Jewellery has been part of human life for thousands of years.
Long before we had jewellery boxes, jewellery trends or a favourite pair of hoops, people were finding ways to decorate themselves with whatever they had around them, shells, stones, beads, bones and eventually precious metals and gemstones.
The reasons we wear jewellery have changed over time. It has been used to show status, mark important moments, offer protection, express identity and simply to make us feel good.
Today, jewellery is something we can wear every day. We mix metals, layer necklaces, stack rings and switch up our earrings depending on our mood. It has become part of how we express our personal style.
But how did we get here? And how did Essential Jewellery start?
Jewellery has been around for a very long time
Jewellery is one of the oldest forms of personal adornment. Some of the earliest examples were made using materials that could be found in the natural world, including shells, teeth, bones, stones and seeds.
As jewellery developed, so did the materials used to make it. Gold became particularly prized for its rarity and durability, while colourful stones, beads and other materials allowed people to create increasingly elaborate pieces.
In Ancient Egypt, for example, jewellery could be made from shells, glazed beads, stones and gold, with pieces carrying meanings beyond decoration. Jewellery could represent status, identity and beliefs, as well as being worn simply as adornment.
Across different cultures and periods, jewellery has taken on many different roles. It could tell people who you were, where you came from, what you believed in or what was important to you.
And that idea has carried on into modern day fashion.
From statement pieces to sentimental jewellery
As jewellery evolved, it became increasingly personal.
During the Victorian era, jewellery was often used to represent relationships, memories and important moments. Lockets could hold photographs or miniature portraits, while sentimental jewellery could act as a physical reminder of someone or something significant.
The Victorians were also fascinated by jewellery inspired by the past. Archaeological discoveries influenced jewellery design, with jewellers creating pieces inspired by ancient Greek, Roman, Etruscan and other historical styles.
When jewellery became part of fashion
By the 20th century, jewellery was becoming increasingly connected to fashion.
The 1920s brought the bold geometry of Art Deco, while later decades saw designers experiment with new shapes, materials and techniques. Jewellery became less restricted to traditional precious materials, with costume jewellery making fashion-led pieces more accessible.
Jewellery could now be changed depending on the outfit, the occasion or simply what was trending.
And as fashion continued to evolve, so did jewellery.
By the 1990s and 2000s, silver jewellery, hoops, simple chains, charms and layering had become familiar parts of everyday style.
Fast forward to today and there are far fewer rules.
Wear gold with silver. Layer three necklaces or just one. Mix chunky pieces with delicate chains. Wear the same hoops every day. Change your earrings every morning.
Jewellery has become less about following one particular set of rules and more about making it your own.
And then there's Essential
While the history of jewellery stretches back thousands of years, Essential's story began 36 years ago in a shop in Southampton.
In 1990, Clare Andrew opened the first Essential Style Shop in Southampton's Bargate Centre. It was a small unit among a group of new start-up retailers, filled with colourful fashion jewellery and accessories.
There was no sterling silver collection at the time. Instead, the shop was full of vibrant fashion jewellery, carefully arranged by style and colour so customers could see as much of the collection as possible.
It soon developed a loyal following of customers who came back for its colourful, exciting jewellery at good prices.
And that little shop was just the beginning.
Essential through the years
1990: Southampton
The first Essential Style Shop opens in the Bargate Centre.
1992: Guildford
The second Essential shop opens, following the success of the original Southampton store.
1993: Bournemouth
Another store opens in Bournemouth. The same year, Clare and Martin welcome their first child, Alex. Clare continued working across the stores while pregnant, while also planning and negotiating the opening of Bournemouth.
1995: Reading
Essential continues to grow with the opening of the Reading store.
1998: Cribbs Causeway
The fifth store opens.
2000: Southampton
The original Southampton store moves to West Quay when the new shopping centre opens.
2007: Kingston
Essential expands again with a store at the Bentall Centre.
2018: Oxford
The Oxford store opens, becoming the seventh Essential Jewellery location.
A family business, then and now
Behind all those store openings is a story that's always been about family and affordable, good quality sterling silver jewellery.
Clare and Martin met in Colchester in 1979. Clare was managing a fashion clothing shop at the time, while Martin was serving in the British Army. They married the following year, and more than a decade later, Clare opened that first Essential shop in Southampton.
Their son Alex was born in 1993, followed by their daughter Lydia in 1997. Today, Essential remains a family-owned and family-run business.
The jewellery has changed a lot since that first shop.
The colourful fashion jewellery of the early days has evolved into collections of sterling silver, gold-plated jewellery, pearls, gemstones, hoops, chains, personalised pieces and everyday styles.
But the idea behind Essential hasn't changed quite so much.
It's still about finding jewellery people genuinely want to wear, offering good quality at affordable prices and making the collection accessible to as many people as possible.
From ancient jewellery to everyday essentials
Looking back at the history of jewellery, it's easy to see how much has changed.
The materials are different. The techniques are different. The trends come and go.
But the reason we wear jewellery isn't all that different.
We wear it to express ourselves. To remember people. To mark important moments. To feel dressed up. To feel like ourselves. And sometimes, simply because we love the way a piece looks.
