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A lady with a love for literature and shiny things discusses books & bling.

Dear to Memory: the secrets of antique and mourning jewelry.

There is an extraordinary jewelry education opportunity coming up, my darlings, and I’m so excited to tell you all about it! Dear To Memory is an online lecture series from two jewelry industry gems, Sarah Nehama and Konstantinos I. Leoussis and it’s right around the corner on September 25-26th.

Dear to Memory is a lecture series focusing on rare antique sentimental and mouring jewelry, and featuring a curated sale of jewelry!

Dear to Memory: learn the secrets of antique sentimental and mourning jewelry

Jewelry holds secrets, especially sentimental and mourning jewelry. Do you know how to read the meaning of a white enamel border, the sepia sweep of a weeping willow’s branch, the implications of a tiny hairwork angel or an engraved forget-me-not?

I have always believed that jewelry tells a story, and in the case of certain sentimental and mourning jewels, the story is quite literally there on the pieces for those in the know to read it.

Learn all about antique sentimental and mourning jewelry in the upcoming lecture series, Dear To Memory.

Dear To Memory is an online lecture series to interpreting these the history and hidden symbols of the gorgeous treasures from the past.  You’ll have to go to the Dear to Memory website for the full rundown, but here are some topics I’m particularly excited to learn about:

  • Georgian era sepia and watercolor miniatures in both mourning and sentimental jewelry, with a focus on construction and industry.
  • How to differentiate between antique jewelry reproductions vs authentic pieces.
  • The origins of mourning and sentimental jewelry from the mid 17th century to the early 20th century, with a particular focus on symbolism and meaning.
  • Victorian jewelry and the influence that the industrial revolution and Queen Victoria’s mourning for Prince Albert had on the jewelry of the time.
Learn all about antique sentimental and mourning jewelry and shop a curated sale in the upcoming jewelry lecture series, Dear To Memory.

I haven’t even gotten to the best part. Are you ready? Dear to Memory is not just a lecture series. Ticket-holders will also gain access to an exclusive curated sale featuring authentic sentimental and mourning jewelry from well-respected vendors, including Lisa Kramer Vintage, Sandy Jacobs, Antikdevotion, and Heart of Hearts Jewels.

Authentic antique sentimental and mourning jewelry is hard to find, so this is a rare opportunity to get first crack at acquiring what are sure to be some truly remarkable treasures from reputable sources.

A $40 VIP ticket grants you access to the sale a full week early, all other ticket-holders will get to see the goods on the 25th.

Dear to Memory is an online antique jewelry lecture series featuring a curated sale of antique sentimental and mourning jewelry.

There is no greater resource for learning about jewelry than people who have been working closely with actual pieces for the length of their careers.

The chance to hear either Sarah Nehama or Konstantinos I. Leoussis lecture about jewelry would be one to jump at; both of them together makes Dear to Memory a must-see.

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13 vintage engagement rings to dream about.

Today’s post is going to be what I think of as a #DitLClassic post: we’re going to round up a whole bunch of glorious antique and vintage engagement rings and drool over them together.

My love for antique and vintage engagement rings is extremely well documented, from the 1930’s platinum beauty on my own ring finger to the many many antique and vintage engagement rings I’ve featured over the years. There’s nothing like the romance, the history, the individuality of a vintage engagement ring. Sigh.

Vintage engagment rings from Victor Barbone.

These vintage engagement rings come from a few of my favorite stores; please see the description below each ring for information on where it can be found. Please remember that vintage engagement rings are one of a kind, but don’t despair if you find that these beauties have sold – it’s still worth reaching out to the seller to see if they might have something similar that you might end up loving even more.

Let’s dive in.

13 vintage engagement rings to dream about.

3.46 carat Edwardian carré diamond engagement ring. From Lang Antiques.

This ring brings clean, lovely perfection. It’s streamlined but still has a lush feel, thanks to its plump diamond and delicately engraved shank. It also has a very pretty gallery, with those slender arch-like openwork details visible from the side. This beauty is Edwardian era and it features a 3.46 carat Edwardian carré diamond.

This vintage engagement ring is from Lang Antiques.

A magnificent Art Deco engagement ring with a 3.03 ct Marquise diamond in platinum with calibre cut emeralds. Circa 1920, from Victor Barbone.

This next ring turns the glamour volume alllllllllll the way up.  A magnificent Art Deco engagement ring with a 3.03 ct Marquise diamond, set in platinum, with a wonderfully eye-catching halo of verdant green calibré cut emeralds. Circa 1920.

This vintage engagement ring is from Victor Barbone.

A Victorian antique engagement ring with a 2.75ct sapphire surrounded by diamonds. From Trumpet and Horn.

I love an engagement ring with color! This beauty would have a wonderfully significant finger presence, with its wide diamond-strewn yellow gold shoulders, beautifully cut antique blue sapphire, and halo of old cut diamonds. I personally have a huge weakness for antique diamond halos like this one: the chubby, chunky diamonds all reflect the light and compliment each other in the most luscious way.

This ring  dates to the Victorian era, with a 2.75ct sapphire surrounded by diamonds. From Trumpet and Horn.

This stunning Victorian engagement ring dates to the mid 1800s. With 1.60 ct rose cut diamond and enamel, from Victor Barbone.

 

Here’s another ring with a quiet but very powerful allure. This stunning Victorian engagement ring dates to the mid 1800’s. It features a beautifully cut 1.60 ct rose cut diamond, and its yellow gold shank is adorned with swirls of black enamel.

This vintage engagement rings is from Victor Barbone.

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VOICE: Italian jewelry returns with Vicenzaoro International Community Event.

The past year has brought challenges to so many of us, but one of the silver linings for me has been watching my beloved jewelry industry adapt to 2020 with strength and creativity. The upcoming VOICE: Vicenzaoro International Community Event is the perfect example. After a difficult year, the vibrant jewelry industry in Italy is bursting back onto the international scene in a blaze of glory.

A cutting edge multimedia event, VOICE really is the perfect metaphor for The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry industry itself: a mix of tradition and innovation, taking the best of the past and blending it with the most advanced technology of the present to bring inspiration, beauty, and thriving business into the future! VOICE is organized by the Italian Exhibition Group and it marks a true turning point in the resurgence of the Italian jewelry industry after the tumult of early 2020.

The VOICE Event - Italian jewelry returns with Vicenzaoro International Community Event!

Scheduled for September 12-14, the VOICE event will take place at the same time of year as the traditional fall VicenzaOro jewelry show. VOICE will have an in-person component that offers many of the same advantages as the traditional VicenzaOro show, but VOICE takes things to the next level with sophisticated digital systems that will both transmit the event’s talks and seminars to a live international audience and allow long-distance participation through digital meetings.

VOICE will unite community leaders from the jewelry industry, both in Italy and around the world, to create new opportunities to connect with national and international business partners after many months of lockdown. As the prestigious Italian jewelry sector relaunches, VOICE will provide the perfect opportunity to forge new connections, discover the latest innovations and technologies, and discover new trends. The Extraordinary Italian Jewelry lives on!

A “Buyer’s Virtual Room” will serve as the meeting place for those attendees who aren’t able to travel to Italy at this time, allowing those of us in travel-restricted locations to be a part of the VOICE experience. It’s an opportunity for connection across the entire global jewelry industry.

Making friends at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy.

Me exploring the Teatro Olimpico during my last trip to Vicenza, Italy.

Besides all of the communication-related innovation, VOICE will also offer the core of what we have all learned to expect and appreciate from the Italian Exhibition Group’s events: extraordinary Italian jewelry! VOICE is also a product showroom that will present new collections, the hottest design trends, and the most advanced manufacturing developments of the leading companies in the industry.

I’m sad that I can’t visit Italy in person this year, but I’m so excited to see this brand new event unfold. I’m looking forward to the jewelry, obviously, but I’m also very excited about all of the talks and educational seminars that will be transmitted live during the VOICE event. Topics range from technology to sustainability to trend forecasting and more! I won’t list them all here, but you can see specifics on the VOICE event website.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to Italy a few times for the Vicenzaoro show in the past and it’s always been a spectacular experience, packed with culture, warmth, prosecco and, of course, Extraordinary Italian Jewelry! (Click here to see my past Vicenzaoro adventures.) I’m so excited to see the evolution of this long-standing jewelry industry tradition and I can’t wait to experience what VOICE has to offer!

For more information, please visit the VOICE website here. It’s just around the corner on September 12-14, so don’t wait!

This sponsored post is brought to you by the Italian Trade Agency. 

The VOICE Event marks the revitalization of the Italian jewelry industry after the tumult of 2020. The VOICE Event - Italian jewelry returns with Vicenzaoro International Community Event!

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