The Romantic Rose Cut

Left: Untitled Andy Warhol illustration; Right: Rose quartz and black spinel rose cut stones.

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Gemstones have been enchanting people for thousands of years, and starting in the 16th century people figured out that by cutting and faceting them, you could bring out even more of their beauty. (Have you seen rough diamonds before they’ve been cut? God bless whoever first thought, “Hey, we might have something here.”)

One of the earliest cuts developed was the rose cut, named for the tight, spiraling petals of a rose bud before it blooms. (Once I heard that I was done for.) Triangular facets all over the top of the stone mimic petals, and each one catches the light and sparkles, even on dark or opaque stones.

Rose cut illustration, via Erstwhile Jewelry’s “History of Diamond Cutting”

The rose cut is also more of an old school, antique cut; when cutting technology advanced, you could get more facets and therefore more sparkle out of stones. While newer stone cuts are beautiful, I have a soft spot for the earlier cut, especially when it’s set in a more modern design. I love using them in my own jewelry, and have big plans to use them even more in the not-too-distant future. 

Now that you know its romantic inspiration, have you fallen under the spell of the rose cut, too? 

My Dalmatian Jasper Obsession

There’s magic in semi-precious stones, and something extra special about Dalmatian jasper in particular. It’s the stone I get asked about the most, and stops people in their tracks, eliciting an, “Oooooh, what’s that one called?” I mean, just look at it! Can you blame anyone?

Every time I get a freshly cut batch of Dalmatian jasper it feels like Christmas, with each stone a unique play of black and cream speckles on ivory white. Picking which ones to use in specific designs gets hard — how do I choose when they’re all so wonderful? I especially love seeing lots of them set all together, like in the Willoughby Necklace, so that the natural pattern really starts to show itself.

I’m also a big proponent of natural Dalmatian jasper stones (and most semi-precious stones, really), using them exclusively in my jewelry. They are reflections of a specific moment and place — the chemicals, elements, and debris that got caught up in the stone when it originally formed determine its unique design fingerprint.

Today’s jewelry scene uses reconstituted stones a lot — ground-up stone mixed with resin and put back together. Because it’s man-made you can control the final product so precisely, but I think that takes all the fun out of it. Mother Nature is the best designer, and with semi-precious stones I’m happy to let her work her magic so I can be surprised and delighted with what she comes up with.

I plan on using even more jasper in the future — that whole family of stones (of which Dalmatian jasper is just one member) comes in an incredible variety of colors and patterns. See how I’m using it now, and let me know if you have a favorite stone you’d love to see me use in the future!

A Thank You Note

The end of the year caught me by surprise — I had my head down for lots of it, shipping out gifts and meeting lots of new people at holiday markets. And now that Christmas is over, I’ve had some time to reflect on this past year and how grateful I am for everyone, including you, being a part of it.

I can’t thank you enough for supporting this one-woman show, from buying jewelry, to saying hi at events, to sharing your stories with me. Thank you for choosing to spend your dollars on my pieces, because I know there are a lot of options out there. Thank you for making new memories while wearing my jewelry, and for marking special occasions with it. Thank you, too, for letting me talk your ear off about the magic of semi-precious stones, or how, precisely, I turned that block of wax into a necklace. I appreciate it all, and wanted to make sure I told you before I get lost in all my new to-do lists. 

Hope you have a happy New Year, and that it’s full of happiness and wonderful adventures!

De-Stressing Holiday Travel

Holidays are a great reason to spend quality time with family, especially the ones you don’t see very often. Or maybe you prefer disappearing for a while, visiting remote locales where you can disconnect and recharge. Here are my favorite tips for minimizing the stress of getting there so you can spend more time actually enjoying your time away:

1
Try limiting yourself to one carry-on so you can skip baggage claim and get out of the airport fast. If you do need to check a bag, Tracy of Brunette Wine Bar recommends putting emergency supplies in your carry-on: a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a bathing suit; even if your luggage gets lost, your vacation’s not ruined.

2
If you’re like me and you can’t go anywhere without jewelry, bring a jewelry roll or travel case to protect your valuables. They’ve got dedicated spaces and pockets designed especially for jewelry, and they let you bring options (very, very important 😉).

3
My friend Amy recommends bringing small bags of candy for the airline counter, gate, and cabin crew on your next flight. You might be having a rough day, but they have to deal with everyone’s rough day. It’s a small gesture of thanks that can go a long way, and might results in occasional perks from grateful staff. 

4
Suysel of Tilton Fenwick recommends having a photo of your passport and license on your phone just in case something should happen to the real ones.

5
My friend Peter recommends looking into gym hours or workout classes at your hotel or near where you’re staying. The holidays are all about overeating and lazing about (mine are, at least), and a trip to the gym can help keep you feeling balanced.

Hope these tips help make your trips more enjoyable, and have a wonderful holiday!

Birthstone Star Necklace Inspiration

Image credits, clockwise from top left: sketch from from Galileo's Sidereus Nuncius; found image of an antique plate via Pinterest; detail of Gucci gown from Spring 2017; "Stars of the Ocean," photo by Marit Hettinga via Flickr; personal photo taken in upstate New York; detail of ceiling fresco by Giotto.

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I’m so happy to share that I just added upgrades to the Birthstone Star Necklaces — in addition to solid sterling silver, you can now also choose from brass with gold-fill chain, or solid 14k gold.

In honor of these new materials, I wanted to revisit the inspiration behind the Star Signet Rings and Birthstone Star Necklace: a single, slightly off-kilter star that might have been found in Galileo’s notebooks, or hidden in the sparkle of warm sunlight hitting the water.

Want to see how this inspiration became the final pieces? Check out the newly upgraded Birthstone Star Necklaces, and the Star Signet Rings in aquamarine or pearl.