Why are human beings so attracted by shiny objects? What is the mainspring pushing the innate charm for polished items? A sparkling lipstick, the body of a brand new car, a diamond or – why not – the brilliant finishing of a next generation smartphone all have something in common that makes lose our head. Psychologists and economists of the University of Gand in Belgium decided to investigate on the reasons.
Starting question: is what attracts in the polished appearance of the material just a consequence of the value that the community assigns based on the aesthetic desirability? The study carried out tends to support the hypothesis by which such attraction is linked to connections made as an analogy with fresh water as a source of sustenance. Then, an attraction not only linked to sight (the aesthetic of the material) and touch, but also to innate biologic factors. Therefore, the facets of crystals trigger synapses linked to peaceful lakes and streams.
The study consisting in 6 different surveys carried out on adults and children, proves that the attraction for polished items acts regardless of age and that, then, is not exclusively connected to luxury as media continuously propose. The research proves that such an interest for shiny objects does not develop with social interaction, but it is already innate in children at an early age. One of the researches, carried out on individuals who were asked to not drink liquids, particularly evidenced the predominance of a very clear preference for polished materials in thirsty individuals. Shiny objects recall water in an innate way: primary source of living for men, primary substance allowing for life that set the evolution steps of mankind since the beginning. It is then a new vision that can open intriguing fronts of study in the subjectivity of perception and the biological and cultural interest for objects reflecting light. Such perspective could de facto change the gemmological investigation widening its spectrum from the most traditional but limited field of objectivity of the mere mineralogical properties.
Recently also CNN has relaunched the study in an article dedicated to precious stones, trying to go beyond the concept by which only the intrinsic beauty of the gem would be so appealing to our eyes. Beside the value of the stone (often set by auctions), beside its gemmological qualities, the symbols pertaining to each crystal (and to each associated colour) and the instinctive and innate interest towards shiny things, there is another reason why we perceive the seduction of gems: the details of their history. Behind every gem, every jewel, there is a unique and unrepeatable history, as rare as the material it originates from. Not only the great History of jewels which belonged to the powerful royal families of the past, to movie divas or record items, but also the most modern and hidden one of every single stone we come across: the history of the mine it was extracted from (and of the miner who dug it for us), the history of the cutter who gave it life, of the jeweller who sew its dress and the setter who made it possible… and the history of our planet, hidden in every small inclusion.
Gem News by Trasparenze News, published on Rivista Italiana di Gemmologia – Italian Gemological Review #3, January 2018.
