Bejewelled: Striking Design

Freemasons are proud to wear badges they call ‘jewels’. Jewels are symbols of a freemason’s membership of a lodge (a small group of freemasons), their individual rank, role and achievements within freemasonry.

Some are beautiful and made of precious materials while others are more like the badges we have all worn at one time or another.

Early jewel designs combined symbolism from the ceremonies freemasons perform at their meetings. Makers had freedom to design.

In prisoner-of-war camps during the Napoleonic War (1803-1815) French freemasons created elaborate jewels based on the symbols of their ceremonies.

They used simple materials including wire, hair, card and animal bone. 

Jewels are made by artisans even today. Stunning craft skills are displayed through fret cutting, enamelling, die sinking and engraving.

Some pieces rival the Crown Jewels in their richness, and have indeed been worn by royalty. This jewel was made for King Edward VII.

Lodges suggest jewel designs based on their identity.

Photographs and other material are used to explain their wishes.

The makers will use these to create a painting, which is then used for a design to make the jewel. These paintings were often drawn on scrap card.

The makers would then create a final design from which to craft the finished jewel.

The makers would then create a final design from which to craft the finished jewel.

The Grand Master, head of English freemasonry, approves some jewels personally. This design is for a jewel celebrating the opening of the second Freemasons’ Hall in London in 1869.

The Grand Master in 1869 was the Earl of Zetland, and you can see his signature.

Polishing and metallic plating completes the jewel before the parts are assembled and it's ready to be worn.

This jewel from the United Grand Lodge of England was bought by thousands of freemasons in 2017. It celebrates 300 years since the first Grand Lodge formed in 1717.