Heirloom Earring Makeover

Rebekah came to me with a pair of earrings that she didn't love. They were long dangles, and too formal for them to get much use. The diamonds in the dangles were family heirlooms, though, so she didn't want to see them gathering dust. They were also set in a way that hid their sparkle and shine and didn't have the right sort of style for Rebekah. I had just 8 stones to work with and they were small, but she wanted something that would pack a punch and look very edgy, modern, and would make a big statement.

 

First, here's what she had to say: 

What we came up with together was better than I ever would have imagined. The ear climber she custom made for me honored both my family history and my personal style. It's definitely one of the most beautiful things I own, and I will cherish it forever.

 

Aw, Rebekah! Thank you :) Here's what we made: 

Bespoke Statement Ear Climber

This is a two-post stud earring/ear-climber that uses both her first and second piercings to help keep it stable and super-comfortable. I kept her original 8 stones, but added another 3 blue sapphires for contrast, and created a custom white gold setting that used minimal prongs for maximum light, maximum sparkle, and a sleek design. I kept the shape free-form and random, since Rebekah loved the natural, wabi sabi style, and because it created a larger visual impact. It's a single earring that she wears with a matching stud on the other side and she adores the asymmetry of it, too. In spite of how sparkly and full of diamonds it is, because it's a stud, she's able to wear it for days on end and in lots of different settings without feeling over- or under-dressed. She said she was recently packing earrings for a trip and didn't even bother with anything else, since she knew that this piece would be low-maintenance while also showing off her awesome style. 

I LOVE being able to make projects come to life for clients, and this was no exception. Saving sentimental stones from gathering dust and making a statement piece that is a new daily favorite is just so satisfying. Plus, this piece is absolutely one-of-a-kind and not to be found anywhere else, since I built it from scratch, which is exactly as it should be when setting sentimental stones like these. 

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