When women come together with their jewellery boxes, something magical happens. Stories are shared about who we've become and the jewels that represent that journey.
That's what happened at the first ever Open Jewellery Box, when small group of women (and one man) gathered at Kington Grange with their jewellery boxes, their stories, and, in more than a few cases, their questions about inherited jewellery they didn't know what to do with.
Transformation in real time
I've had a decade of bespoke consultations where I've witnessed the transformation in real time. My clients often know what they don't like, but haven't seen anything they do like. Add the feeling of guilt for not wearing a particularly sentimental piece of jewellery in, and it's easy to feel stuck.
That's why the conversations I have with my clients are more than bespoke consultations. They are a journey from feeling stuck to beaming with ideas that tell your story and who you are becoming.
"I had no idea this was possible", "I wish I had known you sooner", "I can finally stop feeling guilty for not wearing it" are all things people have said to me.
So it was no surprise to me, that the conversations at The Open Jewellery Box were on a whole new level. This time it wasn't two of us discussing ideas, but an intimate group rooting for each other. There were tears, laughs and everything in between.
It's not just about the jewellery
The point where suddenly the personal stories and design ideas come together and the conversation is in full flow, is always magical. Time and time again, I see the transformation in my clients - going from feeling stuck with jewellery they don't wear and memories in a box - to a future of being able to wear the pieces they cherish and write the next chapter to the story.
On that evening, the group got to witness this together, share ideas together and be part of something even better.
The room filled quickly with conversation. Stories came out over champagne and canapés about where the pieces had come from, who had worn them, and what they meant. That's always the part that surprises people at these evenings: how much there is to say once you start talking about jewellery. It's rarely just about the jewellery.
One conversation stayed with me.
A lady brought what she thought were opals that she had been treasuring for years. She couldn't understand why one of them had gone light in colour. After a conversation and hearing about how she came about them, I took a look and they turned out to be opal triplets - a thin layer of opal on a base rock with a Perspex layer over the top. It’s likely moisture got in, making one of them lighter. She left feeling grateful, knowing that these gems could be used to create a ring for the future, even though the colour had changed in one of them.
That's exactly what this event is for: taking unworn jewellery with real meaning and finding out what it could become.
A very enjoyable evening! Delightful setting & pampered with champagne & delicious canapes! Really interesting to hear people's stories behind their jewellery and what made the pieces so special to them. I appreciated the opportunity to share with others why my pieces are special to me, and to get ideas for how they could be transformed. I would highly recommend the evening if you are interested in jewellery, have even just 1 piece you'd love to wear but don't, or just fancy an evening of pampering & listening to other's stories.
The next Open Jewellery Box is on 10th September at Kington Grange, from 7-9pm. Spaces are limited to 10.
If you've got inherited jewellery sitting unworn in a drawer and you've been wondering what to do with it, come along. You might leave with an answer you weren't expecting.