Draconic jewellery

Like humans, dragons appear to enjoy owning and wearing jewellery for a variety of reasons, including personal vanity and in order to display and possibly increase their social status among other dragons (see Dragons, gold and property on this point.)

Jewellery for the head and neck appears to be particularly favoured - collars, necklaces, tiaras, headpieces of all sorts, etc. Some African dragons have piercings made in their upper lips in order to accommodate ivory and gold rings. Chinese dragons, besides adorning their heads and necks, sometimes also sport talon sheaths of precious metals adorned with jewels.

However, there are no records of dragons wearing bands or bracelets on their arms, legs or tails and no records of jewellery worn in piercings along the wing edges. While non-combattant dragons such as Celestials may display head and neck jewellery unsuitable for violent activities, it would seem that no dragon enjoys wearing items that might hinder their freedom of motion or flight performance.

The materials used in draconic jewellery vary with availability, both in terms of geography and in terms of the dragon's or their human companion's personal wealth. As mentioned above, African dragons wear jewellery made of ivory as well as other materials. Temeraire saw dragons in bazaars along the Old Silk Road wearing jewellery made of tin and glass, presumably because they could not afford more costly materials. On the other hand, the dragons of the Chinese Imperial court wore jewellery made of gold and precious stones.

A few materials used in draconic jewellery are discussed in detail below.