Heirlooms: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
If you inherited your mother's diamond ring, or Grandma's earrings, or Aunt Jenny's ruby pendant, what would you do? Would you stash it away in your jewelry box? Would you sell it and buy something new?
Or, would you have it redesigned into something more contemporary? More and more of us may be asking ourselves these questions as we inherit family treasures. Many of us would probably choose to wear these mementos as cherished memories of our loved ones, either in their original state or redesigned to enhance their sentimental value.
Whatever the case, a first step should be a "check-up" by your jeweler and an appraisal. If you're going to wear a piece, you want to make sure everything is safe and sound. There are a number of reasons for getting an appraisal -for estate-tax purposes, or probate pur" poses, or for resale if that's your choice. You need to know the actual value.Just because it's old does not necessarily mean it's worth a lot of money. Like any collectibles, the value of fine jewelry is determined by the quality of raw materials and workmanship. The intangibles are what make inherited jewelry priceless!
What about today's and tomorrow's heirlooms? The jewels you buy today are the inherited treasures of tomorrow. Particularly memorable will be celebratory jewelry bought for the year 2000. At Glitters we think we have the perfect selection of fine jewelry trends for 2000 to last a millennium. Could anything be more memorable than a Gabrielle diamond with its 105 facets lighting up your life? Or, gems in every color of the spectrum brightening your future?
For the gypsy in your soul, there are bangles and dangles -dangles "dripping" from necklaces, or the gypsy staple -golden hoops. And, the truly gypsy spirit needs toe rings and ankle bracelets.
In the "cyber-era", we have to think high-tech in jewelry, too. Sleek, clean lines and geometric shapes feel almost futuristic in white metals such as platinum, white gold, and sterling silver. Just as diamonds are forever, pearls, too, are timeless -now with more variety of size, shape, and color than ever.
At Glitters, WE treasure YOUR treasures from yesterday-for today-and for tomorrow!
This article was written by Glitters' founder Diane, and reprinted from the archive.