Whether Marilyn Monroe “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” , Elizabeth Taylor saying “I’ve never thought of my jewelry as trophies. I’m here to take care of it and love it, for we are only temporary custodians of beauty” Taylor Swift “There are worlds in Opals” or Ivana Trump “ If I had my way, I’d wear jewelry, a great pair of heels and nothing else.” Whatever your philosophy, jewels and jewelry have captivated us for centuries.
Gold and gems have adorned royalty, instigated conflict, been a symbol of individuality and also of kinship. Gold has been used as currency for many cultures and a customary offering to profess love and fidelity. Whatever the practical or pragmatic use for these elements and minerals the undeniable truth is the more we can get, the better.
I have always loved Gemstones. I never did well in most of the sciences but through Geology I found Gemology. I’ve never taken any courses or anything organized, but I could pick up an encyclopedia and read for hours about rocks and minerals. That tells you 2 things about me; I’m old enough to have been around when encyclopedias were necessary, and I was a little bit of a geek sometimes. Do the kids still say “geek”?
I think it all started when I was a kid and I would help my mother pick out her jewelry for a night on the town. She didn’t have a lot of jewelry, (by my current standards) just select pieces that she scrimped and saved to buy. I remember one huge Smoky Quartz ring she had that I loved. She laughed when I told her I wanted to have that for a wedding ring. Yes, Gentlemen, we think about that stuff from a very young age. You girls know exactly what I am talking about. She had jewelry with stones of blue, brown, yellow, green, red, pink even orange. So sparkly and glittery. Earrings, bracelets and rings, Oh My!!!
Every once in a while when she wasn’t home I would play dress up with her jewelry. I would pretend that I was a movie star and wear all her baubles. I practiced a lot of acceptance speeches with a hairbrush as my microphone. I still get that feeling of fascination and excitement when I see jewelry and gemstones. I feel like that little girl playing in my mother’s jewelry feeling like a princess.
Some people follow the trends but fashions change and what was really trendy years ago might be easily discarded now for something more hip. That is the crazy thing about jewelry, everything old is new again. What ever your style or preference there is a designer out there for you. Even if you can’t find just the right piece a good bench jeweler can custom create your piece.
Jewelry can dress up or dress down an outfit. Take for instance the infamous little black dress. Put on a nice silver necklace and earrings and you are ready for a dinner with friends. Take that same LBD and put on a jeweled neckpiece or chunky herringbone and you have an after 5 ensembles. Your jewelry makes the outfit. Plus, don’t you feel more confident when you put on something pretty that sparkles??? I know I do.
Love of jewelry is not only a female trait. Men love jewelry too!! What do you see on every celebrity athlete? Championship rings and gold. Men are even wearing pearls nowadays. A man wearing a single pearl on a leather cord is quite confident and stylish. Think about it Ladies, If he is willing to spend money on his own jewelry just imagine what he would gift you with.
Gems and jewelry are not just pretty things to flaunt, they are also investment pieces. Think of this; it was not that long ago when gold was $500.00 an ounce. The last time I looked it was at $1900.00 an ounce. It makes you want to clear out your jewelry box doesn’t it?? The cost of gems and jewelry might fluctuate a bit but gold will never be $500.00 an ounce anymore.
Aside from investing for value, investing in your own legacy is rewarding as well. Jewelry is very sentimental. I can and have bought several Smoky Quartz pieces, but I would trade them all for my mother’s ring I used to play dress up with. Jewelry is passed down from mothers to daughters, fathers to sons or any generations in between. Sometimes we buy jewelry for ourselves, but the best jewelry is always a gift. No matter how you acquire your jewelry you always remember who gave it to you and the exact moment in time. Whether the piece be a trinket given in friendship, a band given as a promise of love or an heirloom given in remembrance, that moment stays in your heart. That is what I find so beautiful about jewelry. Like a familiar song or scent, it all comes back to you in an instant. That instant is priceless. You can create that moment for someone in your life or for yourself. You are worth it!!!