I considered calling this collection “My Pandemic Response” but went with “Classic Gold” instead. It wasn’t my intended “next” collection. Last January the collection I had planned for 2020 was to be called Brio which means enthusiastic vigor, energy, and vivacity. I planned on making BIG! FUN! COLORFUL! jewelry (primarily silver and concrete) under $200. But then the pandemic hit and I wasn’t feeling it, even though I tried to convince myself to continue as planned, because we all needed “cheering up”. And what better way to do that than with colorful, lower priced, handmade jewelry perfect for gifting.

But all I felt like working with was yellow gold. Shaping, soldering, polishing, and setting stones in this warm, sunny, rich, metal made me feel good. And the process felt much more serious than working with silver, because at some point during the pandemic the price of gold skyrocketed (“WTF just happened?”) and there were much higher stakes- because, unlike silver, if you mess up, you're out a lot of money. But that was ok, because three months into the pandemic, being serious, intentional, and really careful now felt very familiar and therefore, right. So for cost purposes I had to scale down my pieces; which, in turn, was also ok because wearing small and understated jewelry felt appropriate during these unprecedented times. Pretty soon I realized I was wearing the same half dozen or so styles every single day- on trails mountain biking or trail running, working, in the shower, and eventually to bed. They had become a part of me. And I have no idea why but wearing the exact same line-up day after day gave me comfort in the unfamiliar and changing world I was now navigating.

The pandemic made me think more seriously than I normally do, on many levels, but of relevance here in my attitude towards jewelry. I started to more critically evaluate everything I make- “Is this piece basic and versatile enough to wear every day, during whatever it is a customer does?” “Is it durable?” “Will this last a lifetime?” “Will this stay relevant?” And last (but definitely not least) “what is the environmental impact of producing this group of work?”
 

So that’s how the collection came about. My hope is that you find something you love here and wear it lots over many years. And then maybe someday if your daughter, loved one, or friend goes through your jewelry box and they discover it, they remember you wearing it and then claim it as their own. And it will still be relevant because it’s gold- classic, elegant, and timeless.
 

Thank you for looking, 

Cheryl