What Makes Jewelry Worth Keeping

Good cast iron gets seasoned. Well-made boots get repaired. Selvedge denim softens around the person wearing it. The best objects gather use without losing their purpose. Jewelry does the same.

I remember that in every piece I make. It has to work for the person buying it now, and it should still make sense later. Years from now, someone should be able to pick it up, turn it over, and understand why it was kept.

The pieces people keep usually have a life on them. They were worn to dinners, ordinary workdays, ceremonies, graduations, weddings, and quiet days no one photographed. Over time, the developing patina becomes a testament of the authenticity and quality of the material.

I cannot decide what any piece will mean after it leaves me. The person who wears it gives it that part. My job is to make the object well enough that it has the chance to keep going. 

Wear it well.