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Today’s featured jewelry collector is Beth of RoCo Heirlooms. Beth has an incredible eye for antiques and her necklace stacks and charm combinations are out of this world! Speaking of out of this world, her husband is a former astronomer so celestial motifs are one of her favorite things to collect. I just love her personal collection and so happy to share it with you all today – let’s dive in:
How long have you been collecting?
As with many collectors, I have loved jewelry my whole life and my mother had a wonderful jewelry collection. I first became interested in antique and vintage jewelry when I was 13 years old and my parents bought me two antique rings for a special occasion from a fabulous jewelry store in Baltimore, where I grew up. I have been collecting jewelry more seriously since about four years ago shortly after my mother died.
Describe some of your favorite antique motifs that you collect.
I find wearing jewelry very comforting, and I like the notion that wearing jewelry is sort of like wearing armor—that jewelry can have protective qualities. And so, I love antique, vintage, and contemporary pieces that have shields, protective hands, swords or armor. I love celestial pieces because they make me think of my husband who is a former astronomer. And I love hearts and initials, especially as they relate to my family.
What is it about jewelry that makes it your passion?
I think jewelry is beautiful, and I love the energy I feel when I wear something that is beautiful and that has special meaning for me. I love the treasure hunting process and searching for a seemingly hard-to-find, one-of-a-kind piece that has enormous symbolism and mixing it with the rest of my pieces.
Where do you like to find antique jewelry? // Favorite place to treasure hunt?
When I first started seriously collecting jewelry, I enjoyed going to vintage shows near where I live in Southern California, such as A Current Affair, Pickwick Vintage and the Delmar Antiques Show. As I have learned more about jewelry and found certain dealers whom I trust, I have increasingly bought more pieces via Instagram.
Do you have any pieces that have an interesting story behind it?
One of my most special pieces of jewelry is a charm my mother gave me for my 30th birthday. She took the center diamond from my grandmother’s engagement ring and had it set in a white gold swirl with a smaller diamond from my grandmother’s ring at the end. The larger diamond represents the moon; the smaller diamond a star. It is supposed to represent a saying my mother always told me: “Shoot for the moon, if you miss you will be among the stars.” My engagement ring—a round diamond with French cut sapphires around it (an Art Deco inspired target ring)—is connected to my wedding song, “Fly Me to the Moon.” The diamond to me looks like a full moon floating in a dark blue sky. Interestingly enough the underbelly of my engagement ring has a Greek key motif. Completely unrelated, we ended up going to Greece on our honeymoon.
Most recent find … most sentimental piece…something you wear everyday
My engagement ring, my wedding band, my mother’s wedding band, a Victorian diamond double snake ring, and three signet rings—two on one pinky—one a retro Tiffany signet ring with an armored arm/hand, sword with “fortitude” in Latin and a diamond shield signet ring from The Moonstoned. The third is an Edwardian, Tiffany platinum and sapphire signet ring with the initial B carved into it. Sapphire is my birthstone, the initial is for my first name and my husband calls me “B”.
