The Deira wear jewelry primarily to denote civil status or social position. The most emblematic of all are earrings adorned with gems. The various precious and semi-precious stones may be used by the different social classes in their jewelry, even lowborn commoners. The sole exception are earrings. Worn on the left ear, gemmed earrings are borne only by bluebloods and the gentry. Commoners of means may wear only plain gold or silver earrings. Certain precious metals and gems are also exclusive to highborn Deira.
Earring styles, engravings and the precious stones used indicate a Deir’s position in society, his age group or his state of availability. For instance, the spouse of lower social position traditionally bears the emblematic gem of his mate. And the ranking of bearers of the same precious stone is signified by having their crests or insignias engraved on their earrings.
Collars and pendants, wrist cuffs or wristlets and mantle or collar broaches are used mostly for formal affairs. Cloak pins are employed for everyday wear. Sovereign rulers and governing lords may wear coronets, circlets or diadems depending on an event's degree of formality. Crowns are reserved for hereditary monarchs or potentates, their official consorts and heirs apparent and are worn mainly during ceremonial occasions.
There are three emblematic rings—signet rings, marriage bands and ecclesiastical rings. Only ecclesiastical rings bear precious stones. Signet rings are identified by their inscriptions and engraved symbols and are worn only by members of the royal family and the aristocracy. Binding rings consist of two thin bands either joined together or intertwined and are generally made from gold. But amongst the royal family and fief-lords, binding rings are wrought of gold and white- or ley-silver.
adamant A crystalline gem faintly tinged with blue, it is extremely rare and very costly and is exclusive to monarchs and their consorts as it is the emblematic stone of sovereignty.
amethyst A purple crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of the minor gentry and low-born commoners elevated in social rank by dint of royal patronage or attainment of a high position in the diplomatic corps or government ministries.
diamond A crystalline gem that is usually colorless but sometimes tinged with yellow, pink or grey, it is the emblematic stone of a royal prince whether he is the ruler of a principality, an heir apparent or a younger son or brother of a monarch. Diamonds can be used in place of adamants in a monarch’s jewelry where the intent is simply to convey royal status.
emerald A bright green crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Herun's sons and brothers and of barons and their consorts.
gold The most precious metal next to white-silver.
heartsfire A blood-red crystalline gem, heartsfire is the symbol for passion. A simple stud signifies that a young Deir has reached the age of consent and is worn until he has attained his majority. A heartsfire encircled by a gold or silver hoop is worn only by hethare. Among the aristocracy and gentry, heartsfire set in silver or gold denotes that the wearer is in a committed relationship, i.e. long-term lovers or a betrothed couple. But when a heartsfire is coupled with one of the gems used primarily by royalty, the nobility or the gentry, this indicates that the wearer is a high-born Deir’s leman and connotes a proprietary aspect to the relationship.
ley-silver Plain silver.
milkstone A spherical opaque gem with a lustrous milky or rare bluish grey appearance harvested from saltwater shellfish called sealodes, it is the emblematic stone of the sons and brothers of barons, the lesser aristocracy and the upper gentry.
sapphire A deep blue crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Herun and his consort and a monarch’s law-brothers (pertains to the spouses of his brothers, not to the siblings of his consort) and law-sons.
snow sapphire A frosty white translucent gem second only to the adamant in costliness, it is seldom purely ornamental because of its association with soul-binding and the Veresian faith. It is the emblematic stone of prelates and soul-spouses. Soul-spouses use the gem in tandem with the stone of their social station to indicate their marital status.
suncrystal A honey-hued crystalline semi-precious stone, it is worn as a stud by the aristocracy and gentry once they attain adolescence at the age of eighteen summers until they reach the age of consent at thirty whereupon they either wear a heartsfire stud or the earrings pertinent to their social stations.
verdantine A light olive green crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Viarl's sons and brothers and their spouses.
waterstone A bright blue crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Viarl and his consort as well as the children of a non-sovereign prince who is not the heir apparent. This is rare since most sovereigns confer a fiefdom or shireship on their younger sons. Their children thus bear the emblematic stones associated with their sires' titles.
white-silver A very rare silvery white precious metal that is far more costly than gold or plain silver, it is used primarily for ceremonial or heirloom jewelry and binding rings. Its price is so prohibitive that only the richest Deira can afford it, thus making its possession the exclusive domain of monarchs and their consorts and immediate heirs.
Earring styles, engravings and the precious stones used indicate a Deir’s position in society, his age group or his state of availability. For instance, the spouse of lower social position traditionally bears the emblematic gem of his mate. And the ranking of bearers of the same precious stone is signified by having their crests or insignias engraved on their earrings.
Collars and pendants, wrist cuffs or wristlets and mantle or collar broaches are used mostly for formal affairs. Cloak pins are employed for everyday wear. Sovereign rulers and governing lords may wear coronets, circlets or diadems depending on an event's degree of formality. Crowns are reserved for hereditary monarchs or potentates, their official consorts and heirs apparent and are worn mainly during ceremonial occasions.
There are three emblematic rings—signet rings, marriage bands and ecclesiastical rings. Only ecclesiastical rings bear precious stones. Signet rings are identified by their inscriptions and engraved symbols and are worn only by members of the royal family and the aristocracy. Binding rings consist of two thin bands either joined together or intertwined and are generally made from gold. But amongst the royal family and fief-lords, binding rings are wrought of gold and white- or ley-silver.
adamant A crystalline gem faintly tinged with blue, it is extremely rare and very costly and is exclusive to monarchs and their consorts as it is the emblematic stone of sovereignty.
amethyst A purple crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of the minor gentry and low-born commoners elevated in social rank by dint of royal patronage or attainment of a high position in the diplomatic corps or government ministries.
diamond A crystalline gem that is usually colorless but sometimes tinged with yellow, pink or grey, it is the emblematic stone of a royal prince whether he is the ruler of a principality, an heir apparent or a younger son or brother of a monarch. Diamonds can be used in place of adamants in a monarch’s jewelry where the intent is simply to convey royal status.
emerald A bright green crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Herun's sons and brothers and of barons and their consorts.
gold The most precious metal next to white-silver.
heartsfire A blood-red crystalline gem, heartsfire is the symbol for passion. A simple stud signifies that a young Deir has reached the age of consent and is worn until he has attained his majority. A heartsfire encircled by a gold or silver hoop is worn only by hethare. Among the aristocracy and gentry, heartsfire set in silver or gold denotes that the wearer is in a committed relationship, i.e. long-term lovers or a betrothed couple. But when a heartsfire is coupled with one of the gems used primarily by royalty, the nobility or the gentry, this indicates that the wearer is a high-born Deir’s leman and connotes a proprietary aspect to the relationship.
ley-silver Plain silver.
milkstone A spherical opaque gem with a lustrous milky or rare bluish grey appearance harvested from saltwater shellfish called sealodes, it is the emblematic stone of the sons and brothers of barons, the lesser aristocracy and the upper gentry.
sapphire A deep blue crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Herun and his consort and a monarch’s law-brothers (pertains to the spouses of his brothers, not to the siblings of his consort) and law-sons.
snow sapphire A frosty white translucent gem second only to the adamant in costliness, it is seldom purely ornamental because of its association with soul-binding and the Veresian faith. It is the emblematic stone of prelates and soul-spouses. Soul-spouses use the gem in tandem with the stone of their social station to indicate their marital status.
suncrystal A honey-hued crystalline semi-precious stone, it is worn as a stud by the aristocracy and gentry once they attain adolescence at the age of eighteen summers until they reach the age of consent at thirty whereupon they either wear a heartsfire stud or the earrings pertinent to their social stations.
verdantine A light olive green crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Viarl's sons and brothers and their spouses.
waterstone A bright blue crystalline gem, it is the emblematic stone of a Viarl and his consort as well as the children of a non-sovereign prince who is not the heir apparent. This is rare since most sovereigns confer a fiefdom or shireship on their younger sons. Their children thus bear the emblematic stones associated with their sires' titles.
white-silver A very rare silvery white precious metal that is far more costly than gold or plain silver, it is used primarily for ceremonial or heirloom jewelry and binding rings. Its price is so prohibitive that only the richest Deira can afford it, thus making its possession the exclusive domain of monarchs and their consorts and immediate heirs.