I often think about how many memories are tucked away in my jewelry box. Beyond the aesthetic appeal of each piece, my jewelry is more fun to wear, because each piece has it's own “story”. Adding to the pleasure my jewelry brings, is the extra special gratitude I feel when a piece inspires a nice compliment from others.
The other day I wore a pair of modest earrings that I've enjoyed for many years. They matched the colors I was wearing that day and spoke to me from the jewelry box. Something unusual happened. I received not one, but four compliments on those earrings throughout the day! They could NOT be overlooked; my earrings were really on a roll. The first compliment was from my husband – even though he’d seen me wear them many times, he commented “those are really nice earrings, they look good on you” (he’s a manufacturer of jewelry with a great eye for design, so his compliments mean a lot to me), then on separate occasions two Rio associates complimented them (one is an accomplished jeweler). That evening, when a woman stopped me at the grocery store to comment on the earrings, I knew that something special was going on!
My earrings had it. That rare combination of terrific style and fine craftsmanship.
That night when I took them off, I thought back to the day I bought them. I was working at the Rio Grande booth at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. It was close to 25 years ago, back when we were set up on the stage at the Tucson Ramada Inn. The show was smaller in those days, and the mood was casual. I remember two guys from LAPD and a lieutenant from the Tucson K-9 unit who scheduled their vacations in early February so they could moonlight, providing security for the show at the Ramada. We got to know them well during the long days and many years at the Ramada! During set-up, they were usually laughing and joking with all the Rio team and they’d get their guns engraved by Don Glaser who was always at our booth in those days, demoing the Gravermeister.
But I digress. I was working the Rio booth, when a young woman approached. We were chatting and I admired a piece of jewelry she was wearing. She’d made the piece she was wearing and she asked if I’d like to see more of her work. Absolutely! She opened a jewelry roll filled with deliciously colorful wire-wrapped pendants, earrings and rings. I scanned the delightful selection of treasures and stopped on one unique pair of earrings. Beautiful pieces of watermelon tourmaline, one pink, the other green, encased in graceful curves of gold filled square wire. I fell in love with them then, and I love them today!
I wish I could remember more about the jewelry artist who made them. But, while the tourmaline earrings are still timeless 25 years later, my memory isn’t! I wonder if she's still making jewelry. Even better, if she's a Rio customer and blog reader!
If these earrings look familiar or you think you may know the artist, please leave a comment and let us know! I’d love for the artist to know how much the earrings are being enjoyed and to hear what she's been up to these last 25 years!
