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When it comes to relative value for the size, both tangible and sentimental, jewelry is unmatched. Crafted using rare earth materials that tend not to depreciate, pieces of jewelry are symbolic and innately human. Wedding bands denote marriage, and heirlooms reinforce family identity. Even political power finds expression through mayoral livery collars, crowns, and papal rings. Jewelry making is one of the oldest forms of art, predated only by cave painting and clay sculpture. While the earliest examples date back as far as 100,000 BCE — when pre-historic humans constructed crude beads made from snail shells — today’s pieces are as elaborate as the human imagination will allow. Today, the jewelry industry is worth an estimated $271 billion worldwide, a number that is predicted to grow as Asian economies continue to expand. Here’s a list of the ten largest jewelry companies in the world by revenue in US$, six of which are owned by families.
