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.