Top

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

Elisa Solomon Mama collection: because moms are chic, too.

I don’t think I’ve ever done a Mother’s Day jewelry post before, but when I saw the Elisa Solomon Mama collection, I just knew I had to share it with you.

There’s something so touching and genuine about these pieces. Perhaps it’s the context: the fabulous Elisa, this collection’s designer, is expecting her own first child.

The Elisa Solomon Mama collection doesn’t have any of the gimmicks you often seen in jewelry marketed toward mothers – just the word “mama” in slightly childlike but still elegant balloon-style letters, embellished with two twinkling diamonds each.

Working mamas – or mamas who just like to look amazing – could wear these chic little pieces anywhere, with anything, from cocktail dresses to yoga pants.

Stud earrings from Elisa Solomon's Mama jewelry collection! In white or yellow gold with diamonds.
I don’t have any kids myself, but I’ve watched some of my friends become mothers and it’s a profound change, even when you’re just watching from the outside. You go from not being anyone’s mother to being a mother all day, every day, for the rest of your life.

Isn’t that a transformation that deserves to be marked by a piece of jewelry? I think it is.

A yellow gold and a white gold ring with diamonds, from Elisa Solomon's Mama jewelry collection.
Ideally I would have shown you the Elisa Solomon Mama collection a week or two ago for those of you shopping for Mother’s Day presents…but I was too slow!

It’s okay: you can buy your mom a present anytime, just because. I also think that any of these would be the world’s sweetest baby shower gift.

Mother's day with the Coles
And on that note: I’m off to meet my own family for a stroll around a garden followed by a BBQ! The garden stroll is our usual tradition, the BBQ is a recent addition due to the fact that my sister’s boyfriend makes the best burgers ever.

I hope that you all have a wonderful day, whether you’re celebrating Mother’s day for yourself, for your mom, for someone who feels like your mom, or whether it’s just another day to you.

Images c/o Elisa Solomon. 

 A lovely ring from Elisa Solomon's Mama jewelry collection in yellow gold with pretty little diamonds. A necklace from Elisa Solomon's Mama jewelry collection in yellow gold with diamonds. Stud earrings from Elisa Solomon's Mama jewelry collection! In white or yellow gold with diamonds. The super chic and oh so sweet Elisa Solomon Mama jewelry collection - because moms are chic, too!

What I’m reading: Vol. 81.

What I'm reading

As I mentioned in my last little note, Mr. DitL and I are moving to a new house basically right now, so I’m going to take a few days to focus on getting those ducks are in a row.

Packing is the WORST thing, but sharing some of it with you all through Instagram stories has made it more entertaining. Thanks for all the DMs! You light up my life.

I’ll be back next week! For now, the boxes demand my attention.

xoxo,
Becky

What I’m reading:

The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn. I don’t have much time to read right now but I HAD to make time for this one. It’s a Bridgerton’s prequel!! The Bridgertons were the first family-focused historical romance series I ever read and they’ll always have a special place in my heart.

Internets:

JCK Magazine listed me as one of the jewelry industry’s top 5 Influencers in a recent article about the new age of marketing. Thanks, JCK!

Lionette NY invited me to curate their combo of the week this week! If you buy all three of my picks, you get 30% off your purchase.

How 5 Remarkable Women Changed Technology.

This super interesting article about how many books the average person reads in their lifetime will make you think twice about slogging through that novel you’re not enjoying.

Secrets Of Historical Reenactors.

This post contains affiliate links. 

Alternative engagement rings at Fellows.

There’s something silly happening on the internet.

That’s not a rare occurrence. But this time, it’s something I take personally: there’s been an avalanche of random websites publishing articles about alternative engagement rings and giving truly idiotic, completely uninformed advice.

I love the alternative engagement ring trend, but when it’s practiced without understanding of the relevant gemological facts, it’s going to end in tears. And in a world with SO MANY beautiful rings that would work well as an alternative engagement ring, there’s no reason to give bad advice.

Today we’re going to talk a little bit about which gemstones make good alternative engagement rings and look at a few gorgeous and currently available possibilities.

The upcoming Fellows auction has so many fantastic alternative engagement ring options! I love vintage rings.
Tradition isn’t the only reason diamonds are the most frequently chosen engagement gem: it’s also because they’re the strongest. There aren’t actually all that many gemstones that can hold up to everyday wear.

There are a few stones that genuinely work well, like sapphires and rubies, and a lot more that are an okay bet if you’re prepared to baby your ring and not wear it every day, but there are some – like pearls and opals – that are seriously high risk engagement stones. As in, you shouldn’t pick one of those unless you’re prepared to replace your engagement ring periodically.

Personally, I had been wearing my own engagement ring for about 4 days when I slammed it in a drawer. It hurt my finger, but because my ring was platinum with diamonds, it remained unscathed. If it had been an emerald, I probably would have been picking green shards out of my socks.

I understand completely the impulse to pick an alternative engagement gemstone based on what calls to you, rather than what is practical, but if you do, you could be setting yourself up for heartbreak. The more fragile the stone, the more likely that it will chip, break, or fall out and need to be replaced.

The upcoming Fellows auction has so many fantastic alternative engagement ring options.
I got to talking – by which I mean Twitter ranting – about the recent avalanche in bad alternative engagement gemstone advice with the fabulous Nikky of Fellows Auction House (that’s where these stunners are from!). Nikki and I both agreed that it’s a shame that popular websites are giving people such bad advice about alternative engagement rings when there’s a whole world out there of fantastic rings that would work well as alternative engagement rings.

Auction houses – especially one like Fellows – which has a dazzling reputation for jewelry sales – can be a great place to find charismatic rings that you’ll be able to admire on your finger for years to come.

Let’s look at some, shall we? These beauties are all headed to auction at Fellows on May 11th.

I love the colors in this vintage ruby and diamond ring! It would be a great alternative engagement ring.
Lot 2: A ruby and diamond ring.

Let’s be honest, this is a super sexy ring. The sensuous curves, the deep hue of the ruby, the sheen of the gold. We’re looking at a first class alternative engagement ring right here.

Even better: ruby is a great stone for everyday wear. The ruby and its corundum cousin, the sapphire, are just one step below diamonds on the Mohs scale of hardness.

The Mohs scale of hardness is one of the ways that different minerals’ properties are measured. It’s a great quick reference chart for how likely a gemstone is to survive everyday wear.
Read More

Follow along with me on Instagram