Heirloom Jewelry To Love, and Pass On
Heirloom jewelry has to have three things: value, beauty, and a story.
My mother taught me the importance of engraving certain jewelry pieces to commemorate a particular date like a significant anniversary, a monumental event in your life like the birth of a child, or to honor a loved one who has passed. I’ve taken advantage of all three of these reasons to engrave pieces so I can remember their significance for a long time to come. My special jewelry pieces are often designed with the idea that my daughters can enjoy them one day.
I like to mix up the fonts on the engraving to make all the pieces look different
My mother’s name was Eleanor and when I wear this she is close to my heart
“It’s good to start early when buying jewelry pieces. Aside from being investments, they are classic, they are timeless, and they are something that you pass on - it’s a memory, it’s an heirloom.”
Charm bracelets are the keepers of family heirlooms. I used one charm to engrave my three daughters’ names and another heart charm to commemorate a 21st birthday. The Liberty Locket charm is by Anabel Higgins Jewelry. Club bracelet and round charm Single Stone, San Marino.
My parents had each other’s wedding bands engraved. Her’s with “To Ellie from Jim” and his with “To Jim from Ellie”. Their wedding date was also engraved so there was no excuse to forget an anniversary.
The center charm, engraved on an old coin with a date of 1865 is a family heirloom. Even though it is not my initials, I love the heft and elegance of the engraving and know it was around during the Civil War. The other two charms are new but made to look aged. Anabel Higgins Jewelry has a heritage collection of pendants in 999 sterling silver or 18k gold designed after old British sporting medals. Seen here are the Caroline on the left and the Elizabeth on the right. The chain is a one-of-a-kind vintage chain with a new oversized gold clasp also from Anabel Higgins. Mixing metals is fun too!
The real fun is to mix the old with the new but make it look like you took it out of a chest in the attic.
This pearl necklace with an oversized lobster clasp, designed by Anabel Higgins, was created for my daughter’s 30th birthday. She used heirloom pearls I owned, having them restrung with pink thread and adding a two-toned Mini Odd Fellow charm with my newly-married daughter’s new initials engraved on the front and “30” engraved on the back.
I can’t wait to see or hear about your heirlooms
If you want to know about jewelry collecting, try this website called Worthy
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Photos by Mary Van Hiel.
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