Last year when the world went into lockdown, our lives changed dramatically. We didn't see family, friends, neighbors, or work colleagues. We settled into t-shirts, sweatshirts, and masks. Jewelry, well, that kind of went into lockdown too. I know for myself, that even putting on a pair of earrings seemed frivolous. That says a lot for jeweler!
This spring, as vaccinations rolled out and some restrictions lifted, it seemed that a new normal was emerging. At least for a little while...
At one point as the weeks passed, I came across a Tahitian pearl that I had purchased pre-pandemic. I thought for a moment and wondered if jewelry was "extra" during these times. Then the thought came to me that a pearl is hidden inside its shell... until it isn't! Haven't we all been, in a way, hidden in this pandemic? Our faces, our lives, our loved ones - all hidden. The same is true for our jewelry, which gave us joy, pre-pandemic. Jewelry is a form of self-expression, and all sorts of normal expressions have been covered up over the past year.
I decided that this pearl had been hidden too long and needed to be expressed. So I set it in a simple gold setting with a diamond for a little bit of "sparkle". When I finished, I slipped the necklace over my sweatshirt. It made me smile. Simple, understated, casual, yet even dressy, if it needed to be, with just the right amount of flash.
Many weeks have passed since then and I'm so happy that I rediscovered my favorite chunky sterling silver necklace. It looks fabulous with everything summer...including a tan!
I wear it by itself or with various other pendants. I'm starting to feel like me again.
I hope you will look in your own jewelry box and rediscover how jewelry makes you feel again. You might decide to freshen up some pieces or decide to treat yourself to something new. It's been a very tough 18 months. You deserve it!