Masonic Jewelry

“On the 4th of July, 1848, under a clear sky in the presence of the President of the United States and virtually every notable of the government including former first lady Dolley Madison, the cornerstone was set with masonic ceremonies by the Grand Lodge of Masons of the District of Columbia. One of the principle addresses of the occasion was given by Benjamin B. French, Grand Master, who wore the masonic apron that Washington wore at the laying of the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol. In his address French referred to the masonic master’s chair used by Washington as Worshipful Master of Washington-Alexandria Lodge, and the gavel used by the first President to set the cornerstone of the Capitol, in the custody of Potomac Lodge #5 of Georgetown, D.C.

While the exact hierarchy or order of officer positions may vary for different jurisdictions of Freemasonry, most jurisdictions elect lodge officers in progression from lesser roles to more important roles throughout the years. Usually, an officer spends one or two years in each position before he moves on, and is eventually elected as Worshipful Master. Common offices include Tyler, Steward, Deacon, Secretary, Treasurer, Junior Warden and Senior Warden. It is also common for the Master position to be filled by the Senior Warden of the previous year.

The Master is the senior officer of a Masonic lodge. He directs all the business of his lodge, and has considerable powers. He also presides over rituals and ceremonies. A Past Master is a person who has served as the Master of a lodge in the past. Some lower offices are often filled by Past Masters. Masonic jewelers often sell Past Master rings that are perfect for the Past Master in your life

In tough economic times, there are certain products you can skimp on to save money and still get comparable quality, like the store brand of grocery items. However, there are other items where quality just shouldn’t be sacrificed. These include investment items, like cars, furniture and jewelry. If you purchase high-quality items like these, they will last you a lot longer than cheap versions and you’ll eventually save money because you won’t have to buy replacements or pay for repairs.

For example, good quality Masonic watches will last a lot longer than inexpensive watches. They’re less likely to break, and usually a quality jeweler will help you with any repairs that are needed over time. Watches can even double as jewelry if they feature jewels, like diamonds. They always make great gifts, and the recipient will be much more grateful to receive a high quality watch

Within the Degrees of Masonry there are found references to the plumb and plumb-line as instruments of particular significance to the Mason. One of the earliest and simplest instruments used in construction, the plumb and its line were an essential tool of the stone mason. As the level was to insure evenness of a surface, the plumb was to insure perpendicularity and right angles to that surface.

A simple plumb is an instrument of amazing accuracy. From homes to cathedrals, this simple tool has pointed the way upward and indicated the straightness needed to obtain perfection. And so it is that this tool was taken from the operative mason to the speculative mason as a symbol of the best off conduct, unequivocal uprightness, and constant integrity required to build a spiritual temple reflective of the best of one’s efforts.

So, it is that when you hold a plumb and plumb-line in your hand, you hold a working tool of Masonry.
The plumb line shown on the Masonic Ring above is an example of a Master Mason Ring found at Fox Jewelry.