The first ever New York City Jewelry and Object Show.

March 19, 2024

I have two fantastic pieces of news for you today, darlings: first, I had the BEST time at the inaugural New York City Jewelry and Object Show, and second, the event is happening again just a few weeks!!

So don’t despair if you missed these treasures in November, because you’re about to get another chance in April!

How was the November New York City Jewelry and Object Show, you may ask? Don’t worry, I’m going to show you.

The first ever New York City Jewelry and Object Show.

Why is the New York City Jewelry and Object Show (NYCJAOS) unique and exciting? Unlike most big jewelry shows today, the NYCJAOS was created by a jewelry lover, for jewelry lovers. Its founder, Konstantinos Leoussis, is a jewelry collector himself, as well as a respected antique jewelry dealer and talented jewelry designer.

As a show designed by someone who exhibits and shops at shows, NYCJAOS truly takes both the dealer and shopper experience into account in its design. Lower booth fees and the possibility of booth sharing means that a much wider range of small time dealers are able to participate, and delicious food sold on site means that shoppers can stay and browse all day.

I spent three days at this the November New York City Jewelry and Object Show, and there was one piece of feedback I heard over and over from both dealers and shoppers: this show had the best vibes of any show anyone had attended in a long time. It was friendly and chill, of a manageable size, and felt truly welcoming to all.

Enough talk!! I will show you the jewelry now.

I loved this antique diamond tiara that I tried on at Ishy Antiques during the New York City Jewelry and Object Show (NYCJAOS).

We’re going to kick things off with TWO TIARAS, just so that you immediately understand how great the New York City Jewelry and Object Show was (you know how much I love a tiara).

This antique beauty is a classic small tiara, complete with hairpin to anchor in your glamorous updo. Thank you to my friend Ishy Antiques for handing this to me immediately upon my arrival at your booth. You do understand me.

A remarkable antique pearl and carved malachite tiara from Ishy Antiques during the New York City Jewelry and Object Show

The second tiara was more unusual and absolutely required a closeup. This remarkable piece features a design of alternating pearl drops and carved malachite heads (!!!) atop a textured golden swirl.

This piece was also from Ishy antiques and I have never ever seen anything like it. Who are these tiny malachite men and why are they on this tiara??? I’m utterly delighted and I am dying to know who created this piece back in the day and why.

An extraordinary antique Victorian era snake necklace, with enamel detail, gemstones, and diamonds. From Halle's Jewels at The New York City Jewelry and Object Show

While we’re on the subject of antique jewels so good that I’ve never seen anything like them before (of which there were several at the New York Jewelry and Object Show), how about this Victorian era snake necklace from Halle’s Jewels?

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Victorian snake necklaces in this style before, but I’ve never ever seen such a pristine, opulent one in person. Look at that flawless blue enamel, the enormous, lush colored gemstones in the snake’s head, the perfection of its sinuous gold scale-like links! Big swoon.

Eyeba makes jewelry out of real prosthetic eyes - the results are eerie and beautiful. Seen at the New York City Jewelry and Object Show (NYCJAOS).

The New York City Jewelry and Object Show also welcomes contemporary jewelry and art dealers alongside antique jewelry vendors, for a diverse and exciting shopping experience.

Eyeba NYC was one of the contemporary brands that really caught my eye (heh). This contemporary designer makes jewelry out of real prosthetic eyes – both vintage blown glass eyes and more modern prosthesis – and the results are both eerie and beautiful.

A stunning antique Arts and Crafts era brooch with colored gems, a large pearl, and enamel. From DK Bressler.

And now for something completely different…what do you think of this incredible piece?

It’s a bit of an enigma, so while the dealer, DK Bressler, thinks the majority of the piece dates to the Arts & Crafts movement, it’s possible that parts of it may be earlier or later – the amethyst briolette was likely a later addition and I do wonder if that stunning enamel-adorned pearl could be from an earlier piece.

How wonderful are all those glowing, foil-backed gems? I love this kind of beautiful jewelry mystery.

An incredible antique monogram pendant with the letter S in turquoise and pearls. At Sandy Jacobs Antiques.

Yes, S is the first initial of my last name, and no, I can’t remember why I didn’t buy this absurdly beautiful S monogram turquoise, diamond, and pearl pendant from Sandy Jacobs Antiques.

It’s spectacular. And may have originally been even more spectacular? Do you see those empty loops at the bottom of the two longest turquoise swags? I wonder what originally dangled there. Pearl drops, perhaps?

I love these two antique sapphire and diamond rings from Jewels by Grace! Seen at the New York City Jewelry and Object Show (NYCJAOS).

The November New York City Jewelry and Object show was the first time since the pandemic that I’ve gotten to see a lot of my favorite antique jewelry dealers, including the inimitable Grace of Jewels by Grace. She greeted me with a huge hug, plonked her diamond headband on my head, and let me fondle everything in her case.

Of course I found some Art Deco rings to fall in love with. Who could resist these two beauties?? The only drawback is that it’s nearly impossible to choose between them. Perhaps that’s how I managed to walk away without them.

I had to try on these antique old mine cut diamond earrings from Jewels by Grace. 14 carats of diamonds in one ear!

Grace of Jewels by Grace was also kind enough to let me try on the stunning old mine cut diamond earrings she was wearing that day.

I think they look badass worn on the same side. I have 14 carats of diamonds on one earlobe in this photo! Can you even?

Also, aren’t they perfect with my own antique paste riviere? That’s a personal collection piece I’ll be taking to my grave.

Why Instagram permanently suspended me and how I got my account back.

March 5, 2024

I lived an Influencer’s nightmare: Instagram permanently suspended my account for false reasons and I thought @DiamondsintheLibrary was gone forever.

95,300 followers, 4,304 posts, 11 years of work, all lost in an instant.

I got very lucky and was able to restore my suspended Instagram in just three days, instead of the months it usually takes. Now, after weeks of trying, I finally managed to get on a phone call with Instagram and get some solid answers about what happened – and some advice about what to do if it happens again.

I’m going to share all the info at the end of this post, as a toolkit for anyone else who might need to fight a permanent Instagram suspension enacted for false reasons.

But first, I’m going to take a step back and walk you through the whole story.

Why Instagram permanently suspended my account - and how I got it back in three days!

Why Instagram permanently suspended me and how I got my account back.

Here’s what happened:

I was out of town with Mr. DitL for a romantic vacation in honor of our anniversary (14 years since our first date!). I tried to check my Instagram account during a quiet moment and nothing would load – I was still signed in, but my account looked like I had never posted and I couldn’t get new posts to load in my feed.

I hopped over to Threads, Instagram’s Twitter alternative, to see if other people were talking about an Instagram outage.

Instead of being able to see my Threads feed, I had a popup informing me that @DiamondsintheLibrary’s account was suspended.

The reason that Instagram gave for suspending my account was violation of the community guideline against impersonating a public figure.

Part 1: The Suspension

The reason given for my Instagram suspension was that I had allegedly violated the following Community Guideline:

“We don’t allow people on Instagram to pretend to be someone well-known, or speak for them without permission. Examples of things we don’t allow: Creating an account that looks like it belongs to a celebrity, using a photo of someone famous to deceive people, creating content that pretends to speak for a public figure, like a politician.”

I knew that I had not violated this rule. While I do appreciate Instagram calling me a “well-known figure,” I obviously cannot impersonate myself, because I am me.

I hoped my innocence meant that it would be easy to appeal the Instagram suspension, but I had a sinking feeling that it wouldn’t be that simple.

Instagram sent an email giving me the option to appeal my Instagram suspension.

Part 2: The Appeal

I had an email from Meta in my inbox, repeating what the popup had said about my Instagram suspension and linking to more information.

I was grateful that I had seen the popup first, or I would have assumed this email was a scam and deleted it (I get SO MANY sketchy emails like this from scammers saying my IG or FB is in trouble and that I need to click on a link to save my account). Don’t be fooled! Remember that if your Instagram or Facebook account ever is actually in trouble, you’ll have warnings in your app too.

Confident that the email was real, I clicked “Review Details” and read everything I could find about the Community Guideline I was accused of violating. Next, I went back to my Instagram app and tapped the “Appeal” button.

I assumed that the appeal would give me a chance to make my case, but no such luck. The app generated a series of codes that I had to enter in various ways…and that was it. I received an email telling me I’d have the results of my appeal within a day.

It was only a couple of hours later that I received the news that Instagram had rejected my appeal. My Instagram account suspension was now permanent.

It was over. Diamonds in the Library was dead.

Why my Instagram permanently suspended my account and how I got it back in three days. This is the email confirming making my suspension permanent.

My hands shook. I couldn’t think. How could this be happening??

My Instagram account – the centerpiece of my career – was gone. Permanently disabled for violating a rule I had not violated. My only appeal had been rejected and there was no guidance for what to do next.

The Gem Corps’ Sweet Chairiot is a tribute to Black history, resistance, and remembrance.

February 20, 2024

I have a very special piece of jewelry to show you today. my darlings: The Gem Corps’ Sweet Chairiot, a cleverly designed social justice talisman that has already made a huge impression on the jewelry lovers of Instagram.

Necklace layers from The Gem Corps featuring her iconic design, the Sweet Chairiot folding chair charm in gold with diamond.

The Gem Corps’ Sweet Chairiot is a tribute to Black history, resistance, and remembrance.

Sweet Chairiot is many things: an adorable itty-bitty folding chair, an impressively engineered piece of fine jewelry, a chic addition to any neck stack. But the most important thing about this tiny chair is the countless years of perseverance and bravery it represents.

It is my honor to help spread the word about this remarkable design, but as a white woman, the story behind Sweet Chairiot is not mine to tell.

Sweet Chairiot is a piece of jewelry by The Gem Corps, designed as a symbol of resistance and remembrance for Black lives lost to racism.

The Gem Corps’ husband & wife team, Nia Tahani & Leroy Wilkes III, describe the origin of Sweet Chairiot, in their own words:

When Shirley Chisholm declared, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair,” she could not have imagined the iconic symbol the folding chair has become since the August 5, 2023 “Montgomery Brawl,” when Black riverboat co-Captain Damien Pickett was viciously attacked by a group of white boaters resulting in Black bystanders coming to his aid.

The day after, Nia Tahani Wilkes, a Black jewelist and estate jewelry curator, and her husband Leroy Wilkes III, a classically trained sculptor, began designing Sweet Chairiot, their antique-inspired and culturally informed heirloom for modern times, the first release in a collection.”

Sweet Chairiot by The Gem Corps, a powerful social justice talisman and tribute to Black history.

Continuing in the designers’ own words:

The name, SWEET CHAIRIOT, is a play on the associations that were made between the Negro spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” by black Choctaw freedman Wallace Willis, and the symbol that the folding chair has become since Shirley Chisholm’s famous quote and last summer’s “Montgomery Melee.” It has expanded into the realm of social justice memorabilia for those who are saying, “Not on our watch.”

[The folding chair is] a symbol of resistance and remembrance for the black lives – entire communities – lost to senseless racism from the Middle Passage to today.”
– Nia Tahani & Leroy Wilkes III

Three layers of The Gem Corps' iconic design, the Sweet Chairiot folding chair charm, which honors Black history and Black lives lost to racism.

Available in 14K gold, 18K gold, or sterling silver, with or without a gemstone, Sweet Chairiot comes in two versions: “Rest Mode” and “Resist Mode” (copyright pending). Rest mode is the fully articulated version, capable of opening and closing, while Resist mode is fixed in the closed position.

Each Sweet Chairiot features an eight-pointed “Freedom Star” on its seat, set with an optional diamond in the center, and a Victorian-inspired ancestral hand holding the handle of the backrest. When worn on a chain, the chair will naturally fall into Resist Mode (closed).

The Gem Corps wanted Sweet Chairiot to help the world tangibly as well as symbolically, so they are donating 10% of the design’s pre-launch sales to Alabama Arise, a non-profit that works to “strengthen voting rights, expand health coverage, and advance racial and economic justice across [Alabama],” according to the organization’s founder, Robyn Hyden.

A jewelry styling photo from The Gem Corps featuring her conic design, Sweet Chairiot, which honors Black history and Black lives lost to racism.

This exquisite golden chair is a perfect example of what I love most about jewelry. It’s objectively beautiful, with its tiny legs, its shining diamond, its carefully-sculpted Victorian-inspired hand bale, but this talisman’s appearance is the least important thing about it.

Sweet Chairiot is everything it represents: it is years of perseverance, it is hope and joy after immeasurable pain, it is the triumph of every generation that never gave up, it is a promise to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, and it is the hope for a better future, all forged into a wearable moment of beauty fully envisioned and created by Black artists.

And in case you missed it in the quote up above, The Gem Corps said Sweet Chairiot is the beginning of a collection! So we’ll have to keep an eye out for what’s coming next from them.

Sweet Chairiot by GemCorps, a powerful social justice talismen

If you love Sweet Chairiot but it’s not in your jewelry budget right now – or if you just like cozy clothes with cool designs – you can always rock a Sweet Chairiot hoodie.

Sweet Chairiot is available on The Gem Corps website. For more from The Gem Corps, follow along with their Instagram here.

Images c/o Gem Corps.