all that glitters
A little glimpse into my jewelry box. Photos and artistic direction by Ben Smith.
This diamond was given to my great grandmother, Anne Kirkland, when her husband Harry proposed. It's nearly flawless and from the mines of Peru, purchased in 1905.
The story goes that Harry wrote Anne and said he had the ring and wanted her to meet him at the railroad station, where he would kiss her in front of everybody. She immediately wrote back and told him in that case, to get off at the next stop - she'd meet him there instead!
These earrings were a present to myself bought around Valentine's Day, after a not so nice thing happened to me. I got them at Emerald's. They make me feel good when I wear them. And I no longer care about what happened.
This cool watch, modeled by Syd, was given to me by my dad for Christmas a few years back. We had gone Christmas shopping together, and I began experiencing some anxiety...just the tip of the iceberg of things to come in the next year. I showed him this watch in Nordstrom's, and after taking me to my car, I think he went back in and bought it. I wear it when I need a sunny day and I'm not feeling so sunny.
This gold bracelet belonged to my mom, and I think she got it from a family she stayed with in Mexico during her college years. It's handmade and 18 karat and very delicate. I've had it since my college days.
This rhinestone pin belonged to my grandmother Florence, affectionately known as Champagne Flo because of her love of champagne. I think I inherited her love of the bubbly along with this beautiful pin. I wear it on New Year's, and I wear it in the summer when my sun dresses seem to need some cheering up.
Next to the picture of my dashing grandfather, James, is my gold Citizen men's watch I bought in the early nineties when I worked in an office and felt the need to wear gold watches with suitable office clothing. I had some of the links removed so it would fit loosely on my wrist. I just re-discovered this watch and need some ideas on how to work it back into my wardrobe, which is definitely not full of office clothes anymore.
This sterling bracelet and earrings belonged to my grandmother Marianne Brown. She and my grandfather travelled quite a bit, and travelled on the Queen Mary to Europe in 1954. I think these were purchased on the trip. They have the markings from a jeweler in Florence, Italy. The bracelet is emblazoned with a griffin, a lion, a fleur de lis and a crest. The earrings are crests. I feel quite Narnia when I wear it and wish I had an armoir to escape into.
That concludes my tour de bijoux for now. I hope you've enjoyed it.
This diamond was given to my great grandmother, Anne Kirkland, when her husband Harry proposed. It's nearly flawless and from the mines of Peru, purchased in 1905.
The story goes that Harry wrote Anne and said he had the ring and wanted her to meet him at the railroad station, where he would kiss her in front of everybody. She immediately wrote back and told him in that case, to get off at the next stop - she'd meet him there instead!
These earrings were a present to myself bought around Valentine's Day, after a not so nice thing happened to me. I got them at Emerald's. They make me feel good when I wear them. And I no longer care about what happened.
This cool watch, modeled by Syd, was given to me by my dad for Christmas a few years back. We had gone Christmas shopping together, and I began experiencing some anxiety...just the tip of the iceberg of things to come in the next year. I showed him this watch in Nordstrom's, and after taking me to my car, I think he went back in and bought it. I wear it when I need a sunny day and I'm not feeling so sunny.
This gold bracelet belonged to my mom, and I think she got it from a family she stayed with in Mexico during her college years. It's handmade and 18 karat and very delicate. I've had it since my college days.
This rhinestone pin belonged to my grandmother Florence, affectionately known as Champagne Flo because of her love of champagne. I think I inherited her love of the bubbly along with this beautiful pin. I wear it on New Year's, and I wear it in the summer when my sun dresses seem to need some cheering up.
Next to the picture of my dashing grandfather, James, is my gold Citizen men's watch I bought in the early nineties when I worked in an office and felt the need to wear gold watches with suitable office clothing. I had some of the links removed so it would fit loosely on my wrist. I just re-discovered this watch and need some ideas on how to work it back into my wardrobe, which is definitely not full of office clothes anymore.
This sterling bracelet and earrings belonged to my grandmother Marianne Brown. She and my grandfather travelled quite a bit, and travelled on the Queen Mary to Europe in 1954. I think these were purchased on the trip. They have the markings from a jeweler in Florence, Italy. The bracelet is emblazoned with a griffin, a lion, a fleur de lis and a crest. The earrings are crests. I feel quite Narnia when I wear it and wish I had an armoir to escape into.
That concludes my tour de bijoux for now. I hope you've enjoyed it.