Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Saturday Art Saves: Antique Jewelry

Corey Amaro French Antiques Jewelry

Photo Source Tongue in Cheek Antiques

Every Saturday I focus on a different artist that I admire. From potters to painters, chefs to collectors, seamstress to songwriters, lifestyle to lovers… anyone who set the paintbrush, pastry brush, hands and heart on fire to create.

Those who inspire art to flow where it may.

 

Vintage jewelry

Via Tongue in Cheek Antiques

 

It’s the story, not necessarily the stone or other bells and whistles, that gives jewelry shared between generations its high value.

And there is so often a good, interesting and meaningful story since many people receive or give jewelry to commemorate an event or send a message: It could be a birthday or anniversary, a statement of love or gratitude. But, says Annabel Tollman, a top industry stylist, a pendant, earrings or bracelet “are rarely exchanged, because it’s Tuesday.”

 

cuff links image by corey amaro

French antique friendship pin, 1800s, via Tongue in Cheek Antiques


Yet, she adds, they’re items that can be worn each and every day afterward. Try to do that with a sweater.

“We hear so often from clients their vivid memories when they speak of jewelry,” said Jon King, executive vice president at Tiffany & Co. “Women immediately paint the picture of the moment they received a bracelet or ring. They’ll say, ‘I was at the restaurant. It was raining outside. My husband had the pasta and I had the meat.’ They remember every detail.”

 

Rare pair of French 18th c miniature paintings in glittery paste frames… When the world was lit by candlelight… (via trouvais.com)

Rare pair of French 18th c miniature paintings in glittery paste frames… When the world was lit by candlelight… (via trouvais.com)

 

inscription on the back of a ring

Antique jewelry with an inscription on the back of a ring via the Art of Mourning

 

 

And, then: “You’ll hear young women who say, ‘I remember every time my mother went out to an important occasion, she always wore those earrings or that bracelet. When the next person in line can be so fortunate to have it passed along, it comes with all the memories,” Mr. King said.

 

Georgian Gold Crystal Enamel Mourning Ring Dated 1758

Georgian Gold Crystal Antique Jewlery 1758 via Trocadero

 

 

"There’s also a trend toward shoppers buying their own celebratory jewelry, especially rings, when they achieve an accomplishment such as a promotion or graduation. It could make a child proud to wear such a symbolic item many years later, Mr. King said. (He said he thinks rings are popular because they can be seen by the wearer.)"

 

Heart

French antique jewelry via Tongue in Cheek Antiques

"Jewelry can be quite timeless in appearance. Unlike a fashion-driven item such as a dress or a handbag, the likelihood of vintage jewelry fitting into a modern wardrobe is strong, so the story of the piece doesn’t ever have to end, said Sally Morrison, head of jewelry public relations of the World Gold Council."

 

jewelry

via Tongue in Cheek Antiques


"There is always a potential new chapter, she said. “Jewelry is usually a part of life’s most jubilant, happy moments. There’s an aura of positive emotion.”"

 

 

rings advanced style

Photo Source Advance Style

"Ms. Morrison keeps her grandmother’s simple gold wedding ring, and she has a charm that she made from her son’s toe print when he was a baby. “Hopefully, his toe charm will someday go to his wife or child. It’s comforting to know that,” she said."

 


French ring with hidden love messages. 1830-1860.

French ring with hidden love messages. 1830-1860. via Pinterest

 


"Engraving or personalizing a piece adds to its intrinsic value, whether it’s a luxury-brand Swiss watch or the thin little band that served as your grandmother’s placeholder when she and grandpa were saving for an engagement ring.

If you’re unsure of the provenance of an engraved message or whom the initials belong to, just let your imagination run wild, Ms. Morrison said. “It gives a mystery and romance to the story.”

 

mourning pendant

Photo Source

"Tiffany’s Mr. King said there is a lifetime progression in one’s jewelry wardrobe. It often starts with a silver necklace and, if he were a betting man, he’d predict a heart motif. “The heart is an important symbol, an international symbol, and it’s appreciated and understood regardless of where one sits in the world.”"

 

 

Stunning

Photo Source

 

Almost Square, a Promise Ring w/ Raw Diamond

Photo Source Wexford Jewelers

 

 

"There is a time for diamonds, though, whether you are buying for yourself, someone else or planning to pass them down. Ms. Tollmansaid added “You can’t go wrong with them.”

She has been known to pair her “nana’s” 19th-century diamond earrings with jeans and a biker jacket, or a ball gown. “Jewelry is meant to be used, meant to be worn. Leaving them in the jewelry box would be like leaving the plastic on dining room furniture.”"

 


This amulet charm consists of two heart-shaped plaques, both slightly convex, joined with a narrow strip of silver. The engraved, cursive inscription on the back reads: "Samuel R C Moffat / of Portsmouth New / Hampshire New / England in North / America." Engraved on the front is a cartouche with a shield-shaped heraldic device with several bird images. Charms of this type were made to enclose the caul of the owner and were considered protection against drowning.


estate diamond stacking bands at my shop
Where to buy antique wedding rings, via Paris Boutique  

 

Tell me a story about a piece of jewelry you own? 

 

The text for this post came from this article by the Washington Post.

Comments

21 responses to “Saturday Art Saves: Antique Jewelry”

  1. martina

    A synthetic garnet ring my Dad made for his mom(whom I’m named after). It is not valuable in a retail sense, priceless in a sentimental way. Grandma wore it constantly. Those rare times when her hands were not knitting, cooking, doing other chores or hugging her family-she’d twirl the ring on her finger. When she passed away, I asked for the ring. Dad and Aunty gladly gave it to me and I’m wearing the ring right now.

    Reply
  2. Marilyn

    When my grandfather remarried and they returned from Mexico from their honeymoon he brought me a bracelet, which I still have. The silver roses have turquoise in the centers of each bud. I have always treasured it, though it broke in half. I need to have it repaired as it is so beautiful. Thanks for reminding me that it is sitting there waiting to be repaired.

    Reply
  3. Star

    No story behind these really,just that I have them and that makes me happy. When I was in high school and getting my class ring (which I’m guessing they don’t do in France?) I was mulling over the choices with my mother and she shared that all the girls’ rings were the same when she was in school. She went to her jewelry box and got it and gave it to me. As we talked on, reminiscing about school days past, she went back to her jewelry box and got two more rings. One was my father’s class ring, which was worn smooth from his wearing it while helping on the farm and then she put first aid tape around it so she could wear it later–you could no longer make out the emblem or date, and the other was her mother’s class ring. Once I got out of high school I put all of them on a chain to wear around my neck. So, rings from the classes of 1926, 1942, 1952, and 1979. Lots of school memories there.

    Reply
  4. annie vanderven

    when my Grandfather married my Grandmother he gave her an Art nouveau ring with rubies and diamond which I am wearing as I am writing this, but in France you are given a signet ring from yourfamily when you are 18 , mine has been passed on to my daughter when she came of age. now I am wearing my husband ‘s family signet..traditions die hard!!!!
    Annie v.

    Reply
  5. Debra

    C, do you still have the rosary pictured above?

    Reply
  6. Whitney

    I wear a pair of 1ctw diamond studs my grandfather purchased for my grandmother when we returned from Africa during WWII. I never take them out.

    Reply
  7. Joan

    I am wearing my mother’s 50th anniversary gold band this week in honor of my birthday on the 10th and hers coming up on the 14th. She would have been 94 having died just last August and wearing this ring keeps her in my thoughts. I feel lucky to have something of hers that she wore all the time and was meaningful to her. My sister has my dad’s matching band so I also like sharing that connection with her. Their marriage was wonderful and a model for all of us who knew them.

    Reply
  8. Jillayne

    The day I was married, in the morning, my Grandmother presented with a well-worn gold band and asked that I wear during the ceremony. The ring was terribly thin, the edges worn uneven and even though I was afraid it might actually break I wore it anyway… she said it was for luck.
    The ring belonged to my Great-Great Grandmother Julia and was her wedding ring which she wore everyday for nearly 80 years. I still have the ring, to pass on to my daughter if she weds, and right now it is already 135 years old! It is truly the most amazing, wonderful I thing I own.

    Reply
  9. Smee

    My Grandfather was a pattern maker by trade and worked during WWII at an American Arsenal making life sized models of airplanes, tanks, jeeps, etc., mostly out of balsa wood, for the military. Times were lean and so were supplies so they kept every scrap.
    In his spare time he would gather these pieces and some rather expensive woods, like mahogany -his personal favourite, and fashioned furniture and other useful items for he and my gramma. On occasion, very special times, he would design jewelry for her as a gift. Different woods, pieced together perfectly, then lathe carved into bracelets, nob earrings, jewel boxes too. At her passing I was the only one who really thought much of the jewelry then, so I was given two of her wood bracelets, the nob earrings, a pendant made of layers of different woods and polished into a sliver of a domed oval. These pieces mean SO much to me. They are reminders of the love they shared, Grampa’s immeasurable talent, industry, and romantic heart, and how tiny and small Gramma was. I remember her bracelets dully clinking on her wrists. I can barely curl my hand small enough to get them partiality through the hole! Luckily the earring are “clip on”s, so I can wear them!
    I also have some of her “junk jewelry”. My favourite pieces are brightly coloured glass embedded into now blackened silver. Chunky and wild with every colour of the rainbow -another bracelet, earrings, and a brooch. They look absolutely stunning against a solid black blouse, very 1930s, and I adore them!

    Reply
  10. Lorelei

    I’m a lucky girl to have many pieces of jewelry passed down from family members. However, my first piece is a necklace I wore as a young girl. It has faceted glass beads of cobalt, emerald, and saffron with clear glass beads in between. It was given to me by my great-aunt Verne. I had it restrung in my teens while I worked in a jewelry store – for safety and preservation. It has hand-tied knots. In my early 50’s I bought several old pictures at a local antique store that were traced to my family and there amongst my treasures is a picture of great-aunt Verne as a little girl wearing her “priceless” necklace. One day I will give both to my grand-daughter.

    Reply
  11. Momof5

    Many years ago I admired a beautiful pendant of opals and diamonds that my husbands grandmother was wearing. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. She told me the story ( a love story) of how she came to acquire it and I loved the story as much as the jewelry. Before she died she handed me a small gift and inside was the pendant. I was so moved that she gave it to me and told her so. She replied it was because I knew the story was as important to her (and me) as the jewelry. I treasure it. I also treasure the diamond necklace my mother gave me on my 21st birthday. The diamond was her engagement ring from my father who died when I was a child. I passed it on to my oldest daughter on her 21st birthday.

    Reply
  12. 24/7 in France

    I have a blue zircon ring that was my mother’s – it’s wonderful to pass on family heirlooms along with the special memories that they hold.

    Reply
  13. Tongue in Cheek

    Hi Debra, The rosary sold. The heart that is next to it I wear everyday.

    Reply
  14. Tongue in Cheek

    What wonderful memories you have shared. I love it when a simple question opens the door to knowing more about one another . Thank you!!

    Reply
  15. Tracy

    The child of poor immigrants, my grandmother never had any family jewelry of monetary value, but she did love her costume jewelry. She would try on two different earrings – one on each ear – in order to determine which one she wanted to wear for whatever occasion. The thing is – she often got distracted by something else in the process and would walk out the door with two different earrings on – it was a bit of a trademark – and I so love this memory of her!

    Reply
  16. Chris Wittmann

    The beautiful amulet charm from Portsmouth, New Hampshire fascinated me the most, I’ve driven past the historic Samuel Moffat house many times. There is such a wealth of history in that beautiful seaport town.

    Reply
  17. Marie

    As a teenager I lived, during my last two years of high school, in northwest Pakistan with my family. This was in the late 1960’s. On a Christmas trip my Mom and I took with another couple, we visited Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Friends shared information with us before we set off to be sure to contact a certain Frenchwoman living in Colombo. She dealt in gemstones in her home! Mom and I set up a meeting with her and I purchased one garnet and one moonstone pin from her. I also wanted my birthstone (amethyst), a pretty greenish beryl and an aquamarine. I was spending my own money–hard earned by babysitting. I still have all of these plus the memories of the travels I’ve had from that time. The beryl was set into a simple gold ring for me when I was in college (the setting a gift from my parents as I
    had NO money for such things in those years). The aquamarine is still unset. A year ago (when I celebrated reaching 62!), I decided I had better get going if I was really going to get to enjoy the birthstone. I worked with a talented jeweler in my town who created a ring that I just love. I sold some gold scrap I had just sitting in the drawer against the cost of it’s making and had him incorporate a pair of diamond studs I bought myself twenty years ago, but hadn’t been wearing in recent years. Following through on this enabled me to cross off another item on my “bucket list”. Unfortunately I can no longer remember the Frenchwoman’s name—she would be long gone now, but her accent and mannerisms I do. I wish I could have known more of HER story. Sweet memories these are now of another lifetime. Marie

    Reply
  18. Delphine

    When I was 13 (in 1966), my father gave me a necklace for my birthday. This was unusual because Mum usually handled the gift buying. Anyway, I gleefully opened the the pale blue box to find a double strand crystal necklace. I was so disappointed. This was the sixties and the necklace was very fashionable then for chic cocktail set. I said thank you and never wore it. Over the years I have taken it out an looked at it, tried it on and put it back in its box. t never looked right on me. Well fashions come and go and now my necklace is back in fashion but I’m not. Young people are buying these on ebay to wear with their retro gear – I’m already retro. I make a little bit of jewellery for myself so I started fiddling. I didn’t want to take the necklace apart because apparently it is now worth considerably more than what my father paid for it. I added a chain to each end so it is much longer and inserted a strand of beads (amethyst swarovski and fresh water pearls) between the two rows of crystals. It now suits me and Dad’s crystals sparkle magnificently.

    Reply
  19. Anjanette

    I have both my paternal grandparents thick gold wedding bands given to me by my dear grandmother when she noticed my own wedding band was missing from my finger. The semi-precious amethyst kept falling out and I was tired of having it replaced so I quit wearing it. First she gave me my deceased grandfather’s size 11 (yes, I have big fingers – I call it my “when I’m fat” wedding ring” and later when I lost weight she gave me her own size 9. I cherish them with my all my heart, she also gave me her ‘Shriners’ ring that my grandfather bought her as he was a Mason.

    Reply
  20. Tongue in Cheek

    This is from Jo, a reader of Tongue in Cheek, who sent me an email. With her permission I am added her email to the comment section:
    This is an extraordinary story about the pearl brooch that my mother gave to me a long time ago. It was hers, and as she doesn’t wear jewellery anymore and I am her only daughter she knew I would enjoy it.
    Almost three years ago my father-in-law passed away after several years with a debilitating illness. We were very sad to say good-bye but he had been in such pain that it was a mixed blessing I suppose. On the day of the funeral I decided to wear the pearl earrings that my mother-in-law and father-in-law had given me, as well as the pearl brooch that my mother had passed down to me.
    Sometime after the service I realised that the brooch was no longer pinned to my dress. The catch had been damaged and I hadn’t been able to afford to repair it – I thought threading the pin through my dress twice would secure it, but no. I was quite distressed. I looked everywhere that I had been; the chapel and the graveside. Nothing.
    My Mother-in-law spoke to the priest at the chapel and asked him to let his parishioners know that a pearl and gold brooch had been lost. Four months went by and I gave up hope – when to my amazement my mother-in-law called to let me know it had been found in the chapel car park and didn’t appear to be at all damaged.
    I have it now and treasure it. I will always remember that it found it’s way back to me against the odds.
    Jo

    Reply
  21. Gift ideas for women

    Great Antique Jewelry really It is truly the most amazing, wonderful and lovely Jewelry above will update this on my blog too! http://www.robertyoungsculpture.com.au

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions