Precious Gems and Jewelry: The power they connote and the meaning that they signify

by Emily Kaufman

Credit: UK Telegraph May 2009, Foreign Staff

Question: How has this, power that is vested in the objects that we buy and wear, developed? How is it that such little and seemingly insignificant objects are used to communicate such important sociological ideas? With jewelry comes the luxury market and Theodore Adorno makes clear assertions about the luxury market the way in which it appeals to the client. The argument that Adorno formed is ever yet overwhelmingly true. Upon conducting my field research, which included visiting these types of luxury market stores and attempting to speak to personnel I was jarred.

Photo by Emily Kaufman

Adorno states that, “as radiant things give up their magic claims, renounce the power with which the subject invested them and hoped with their help himself to wield, they become transformed into images of gentleness, promises of a happiness cured of domination over nature”(Adorno, 245). Despite the fact that man is now intellectually aware that these gems don’t have mystic of magical power however that myth still exists. Now however, the stores use the previous beliefs to create a world unto which buying them will unlock.

Photo by Emily Kaufman