March 8th is International Women's Day.
"International Women's Day" is a commemorative day officially established by the United Nations in 1975, and is a day of solidarity aimed at improving the status of women and eliminating discrimination against women.
In the run up to this anniversary, we would like to focus on "suffragette jewelry", which is associated with the women who bravely fought for a better future.
What are suffragettes?
107 years ago, in 1918, for the first time in the UK, women aged 30 and over who met certain conditions were given the right to vote.
In the decades leading up to that, there were women who fought for women's right to vote. These women were called "suffragettes."
The term "suffragette" was used specifically to refer to members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903. Their slogan was "Votes for Women." Suffragettes fought for women's suffrage, sometimes using extreme methods such as riots, arson, bombings, and hunger strikes in prison. Eventually, a shocking incident occurred when one of the members ran onto the course during a Derby race in which the king's horse was competing, and petitioned the king in exchange for his own life.
They were once criticized for their extreme methods, but now their achievements are recognized and there are statues in their honor all over the UK.
What is Suffragette Jewelry?
There is jewelry associated with these women, and its defining feature is its color scheme.
The symbolic colors of the suffragettes were purple , white , and green . Purple represented dignity , white represented purity , and green represented hope .
This color scheme was used on their flags and banners, as well as in their jewelry of this period. Each color was represented by the following precious and semi-precious stones:
- Purple = Amethyst
- White = pearl, diamond
- Green = Peridot
The story behind the jewellery is very important and dramatic, but even if you don't know it, the unique colour schemes that can only be found in suffragette jewellery are very attractive.
Jewellery Wanderlust will release a limited edition reinterpretation of suffragette jewelry to coincide with International Women's Day in 2025. We named it the "Sisterhood Cord Bracelet" to pay tribute to the suffragettes who fought for a better future and to express the purpose of International Women's Day, which is "solidarity among women."
We hope you will wear this bracelet as a sign of respect and solidarity with the women today who are speaking up for themselves and for the next generation.