A Saturn pearl choker is a type of necklace that features pearls arranged in a circle to resemble the planet Saturn. It is typically worn close to the neck, and is often made with high-quality pearls and other materials such as gold or silver. The design of a Saturn pearl choker can vary, with some featuring a single large pearl at the center of the circle to represent Saturn's rings, while others may have several smaller pearls arranged around the neck to create a more delicate look. This type of necklace is often considered to be a statement piece and is often worn on special occasions or as a way to add a touch of elegance to an outfit. Find more from https://www.elle-roses.com/planet-pearl-necklace-the-meaning-behind-these-planets/
The May Met Gala had a theme called Gilded Glamour, which was a rough interpretation of the time of American extravagance known as the Gilded Age (and hence, the late 19th century). But not Billie Eilish. The American singer was compared to John Singer Sargent's 1885 painting of Madame Paul Poirson, in which Poirson is dressed in one of the numerous fashionable outfits popular at the turn of the twentieth century, because of the upcycled ivory and pistachio corseted gown that Gucci designed for her. Eilish's black band choker with dangling diamonds by jeweler Fred Leighton added the finishing touch to the Gilded Age vibe created by the outfit.
At the tail end of the 19th century, when low décolletage was the norm for evening wear, a choker became a fashionable accessory. Fabric bands ornamented with a center plaque, like the one Eilish wore, gemstone articulated bands, and necklaces composed of rows of pearls up to the chin were all fashionable at the period and are now known as colliers de chien, or dog collars. Anyone who has worn a choker for more than a few hours will testify to the fact that it is not the most comfortable of necklace styles. The American socialite who married the British prince and became Duchess of Marlborough in 1895 held a 19-row pearl version. As she said in her memoirs The Glitter and the Gold, she often had "chafed neck" because to her dog collar. You may also like: What Does A Saturn Necklace Mean?
Chokers may be uncomfortable, but they have been trendy many times before. The British Museum has a primitive specimen dating back to 2600 BC, when it was discovered in the southern Iraqi city of Ur. Beaded chokers linked with strings were popular among Old Kingdom ladies, according to Cyril Aldred's Jewels of the Pharaohs, which was written at this time period (2700 BC - 2200 BC). African and Asian civilizations have traditionally adorned their necks with rings, which the Celts called torcs, for ages.
Chokers haven't always been associated with positive connotations, as a quick glance back at history will demonstrate. They have been linked to prostitution, most notably in the 1863 painting "Olympia" by Édouard Manet, which depicts a lady who is almost nude save for a slender black thread around her neck. Chokers gained prominence as a sign of defiance in the 1970s, and the punk movement adopted them. Punks favored spiked leather dog collars, which were sometimes paired with leashes and S&M allusions. The macabre overtones of chokers may be traced back to the 17th century, when the practice of wearing memento mori, such as ribbon sliders attached to mourning jewelry, became popular. The Victorian period saw a resurgence of mourning jewelry, which typically included hair. Jewelry expert and creator of the website The Art of Mourning Hayden Peters notes that there are several instances of braided chokers made from human hair worn by women.
Anne Boleyn's image from the 1600s, painted by an unknown artist and featuring the stunningly contemporary accessory of a pearl necklace with a hanging letter "B," evokes unsettling associations with death and beheading. King Henry VIII may have given his wife the necklace as a token of his affection. A carcanet, or Renaissance choker, with the letters H and K belonged to the king and his first wife Katherine of Aragón, as detailed in Joan Evans's A History of Jewellery. Carcanets were worn by all of Henry VIII's wives, including Jane Seymour and Anne of Cleves, and by Mary I, the king's daughter.
Chokers have a long and sexual history of appeal in tandem with shifts in fashion that have exposed women's décolletés. In the 18th century, when low-cut corsets popularized by Marie Antoinette ruled European women's attire, this trend was most blatantly on display. Multiple paintings depict the French monarch sporting a wide variety of fashionable neck ornaments, including ruffled ribbons, bands tied with enormous bows beneath the chin, single strings of pearls, and openwork bands with a center hanging pendant. The openwork bands might be worn as a choker, or en esclavage, with various hanging components such as festoons of pearls or pendants attached.
Chokers will forever be linked to aristocracy. According to curator and archivist Annamarie Sandecki, "much of the appeal of the choker has to do with the fact that so many members of British monarchy adopted it." In the nineteenth century, the choker became more fashionable thanks to Alexandra, Princess of Wales and ultimately Queen consort of the United Kingdom. She was often seen wearing chokers of many styles, from plain black ribbons with a single pendant or brooch, in keeping with the modest Victorian era, to elaborate diamond bands and pearl row chokers, and it is reported that she preferred them because they hid a scar around her neck. Choker necklaces were all the rage in the early 20th century, and Queen Mary, who followed Queen Alexandra, was an avid user.