The best gifts are the one’s that you give to yourself!
My mother died when I was twenty-two. When she was brought to hospital, she gave me her wedding and engagement rings, and for many years I wore them both. Then in 2005, my cousin, now living in Canada, invited me to join him and his family on a canoe trip. I put the rings away in a safe place, not wanting to lose them if I fell into the water – it was, after all, my first time in a canoe.
That trip changed many things. As an artist, my subject matter had always been the female form. When I returned from Canada, it transformed into canoes, and things watery. I also stopped wearing my mother’s rings.
As a partner-free and child-free person, I’ve not been celebrated that much – no wedding anniversaries, no mother’s day festivities, for example. 2022 is the year of my 70th birthday, and influenced no doubt by the Covid-induced reflection that life can change dramatically overnight, I decided to go large on the celebrations. One way this was going to manifest itself was in an evening with a close group of good friends during which I would look, well, fabulous. That meant dress, of course, but also shoes and as importantly, a gorgeous, elegant earring (I only have one ear pierced – that’s a whole other story).
My choice of Stonechat to create this earring from my mother’s rings was determined by two factors. I knew one of the jewellers who works there, and had seen and admired her work. But quite separately, Stonechat was a ‘destination’ on a walking tour of Dublin I had devised just before Covid struck focusing on Irish craft over the ages. A key theme of this tour (which I hope to revive) is how contemporary Irish craftspeople are revisiting traditional techniques and motifs in innovative ways, and Stonechat provides a clear window into this practice, literally as well as metaphorically.
So I brought the rings in, and after some exploration of what I wanted – which, to be honest, I wasn’t all that clear about initially – I left them with the jewellers and some weeks later received a selection of designs. I chose the one with the most possible movement… no doubt an insight into my psyche, if I were prepared to probe that far.
The earring lived up to expectation, and beyond. Collecting it turned out to be a more emotional event than I would have anticipated – my mother has been dead for over forty years, after all. But the piece is a tiny, but brilliant (in both senses) work of art: subtle yet stunning, classic yet contemporary, and now a memento not just of my mother but also of a wonderful occasion. Of course I wore it to my birthday dinner, and of course, it was much admired – and yes, I did look fabulous ! Thank you, Stonechat.
If you would like to discuss having your old jewellery remodelled, please don’t hesitate to get in touch! Follow the link below to request more information or to book a consultation with one of our goldsmiths!
4 REASONS TO LOVE STONECHAT
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