The Estate of Things

My recent family jewelry acquisitions have stoked the "want old stuff" flames. Now, I'm left with a hankering to constantly window shop online. Stores like Erie Basin and Victorian Spirit Rings have amazing (I hate to call them "pieces," but...) pieces passing through all the time. Catbird sometimes has reproductions or jewelry inspired by Victorian and Edwardian styles. The Hairpin is a big supporter of "estate jewelry." So it's not exactly an easy thing to avoid.

It's just so cool—stones were even shaped differently back then, when everything was cut by hand. I love the teeny tiny diamonds and the seed pearls.

I guess that makes me a cheap date.

The first thing that got me hooked, after my grandma's stuff, was this REGARD ring:

The description:

A "regard" ring in the Victorian tradition, but probably dating to the early 1900s. The first letter of each gemstone spells out "regard" from left to right (Ruby-Emerald-Garnet-Amethyst-Ruby-Diamond).

Whaaa how cool. Come on.

History, man.