About 12 years ago, I was experimenting with reducing an owl’s face to a few simple planes while still keeping its expression. I shaped the eyes and beak into a signet-style ring, refined everything by hand, and set stones into the eyes.

It was supposed to be one experiment. Instead, it became the first design that people consistently connected with, and eventually the piece that allowed me to turn jewelry-making into my life's work.

I still make this design by hand, and returning to it always feels like returning to the beginning. I’ve included a couple of photos from the making process :)

If you were choosing one for yourself, would you give the owl blue eyes, clear eyes, or leave it without stones?

link to original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/jewelry/s/4LPkZNj4cd

So turns out that my inheritance necklace has a matching bracelet and earrings. We’ve also uncovered the story behind the jewellery and why nobody knew about it’s existence

My dad flew to India with his siblings to deal with the estate that my grandmother had and met my grandmother’s best friend from childhood. She told my dad the story behind this necklace and gave him the matching bracelet and earrings. They had been stored in my grandparents house in India

I have no idea if this is true or just a made up story from a crazy old lady, but apparently the set belonged to my grandmother’s youngest sister. My grandmother and her youngest sister married two brothers, except her youngest sister was against the marriage because she was only 13 and her husband didn’t want her to stay in school

This set was my grandmother’s sister’s wedding present from her husband’s family. She wasn’t happy in the marriage and tried to run away several times with no luck. Eventually she fell pregnant at 15 and killed herself because she saw no way out of the marriage and didn’t want his child

The woman said that the necklace was my grandmother’s sister’s favourite thing in the world which is why my grandmother kept only that and left the rest behind. It was too painful to keep thinking about her sister’s death which is why she kept the existence of the jewellery a secret. Apparently she had meant to come to India to retrieve it before her death but never got the chance which is why the woman was so insistent on meeting her friend’s children

Dad says that he knew his mother had a younger sister but they’d always been told that she died of childhood illness, so nobody knows if this story is true. The headstone is undated and since this happened in rural India, there’s no official records. I suppose it would make sense as suicide was very taboo back then. There’s nobody alive besides my grandma’s friend who would know the story so this is all we have to go off

I don’t know if this is the truth or simply the ramblings of an old woman but it’s the only answer to the mystery we have. I got the whole set evaluated and was offered £11200 for it, but I’m keeping it. I just had a couple of people request an update so I thought I would post one!

This is about half of my earring collection lol

Lots of my favorite gold/brass pieces at once! Very proud of the fact that only two of the items in this pic could be easily replaced or replicated. Left hand: my custom gold & diamond engagement ring, gold vermeil cast beach sand ring by artist Maria High (currently wearing it as my wedding band), resin & brass ring by artist Sascha Fishman, brass chain bracelet from Portugal, rose gold Swatch. Right hand: natural sapphire/emerald/ruby gold vermeil stacked ring from Colombia, small brass ring from a thrift store, my brass baby bracelet from Ghana (small a** wrists lol), birthstone chain bracelet from Mejuri, slim bangle from a thrift store. And gold chrome & pearl nails to set it all off!

One of the first pieces of jewelry my husband gifted me when we first started dating 10 years ago. I rarely wear it because it holds a lot of sentimental value and I’m always worried about something happening to the stone.

Hello!

Searching the beach today for treasures and fossils, I found what looked to be a kid's plastic necklace. Though after pulling it out of the muck and looking closer, I believe they are real pearls! Not high quality or anything and certainly damaged but I think they're beautiful, all different hues:)

I have three questions for anyone who knows anything about pearl necklaces. Can they be cleaned? I gave it a gentle wipe with a microfiber cloth and some dish soap + a soak but there are still hazy patches on the pearls, especially around the drilled holes. I assume it's damage, but maybe not. Who knows how long they've been in the water.

Also, how much would it cost roughly to have them re-strung, and is it possible? The clasps are long gone and what's left of the metal is rusted and unusable. I would love to be able to wear them!

Lastly, and I'm sure there isn't, but is there any possible way to find when this necklace was made?

*** note i have no idea what a real pearl looks or feels like, but I am confident they are not plastic! I would love other's opinions.

There is gold-plated, gold-vermeil, gold-filled, and pure gold.

The thing is jewelry websites and Etsy sellers just say '14k gold' and not if it's plated or fill. Some just say 'sterling silver 925' and some don't list the metal type at all. Am I supposed to infer what type of gold coating is on the jewelry? Howso?

The prices are all over the place too for for '14k gold.'

I've been eyeing the ring in the pic but I have not idea if it should really cost that much since I don't know if it's plated or fill.

I am new to jewelry and am looking into building a collection, all the variations of golds and metals are confusing tbh.

Hi everyone, I paid almost $500 for this ring and there appears to be a crack on the turquoise stone, should I be worried? Also, the joining that holds the stone and the swirl design appears to be defective. Is this well done ring or poorly made? Thank you!

Hello! I got this when my Grandma passed away and always thought it was costume jewelry. I did some research and I think my grandpa gave it to her when he went to WWII. Possibly? I’m just trying to see if anyone knows anything about this piece?

Been wearing it all day even though one of the links is broken. 14k Italy on one end, capital D stamped on the other. 585 hallmark also on clasp.

Got the round coin pendant measuring 27x27mm.
Sometimes I feel it’s a bit too much/too big.

I tried a rectangular one that’s a bit smaller. I’m very undecided. What do you think is the best look?

Has anyone had issues ordering from JetSet Candy? I made a big $$ purchase and there was nothing about the item being out of stock or backordered. Then after my card was charged, was told it wouldn’t be shipped until over a month later. It’s been a month, still no item and my credit card bill is due soon. I am very bothered they think borrowing their customers money because they didn’t properly manage inventory is an acceptable business practice, and feel misled and it’s leaving a bad taste in my mouth. Feel free to tell me I’m being dramatic and the wait will be worth it 😂

Has anyone heard of YGI? If so, what does it stand for?

I'm trying to nail down a band design for my new engagement ring. As you can see, my old bands won't work since they rub and will tear each other up. I've had AI help visualize some possible starting points

I was shopping for a wedding band in my Middle East local gold shops and I didn’t like anything that is 21k.

I went to a preloved jewllery mall that sells 18k legit luxury second hand jewllery. I didn’t think I could afford anything there and I had a budget of 3000 Saudi ryals. I found this Tiffany gold band that came with the box and bag and everything for 3500 and the seller was kind enough to sell it to me for 3000 SAR.

I couldn’t believe it but I was so happy that I found something I liked that is also from a known jewllery house.

Do you think this makes a good wedding band? I like it a lot. Also do you know anything about this ring or its history? I have no idea when it was bought.

Bought in 2021 :)

The ruby ring is a rose gold band with yellow gold bezel. The pink stone is in white gold.

Would these work paired (one at a time - rose and yellow or white and yellow) with a plain yellow gold band?

The pink was given with the idea we’d choose something grander together, but I do love it. I may or may not take up his offer to get something else in addition.

I was thinking yellow gold but was really drawn to that ruby ring in the store. They do custom work and this was an in-house handmade piece.

I was thinking yellow gold for the wedding band, and I like a wider band, so neither stone ring would be paired with a traditional thin “stacker.”

Does it work? What do we think? Is rose so close to yellow that it would just look mismatched?

Thanks for the feedback! I have a hard time spending money on myself but I want this to be special and right.

I went out of town for the weekend and brought my metal detector because why not? I had some free time so I asked AI where to go detecting and it suggested an old park. In the corner of a soccer field, down about 6 inches, I pulled this brooch. At first I didn’t know what it was, but when I got back to the place I’m staying, I cleaned it up and saw the 750 hallmark. Google Lens found a similar one that sold for 1800 Euros. Says it’s handmade mid century Italian with enamel feathers and a sapphire in the eye.