My style has changed quite a lot over the last few years, and even the jewelry I wore has changed. There was a point in my life when I lived in giant door knocker earrings, or neon plastic hoops. I went through a period where I would layer long necklaces with charms on the end. These days, I'm sporting a much simpler look. To be honest, I don't wear much jewelry, but there are two pieces that I never take off.
I've been wearing this necklace for at least eight years, and it's so incredibly special to me. People always think it's a 'G' for my name, but it's actually a 'J' for my grandmother, Julia. She had Alzheimer's and though we would see her all the time when I was younger, the more the disease progressed the more difficult it became. One day, my uncle handed me one of her jewelry boxes and said that if there was anything I wanted, I could take it. From somewhere in that jewelry box, I found this necklace, and I haven't taken it off since. It's been my way of remembering my grandmother, when she could no longer remember me.
The other piece of jewelry I love is my engagement ring. That one was probably a bit more expected, but it's a constant reminder of someone else that I love. Shall I tell you the story of how we got engaged? Well, we'd been in a long distance relationship for nearly three years, going back and forth between London and New York. P took me out under the rouse of celebrating my birthday, and in this gorgeous restaurant, called One If By Land, Two If By Sea (P being british, the irony was not lost on me...), he pulled out a little blue box and placed it on the table. This art deco inspired beauty from the 1950s is me in a nutshell. It's not too ostentatious, it's simple, and most importantly, it represents something incredible for me.
I was recently introduced to a site called Invaluable.com, an auction site that has pieces from all over the world. It's a bit like EBay, but focuses more on antiques and collectibles. I had a little look through some of the jewelry that was being auctioned, and there were some really great pieces! The collection of vintage rings especially struck a cord with me. I love the idea of things having stories with them. Like with my engagement ring, I like to sometimes imagine someone wearing it before, looking down at it and feeling loved.
Do you have any pieces of jewelry that mean something special to you?
Photos by Happy Gaile Photography
Labels: engagement ring, jewelry, lifestyle, necklace
