Brittany See

If there’s one thing I value about my job as a gemologist at JB Jewelry, it’s breathing new life into jewelry. Like a modern-day fairy godmother of the gem world, I have the privilege of taking heirloom stones and cherished jewelry pieces and weaving them into new, contemporary pieces that sparkle with renewed charm. Imagine, a client meets with me, bringing a diamond pendant necklace and an old wedding ring set, full of sentimentality. Alongside these, she brings a bag of assorted gold jewelry pieces she no longer wears. And that, my friends, is where the magic begins.

My most recent project was a testament to the stories that jewelry tells, and my role in preserving and reimagining those stories. We embarked on a journey to transform her cherished pieces into a new custom-designed set of stackable rings that would keep her history alive while embracing the present.

The initial stages take time and imagination.  Sorting through ideas that are deemed worthy of recreating.  To craft these rings, we decided to repurpose the heirloom stones into a series of four interchangeable rings- a decision that felt like giving life back to the unworn jewelry.

But we didn’t stop there. In the spirit of eco-conscious design, we decided to melt down the gold from the other miscellaneous pieces she has brought along. It was exciting to think that all these older pieces would become part of a brand-new creation. What’s even better, melting the unwanted jewelry would ensure that nothing went to waste and at the same time help to offset the cost of our creative endeavor.

Creating these new pieces is a passionate process that allows our creative juices to flow freely together. I love this part of my job where I can infuse my love for storytelling and aesthetics. Working closely with our client, we sift through images and ultimately my jewelry is able to fuse these ideas together and create a CAD (computer animated design) to bring our vision to life.

The process is nothing short of an alchemical transformation, turning all this older material into a brand-new creation.  As we toiled with the gold castings of these new rings, it was thrilling to watch the transition from old and cherished to something fresh and modern. Each cut and curve had a purpose, each stone held a piece of history, and every piece of gold carried the essence of the past.

The result was a remarkable set of four stackable rings that not only adorned her fingers but also adorned her heart. Each ring represented a unique part of her story, a testimony to her love, resilience, and the cherished memories she had collected with these jewelry pieces. This transformation is the epitome of what we do at JB Jewelry – taking the past, molding it into the present, and creating pieces that will be treasured for future generations.

This, my jewelry aficionados, is why I am passionate about what I do. It’s about crafting new stories, celebrating the past, and ensuring that the jewels we create are not just exquisite adornments but vessels of emotions and narratives. So, next time you look at your jewelry box, think about the stories behind those gems and metals. Who knows, they might be yearning for a transformation of their own, ready to become part of your unique, fresh, contemporary tale. And when that time comes, I’ll be here, ready to make the magic happen.

Until next time, stay chic, stay fabulous, and keep telling your story with every shimmer and sparkle.