Ideas for historical study on jewelry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filigree

Id like to investigate filigree's past in relation to jewelry as well as incorporating it and new stone-setting skills into the studio piece.

I would also maybe like to research the history of a specific stone and design a project using that.

Turquoise

http://www.americana.net/jewelry_history_turquoise_article.html

Carnelian

http://www.jewelrysupplier.com/2_carnelian/carnelian_history.htm

Lapis Lazuli

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lapis_lazuli