Let’s face it, we all have jewelry that we never wear. Fashion and styles change. Maybe you loved it once and got sick of it. Or it’s something that reminds you of something (or someone) you’d rather not remember, or maybe you inherited a relative’s collection that’s just not your style but feel guilty about selling it — or simply getting rid of it. So it all sits in a box, gathering dust.
What if you could change that dust to joy?
Consider it the ultimate in upcycling. Necklaces can be turned into rings. Bracelets into earrings. Gold can be reused. Stones can be reset. What was once unloved and ignored can now be a stunning, custom piece of jewelry.
“My biggest pet peeve is when people have jewelry they’re not wearing, it stays inside their jewelry box, saying ‘it was my grandmother’s.’ Leaving it in a safety deposit box isn’t honoring the person who gave it to them,” says Michelle Gabriel of Jules Fine Jewelry. “You can take those pieces that are outdated and make them fashionable and current.”
Because of her own lifelong passion for jewelry and how it can create lasting joy, it’s not as simple as “what can I make out of this?” Michelle first works with her clients to get to know them, what their style is, and what they’re looking for.
It becomes art when she imbues a bit of a person’s history in what she creates.
“Jewelry should be a reflection of you, your personality, and your life,” Michelle explains. “Each piece should retain a special memory that makes you smile.”
Once she gets down to work on a piece, it’s nearly a surgical process as stones are carefully removed by hand, laid out, and inspected. She’ll see what she has to work with and how things can be reused. Sketches are drawn. Then she'll use CAD designs, molds, videos, pictures, and various creative tools to reinvent the piece with the client’s vision in mind. But many times, the vision is her own. Michelle opened her first jewelry shop in 1999, so she’s got a long history of creating beautiful custom designs — and a lifetime of seeing others’.
In the end, you’ll have something new and beautiful that brings you joy. More importantly, you'll have something you’ll actually wear.
Those memories that you have stored in a box do nothing to feed your soul. In the hands of a skilled specialist like Michelle, you’ll have reasons to love your jewelry all over again.
To consult with Michelle about giving your jewelry a makeover, call 973-808-1515 or visit Jules Fine Jewelry, located next to Rails Steakhouse at 8 Whitehall Road in Towaco.