode point U+2205.

What symbol makes everything positive? ›

+ Addition, Plus, Positive

The + symbol can also be used to indicate a positive number although this is less common, for example, +2. Our page on Positive and Negative Numbers explains that a number without a sign is considered to be positive, so the plus is not usually necessary. See our page on Addition for more.

What is the symbol of love? ›

The Heart: The most popular symbol of love, a heart is used to represent the center of emotion, including affection and love, especially romantic love. A heart pierced with an arrow is meant to symbolize romantic love.

What symbol represents faith? ›

Often the first symbols we relate to faith are the cross, angel, or Star of David; however, there are many lesser known symbols. Below is a list of other sacred and thoughtful symbolic gift ideas that bring faith and blessing to any occasion.

What are symbols of honesty? ›

15 Symbols of Honesty
  • Dara Knot. The Dara Knot is a Celtic symbol of strength and truth. ...
  • Magnifying Glass. The magnifying glass is a symbol of truth. ...
  • Circle. The circle stands for integrity and unity. ...
  • Compass. The compass is a common sign of honesty. ...
  • Plum. ...
  • Kola Nut. ...
  • Bamboo. ...
  • Zibu Honesty Symbol.
Mar 23, 2023

What are the symbols for precious metals? ›

The eight precious metals with their symbols and atomic numbers
  • Gold (Au, 79)
  • Silver (Ag, 47)
  • Ruthenium (Ru, 44)
  • Rhodium (Rh, 45)
  • Palladium (Pd, 46)
  • Osmium (Os, 76)
  • Iridium (Ir, 77)
  • Platinum (Pt, 78)

What do hallmark symbols mean? ›

A hallmark is an official mark struck on items made of precious metals. This guarantees the purity/fineness of the metal. Hallmarks are a legal requirement on products of a certain weight – depending on the metal being marked.

What are the symbols for gold plated jewelry? ›

Gold-plated pieces may be marked 'GP,' 'GE,' or 'HGE. ' 'GP' or 'GE' means the piece is electroplated with a thin layer of gold; '18K GP' would indicate a piece plated with 18 karat gold.

What is the standard mark on jewelry? ›

The mark that standardises the quality of golden jewellery is called Hallmark. Q.

What are precious metal indicator codes? ›

PRECIOUS METALS INDICATOR CODE (PMIC)
PMICDescription
ADoes not contain precious metals
CContains a combination of two or more precious metals (silver,gold, platinum)
GContains Gold
PContains Platinum family metals
4 more rows

What are the symbols for gold and silver? ›

For example, Gold-Au, Silver-Ag, Lead-Pb, Potassium-K, Tin-Sn, Iron-Fe, and Mercury-Hg, where did these symbols come from? Most of the elements' abbreviations are derived from Greek and Latin, or other ancient origins.

What does an anchor stamp mean on jewelry? ›

This symbol shows which Assay Office tested and marked the item. The Anchor is the symbol of Assay Office Birmingham .

Does real gold stick to a magnet? ›

What to do: Hold the magnet up to the gold. If it's real gold it will not stick to the magnet. (Fun fact: Real gold is not magnetic.) Fake gold, on the other hand, will stick to the magnet.

What are the stamps on old jewelry? ›

A Maker's Mark is a unique stamp placed on jewelry and watches to ensure the authenticity of the manufacturer. These stamps are typically made up of the manufacturers initials, name, or another unique representative symbol. Identifying this mark is the first step in determining the value of a piece of jewelry.

What does P mean on jewelry? ›

These stamps mean: P after the stamp like "14KP" means 14 Karat plumb. The reason this is marked this way is to tell you that there is exactly 58.5% gold in the item. Not all 14 karat pieces are plumb 14 karat.

How can you tell if jewelry is vintage? ›

Jewelry is classified as vintage when it was made 50 - 100 years in the past. So if you're buying vintage jewelry in 2021, you'll be looking for pieces made between 1921 and 1971. Jewelry is classified as antique when it was made more than 100 years ago.

What does H mean on jewelry? ›

October 6, 2021 – Posted in: Jewelry Blog. The H color diamond generally comes under the heading of near-colorless. They don't match the non-color standards of D, E, or F diamonds, but it's unlikely that all – but an expert eye – will see even a hint of yellow coloring.

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