It was a wonderful Mother’s Day surprise last week when my boys took me to San Francisco’s Legion of Honor for the Cartier and America exhibition. The collection of exquisite jewels on display was beyond breathtaking. To see the quality of such craftsmanship and brilliant design hold up through decades, some nearly a century, spoke volumes; a well placed, high-grade diamond never looses its luster. Even Mike was taken aback by how Cartier, through their history, was always on the cutting edge. An entire room was set aside to display concepts and design drafts, letting visitors see the level of thought and planning that goes into each piece.

Many of the visitors, like myself, wore jewelry that had a clear emotional value to them. Adjusting a ring while admiring Princess Grace’s 10.47-carat diamond engagement ring, brushing a bracelet while gazing at the Duchess of Windsor’s panther pieces; intentional or subconsciously, we were all adding memories to the pieces we wore. And in the company of such fine pieces, no one who shared an appreciation of fine jewelry would wonder why.

The largest group stood mesmerized at a short film clip, taken on a yacht, of a laughing Elizabeth Taylor. Her dear husband had just surprised her with a spectacular set of rubies and diamonds. She was trying them on, so delighted, in her bathing suit. This fabulous set was on display and you could almost see the happiness they radiated. Planning to spend a lot of time in my bathing suit this summer..just in case…
Having been inspired by Cartier’s rich history and superb quality, I plan to visit some vintage jewelry shops in Europe this summer. It will be fun to see what treasures I can find to bring home to share through my eBay store and website. I hope everyone will find these pieces as amazing as what I was able to see last week.

Last weekend, I went into my local Tiffany & Co. to have a clasp fixed and they reminded me why buying fine jewelry is a fine investment. The young lady at the repair counter was gracious, charming, and well mannered. Not only would they fix the clasp, they would put another clasp on for extra safety. I was taken aback. This was a 40 year-old bracelet and they were willing to modify it with no cost. Hewlett-Packard won’t even talk to me about my two-year old printer and here Tiffany will offer free work with a smile. I even offered to pay; they wouldn’t hear of it.

This is a wonderful case of a company standing behind their product and actually respecting their customers. I decided after my printer broke that HP’s customer service didn’t make it a smart buy, but I’ll always appreciate Tiffany’s for appreciating me. Even better, they didn’t ask for a serial number or receipt, they knew it was their bracelet and showed a level of class and decency that’s hard to find in any other business of that size.

On my way out, I picked up the latest catalog and had my first chance to admire Paloma Picasso’s new Zellige inspired Marrakesh collection. Working from Moroccan ideas of geometric artistry, Picasso created another interesting collection. While the earrings don’t have as much of a “Picasso” feel as I’m used to, the pendants, bracelets and rings are gorgeous. I am especially happy that I have three of these gorgeous bracelets to list.

With so much debate on state of the economy, it’s a great feeling to walk back into a shop that has always known that great service and great designs will stand the test of time. If anyone has any doubts, I would encourage you to visit your local Tiffany & Co. Now that I’ve had my fix, I will be back to my listings.