Mourning jewelry Archive | Page 2

Getting Personal with the Personnel – Volume 3

August 8, 2022 by Joden Girl

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Insider Information

Meet Kayla- at just 34 years old, she is the youngest member of the Joden crew. Recommended by another employee, she joined us three years ago and it’s been full speed ahead ever since. In addition to taking care of customers, Kayla heads up our advertising department. Working closely with Joe and Jay, she puts together our billboards and magazine ads. Most recently, she tackled her largest project to date… a new brochure. Dubbing it her biggest accomplishment, Kayla has thoroughly enjoyed the process. And what a process it is! Every piece featured in our full-color double-sided brochure is hand-selected, professionally photographed, and edited. Using an old-school “cut and paste” method, each of the eight pages is carefully assembled. Just last week, Kayla and Bryan (Owner of GFX Advertising) put the final touches on this project. We can’t wait to see it in print later this fall!

Very early on, Kayla discovered a love of authentic antique scarab jewelry. These are not carved stones, but actual petrified beetles. Captured in their natural form, these colorful creatures were often preserved by making them into jewelry. The Joden inventory boasts more than one of these unusual pieces… Kayla is shown here wearing a rare scarab fringe necklace and coordinating bracelet. Each of the sixteen bugs in the necklace is fitted to a golden frame. It provides strength to these otherwise delicate carcasses. Priced at just $3,000.00 – customers love this unique find. Recently, we acquired a similar bracelet… this simple line style bit of arm candy is set with eight scarabs, each one with closed back construction. Made from 15-karat yellow gold, it’s available for $1,950.00.

If you’re as fascinated by scarab jewelry as Kayla is, these simple pendants are just a click away. Originally part of a long necklace, each iridescent green beetle is nestled within a gold-filled frame. We separated them and added a gold-filled chain. Available in 16 or 18-inch lengths, these beauties are available on our site for just $185.00.

Although she loves the scarab jewelry, Kayla’s least favorite pieces are the Victorian hair jewelry. Whether it be a mourning ring, brooch, necklace or bracelet… these late 19th century finds feature actual human hair. Mourning jewelry from the Victorian era honored loved ones that had passed on in a beautifully permanent way. People either love these peculiar pieces or they’re creeped out by them… Kayla falls into the latter category.

The pieces showcased here among the most unusual in our antique and estate department. There are thousands of jewels from every era including Georgian, Victorian, Art Nouveau, Edwardian, Art Deco, Retro, Mid-Century and Modern. Discovering and learning about them is one of Kayla’s favorite parts of working at Joden.

Stop by our store, check out these unique finds and say “Hi!” to Kayla. And if you’re feeling mischievous, flip off the lights… Kayla is afraid of the dark!

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe

Pick of the Week – Volume 31

January 21, 2021January 18, 2021 by Joden Girl

Joden Girl

Baubles and Bling with Unbelievable Pricing

A tiny miniature painting… what could be more endearing? Or perhaps more scandalous! In the late 18th century, these small depictions also known as lover’s eyes began popping up in Britain. Sometimes these gems featured the eye of a child or family member… however, sometimes the eye belonged to a forbidden lover!

Lover’s eyes centered on a small painting of an eye, and perhaps an eyebrow… but nothing more. This was to keep the identity of the person secret. Many of these pieces were surrounded by a halo of natural pearls or sparkling gemstones. This incredibly intimate jewel brought to life the intense gaze of adoration. Often, a look can convey so much more than words could ever say.

These treasures are rare – it is believed that fewer than 1000 of them remain. Many of these unusual pieces are brooches… allowing them to be pinned and worn close to the heart. This particular one is a pin and a pendant; it showcases a blue iris with a strong arched brow. Twenty-six faceted black onyx stones surround the eye.

A hair receiver on the back of the piece is filled with an entwined lock of brown hair. These two details – the black stones and the hair receiver – make me wonder if perhaps this lover’s eye is an early piece of mourning jewelry. The pendant is accompanied by a yellow gold y-chain. Once it is clasped around the neck, the piece itself rests lower on the neck, allowing it to be concealed underneath clothing should you so desire.

This unique gem has been a part of our inventory for more than a year. Originally, it was on our site for $5,000.00. We are now offering it as a Pick of the Week – which means it will be available with new and unbelievable pricing. Now – this rare bit of history can be yours for just $2,500.00!

If you’re a collector of distinct finds, this lover’s eye is the piece for you. Click the link to make it yours today.

“You can go to a museum and look, or come to us and touch.”

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe and Shelly Isacco

A Talisman Treasure

September 11, 2020 by Joden Girl

Joden Girl

Baubles, Bling and Remembered Things

I was at work. I remember running back and forth across the street to Burdick’s (a local clothing store) because they had a television. Joe and I stood side by side, staring at the screen – it’s one of the most surreal moments of my life. It was September 11, 2001. I’m certain that each of you knows where you were, too.

Nearly 3000 lives were lost that day, each one remembered in a million different ways. My husband and I visited Ground Zero in the fall of 2002. The fence surrounding it was covered with cards, photos and hand-written notes. Children’s drawings, flowers and memorabilia were everywhere we looked. To say it moved me to tears is accurate but so very inadequate. I wanted some small thing to remember those moments, something tangible to hold in my hand. Ultimately, I ended up with just a few tiny rocks that I gathered from the edge of the sidewalk. I still have them.

Victorians had a better idea – mourning jewelry. Rings, pendants, and bracelets were the most common types of this nostalgic artistry. Memorial pieces had popped up here and there during the 1800’s, but the trend gained momentum with the death of Prince Albert – Queen Victoria vowed that she would wear nothing but black to express her deep bereavement. Even her jewelry was black. The concept caught on with the rest of the country. At Joden, we have quite a collection of these sentimental dedications.

This sweet little cameo ring may have been an early piece of mourning jewelry – crafted in the 1860’s. Made from a rosy 14 karat yellow gold, this intricate ring centers on a hard stone cameo. The figure depicted is of a woman carrying a vessel. It’s carved from a singular piece of banded black and white agate. The band portion of the ring is decorated with vines and blossoms. Inside the band are three hand-engraved initials… JLB. It’s priced at $875.00.

Through photographs, videos, and memories, our loved ones live on. But imagine having a piece of jewelry, a talisman that will be handed down in your family year after year. And every time you look at it and rub your fingers across the top of it (like a worry stone), you’ll remember and your heart will smile.

Written by Carrie Martin

Photos by Dana Jerpe

Baubles, Bling and Insider Information

Baubles and Bling with Unbelievable Pricing

Baubles, Bling and Remembered Things

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