The Year of the Snake: All About the History of Snake Jewelry
As we celebrate the Lunar New Year, Year of the Snake, here is a comprehensive guide to natural diamond snake jewels as staples in history and protection symbols.
Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year, will be celebrated on January 29, 2025, welcoming the Year of the Snake, and often celebrated by exchanging gifts, including natural diamond jewelry, to symbolize prosperity and good fortune. The Lunar New Year is one of the most celebrated holidays, lasting 15 days. It follows the lunisolar calendar, which tracks the moon’s phases and the Earth’s orbit around the sun. The Year of the Snake honors the wood snake. This rare symbol appears every 60 years and combines the characteristics that represent renewal, intuition, creativity, and wisdom. Previous years of the wood snake include 1905, 1965, and 2025. This extra special Lunar New Year is full of traditions to welcome the new and eliminate what no longer serves.
What Does The Snake Represent in Jewelry?
Photo © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
The snake is also believed to be a symbol of protection, love, and renewal. This serpent has been donned in jewelry by royals for centuries. In 1839, Prince Albert proposed to Britain’s young Queen Victoria with a natural diamond and gold snake engagement ring.
Princess Alexandra of Denmark also sported a snake bangle featuring a large natural diamond resting on the head.
Snake Jewelry Through the Years
When Elizabeth Taylor filmed Cleopatra, it was rumored that Richard Burton gifted Taylor a natural diamond and gold Serpenti snake watch from Bulgari. The Bulgari Serpenti collection has become an iconic design beloved by celebrities like Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez.
In jewelry, there is no better way to protect yourself and your energy than by wearing a natural diamond talisman. To tap into the prosperity and creativity the Year of the Snake brings, we have rounded up the best natural diamond snakes and serpents perfect for gifting or self-purchasing.
Ashley Zhang
Ashley Zhang’s Lunar New Year Collection features modern, versatile necklaces and bracelets inspired by traditional symbols, such as the snake. This one-of-a-kind serpent is carrying a 2-carat pear-shaped diamond in its mouth, symbolizing prosperity and luck.
Jacquie Aiche
Jacquie Aiche’s lariat-style snake necklace features a pavé diamond snake head complete with a marquise diamond at the center. This necklace can be worn in a stack or stand-alone on its own with varying lengths, making this a versatile staple piece. Aiche notes that some of the properties that come with this necklace are confidence, new beginnings, and enlightenment–perfect for the Lunar New Year.
Selim Mouzannar
Selim Mouzannar has incorporated snakes in his designs since the conception of his brand. His entire collection, Basilik, celebrates the ancient symbol of wisdom and renewal. What makes this piece so unique is it can be worn in different ways, whether it be a belt or a necklace.
Lionheart
Lionheart’s Serpent Medallion is a testament to new beginnings. A snake shedding its skin is a powerful metaphor for leaving behind the old and embracing the new. Wearing this medallion symbolizes renewal and growth, and the touch of red is for luck and prosperity.
Pamela Love
Pamela Love created the Serpente Charm based on Greek Mythology, where a snake is a symbol of rebirth. This charm is ideally worn with other symbols of protection to maximize good fortune and good energy.
Ali Weiss
Perfect for making a statement, this snake stud from Ali Weiss looks incredible in a cartilage piercing. This earring can also be added to your everyday earscape for a little extra protection.
Anita Ko
These Anita Ko Snake Huggies are optimal for a cool, chunky look. Each earring features two pear-shaped natural diamonds and tsavorites for the eyes.
Foundrae
The Snake Wholeness Pavé Diamond Bookend Band from Foundrae is a perfect stacking piece with additional rings or even two of these rings worn together for more of a statement look. This ring in particular depicts a snake eating its tail, symbolizing the experience of unity.
HOWL
If you are looking for a unique engagement ring, HOWL (Handle Only With Love), designed The Serpiente Diamond Ring as a nod to Queen Victoria’s engagement ring, symbolizing eternal love and commitment.
Anthony Lent
This Philadelphia jeweler grew up in awe of rattlesnakes. The fear of the reptile perplexed him, but it also symbolized protection, health, and healing. This Anthony Lent ring, with its attention to flawless detail, depicts a serpent biting a gold hand that holds three rose-cut diamonds and is wearing a diamond bracelet of its own.
Bulgari Serpenti
This guide would be incomplete without mentioning the Bulgari Serpenti collection. The Viper ring is perfect for stacking and also looks great when worn alone. This style of Serpenti is more manageable to wear every day than J-Lo’s epic necklace stack, but we can dream!
Sidney Garber
The three-headed serpent ring from Sidney Garber is the ultimate sign of luck. It features natural diamonds throughout and emeralds for the eyes. This ring also includes a significant pear shape in the middle snake’s head, making this the ultimate protection symbol.
1st Dibs
This Victorian-era diamond ring from 1st Dibs is circa 1890. This sensational wrap-around serpent ring features 4 carats of old mine-cut diamonds set in darkened silver over 15 karats of rose gold. Hailing from Britain, who knows what stories this ring holds?
