Ode à ma Mère

[BWeaves]

Mom had a beautiful opal ring. And then she dropped it and the opal broke. It was her favorite ring. She was heartbroken.

Her jeweler looked and looked and finally found an opal that would fit the ring. It's not as pretty as the original opal, and it has a black spot on the left side (which you'd never notice unless I pointed it out). But the ring looks gorgeous again.



Unfortunately, the ring cannot be resized, so I have to wear it as a pinky ring. I need to be very careful as I tend to smash my hands into things when I go around corners.

 

[MSC]

Squeeee more goodies! My mom would love all the amethyst and I love the two bracelets on this page, spectacular!

 

[kalmen22]

Loving almost your pieces. That pave earring is a favourite of mine. I have a similar one for a drop and I love how they look like 1 diamond.
And that Karen brown piece is great. Loving Karen brown's work

 

[Marianne]

The sapphire bracelet and opal ring are my favorites, but golly, they are all beautiful!!!

 

[Katbran]

Everything is beautiful ! I love the flat earrings ! And that Sapphire bracelet is so very pretty ! Well all of it is...just so special! I love the Opal ring..but darn they are fragile.

 

[BWeaves]

I hope I'm not nauseating anyone with my feel-good stories, but it's all true. I seriously lucked into the best family, ever. Even my in-laws are delightful.

 

[Pearly-Whites]

Gorgeous collection BW! Such glamorous jewelry of a bygone time full of so many memories! You definitely need that new jewelry box!! I am still in love with the sapphire!

 

[JerseyPearl]

Beautiful treasures.

 

[MSC]

I hope I'm not nauseating anyone with my feel-good stories, but it's all true. I seriously lucked into the best family, ever. Even my in-laws are delightful.

The stories are the best part...

 

[Pareltje]

Love all your pieces, BWeaves. But my favorite is the multicolor sapphire bracelet.

 

[BlackPearlDudeDC]

I cannot speak for anyone else, but as a former Jewelry Associate (and many more years in the industry after) I often wondered if pieces I've sold went to a loving home. It sounds silly but I'd get to know pieces very well so I'd be able to share them with the right person.
Your Mother had a true appreciation for jewelry and craftsmanship.

You are not only honoring her memory but also the artisans that helped craft all the wonderful jewelry, the stories are just icing on the cake, I feel privileged to have a peek inside your memories! Thank you.

I hope I'm not nauseating anyone with my feel-good stories, but it's all true. I seriously lucked into the best family, ever. Even my in-laws are delightful.

 

[CathyKeshi]

BWeaves, rest assured, both your jewelry AND your family stories have found homes in our hearts ... delightful. Thank You.

 

[BWeaves]

Some vintage goodies.

My grandmother and her sister had similar crystal necklaces in the 1920s. My mother remade them into one long necklace in the 1990s and then decided that it was a mistake. She had them restrung back to their original lengths, but she had lost one of the silver box clasps by then and replaced it with a ball clasp. Unfortunately, the necklaces are not strung correctly. The beads are not in the correct graduated order, so I'll have to restring them at some point. Sister had no interest in either necklace, so I took both of them.

The smaller necklace. This one is so out of order that it looks like I'm wearing it lopsided.



The larger necklace.



And my grandmother's sister's 1940s era, silver bracelet from Mexico. I always thought it was supremely ugly. Brother and sister talked me into it. It was growing on me. Then I tried it on tonight and got the clasp stuck. I think I'll get rid of it. I will never wear it, and I know brother and sister don't want it, and it holds no memories for me of her wearing it.









And lastly, my Mom's crystal necklace from Italy. Probably from the 1990s. Nice AB sparkle on this one. I confess. I borrowed it from Mom 15 years ago and never gave it back. Oops.





The crystal necklaces are really cool, but I'd rather wear pearls.
Actually, I'd love a pearl necklace done up in this style.

 

[BWeaves]

And I'm off to a weaving conference. This will have to hold you off until I get back.

 

[Katbran]

Thanks for all the wonderful photos ! Have fun at the conference !!

 

[CathyKeshi]

BWeaves, glad to hear you get to go off on a fun weaving conference! Please come back and "show and tell" about it if you can

 

[lmgarden]

BW, I'm just now catching up on your wonderful thread!! Thank you for sharing your mother's beautiful pieces - you wear them so well. I'm looking forward to more posts!

 

[MSC]

Love the crystal necklaces! I adore the silver bracelet, but then I have a soft spot for Taxco silver and similar

 

[cmd2014]

I love this thread. I feel that I have gotten to know your mom a bit Bweaves through her jewelry and your stories, I have loved oogling all of her pieces, and I hope that this has helped you in your grief as well.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Just wonderful...restringing those beads should be fairly straightforward, but of course I'd want to use seed pearls in between each bead.