Romancing my grandmother’s stones

Jewelry is to a woman what candy is to a child. Both are highly treasured–given or bought. My love for jewelry can be traced back to my childhood. My favorite pastime then would either be playing with my mother’s makeup or going through her jewelry box, although I think I was devoted to the latter more. Not only did I enjoy the shape, sparkle and color of the stones, I loved how their names would roll through my tongue as I copied and tried to remember how my mom would say them. But more than that I adored the stories she would intimate behind each piece – her engagement ring, hand-me-downs from her mother, those bought by my father, some she inherited from my father’s mother. I loved the sense of history as well as the sentimental worth that each item distinctly bespoke.

Yes, buying jewelry may entail a considerable sum of money but it is an investment. And besides, beautiful key pieces are all that will take to spruce up any outfit. Do not be intimidated by seemingly pricey pieces. I cannot say often enough how one can end up blowing hundreds of thousands on a multitude of inexpensive, so-so jewelry acquired over a period of several months when that same amount of money could have fetched for you a beautiful piece that will last you well over a lifetime, one that can even be passed on to your children when they are old enough to appreciate it.

Over the last few months I went through my own jewelry box and set aside the items that I was willing to have redesigned. Antique pieces that once belonged to my grandmother as well as those with sentimental value I did not touch but some of those I acquired when I was in high school and college (especially the ones purchased on impulse), I packed in a pouch and delivered to the very able hands of Candy Dizon of Jul B. Dizon Jewelry Salon. I realized that just as your needs change so does your taste and the pieces that I bought then no longer appealed to me as much as they used to. More importantly, I wanted to consolidate them into bigger, chunkier, more modern pieces that I know I would be able to put to better use.

Once the items are with her, Candy starts by drawing out possible designs. It’s better if you show her the whole lot of items you want redesigned, not necessarily only those that come in sets, because you’ll never know if two or three different sets can be used and incorporated into the new design.

I had a pave-diamond bracelet with round diamond links that she took apart. The diamond links she designed as the center of a sputnik-design pair of earrings with princess-cut diamonds at the tips of the spokes (the princess-cut diamonds were also from another set of mine). As for the pave-diamond rectangles, she simply incorporated them into a chunky wave pendant studded with colored semi-precious stones such as tourmalines and spinnels. The fact that she used different shapes, sizes, and colors succeeded in adding texture to the piece. The first time I wore it someone actually wanted to buy it off me but I refused to let it go. I seem to have a never-ending love affair with the designs of Candy – so happy was I with how my items came out that I kept on bringing her more and more items to revamp.

My point is, you don’t have to buy new pieces. You can make that happen by surrendering blah-looking ones to your trusted jeweler for a face-lift. That’s better than just letting them sit at the bottom of your jewelry box, unused.

Now we all know that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But never underestimate the beauty and value of pearls and other semi-precious stones. Here is a rundown of five items that you should consider investing in to update your jewelry chest. Like I said, they don’t have to be brand new ones. If you go to Candy she can do magic with your existing pieces.

Baroque South Sea Pearl Studs – My grandmother used to say that among all the gems, pearls have the distinct ability of making your face prettier than it already is. True or not, it is a nice thought. Jewelmer has a wonderful selection of pearls and it will always be one of my favorite sources. Often I hear of women who lament that although they would like to wear big pearls, they are afraid that doing so would make them look matronly. I don’t agree. I think pearls have to be a considerable size to be fully appreciated. They don‘t have to be as big as your eyes but they can definitely be bigger than the circumference of your medium-sized pencil eraser. And why not try on a pair of baroque or keishi pearls? Their odd, irregular shape is chic and distinctly beautiful. Regardless what color, shape, or size you choose, just make sure you get the best quality your money can buy.

Jeweled Cuff – Instead of your usual bangle why not try one that’s a bit wider. And please don’t be quick to say that only tall women can get away with a cuff. Nothing is farthest from the truth. For shorter women there will always be a cuff that is still proportionate to your size. The piece d’ resistance at Jul B. Dizon Jewelry Salon is a cuff made of hand-carved mother-of-pearl with pink, yellow and blue sapphires and a rose-cut diamond border that is so beautifully and finely done.

A definite good buy would be a cuff that can be easily converted into a neckpiece by just adding a ribbon at both ends. Now that’s value for money – being able to use it in more ways than one.

Fantasy Ring – The creative team of Jul B. Dizon coined the name for this particular style and when you see what it looks like you will understand. It is a fantasy ring in the sense that instead of smaller stones being placed around the main stone as is the norm, a specific design (e.g. a tiny butterfly, a small flower, a miniature star) is placed atop the stone, rendering a design that’s actually multi-dimensional. This would make a really nice accent piece and is best worn alone with just a smart watch or with simple, chunky earrings to complement it.

Hoop Earrings – Hoop earrings don’t have to just be either in gold, silver, or diamonds. You can experiment with hoops that are maybe longer yet slimmer or a pair that is shorter yet wider. You can also try those that curve just enough to hug your earlobes. While you’re at it, try using colored stones – sapphires are ideal because they have a fiery brilliance. They come in a multitude of colors like pink, yellow, orange and green. It’s actually nice to mix two different colors or if you’re brave enough, to use a pair with each one made entirely of a different yet complementary color.

Brooch – Gone are the days when only grandma used a brooch. Instead of being purely decorative, the brooch can now be put to good use when you want to hold a shawl in place or when you use it to spruce up a plain piece of cloth that you fashioned into a tube top and tied in a knot. Use it in unexpected ways. You can also attach it to an evening bag or by itself attach to a velvet ribbon to tie around your neck or wrist. For the Urian Awards Candy prepared for me a pair of mismatched yet complementary bee earrings and for a bracelet she fashioned a daisy brooch made of pink sapphires and attached it to a piece of nude velvet ribbon. The latter I simply tied around my wrist. A brooch can always be designed and made in such a way that it can be attached to a bangle or a multi-strand pearl necklace.

Remember, there are no rules – go with what works for you and what looks good on you. With fashion now there is more freedom in the sense that everything need not match perfectly. The same holds true when it comes to accessorizing. You don’t have to only wear blue jewelry when you have a blue outfit on. Donning pieces in complementary colors – pink tourmalines with a blue outfit, orange and green sapphires with a yellow dress, or amethyst stones with a turquoise or celadon-colored outfit will come out pretty. Diamonds don’t have to always be the first choice. You are free to have whimsical, colorful additions to your treasure chest.

So sort out your jewels and visit Jul B. Dizon Jewelry Salon at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel, 1 Garden Way, Ortigas Center (tel. 6347448). But don’t hold me responsible for ready-made items that you may love and buy at first sight from their showroom. They have an array of choices that has "take me home" written all over it. If you have second thoughts, remember that jewelry comes alive only when you wear it. Let that be the deciding factor.

Reward yourself. You deserve it.