A Legacy to Be Proud of Since 1909

Our jewellery journey

Sally
2nd June 2025 3  min read

Our jewellery journey

A couple of months ago I went to learn a thing or two from the gardener Adam Frost. His talk was motivating and he spoke of his garden as a journey down memory lane saying ‘every bed is a little piece of art, which all together add up to a collection with lots of links running through them.’

I came home totally inspired and thought about my own garden in a different light. My small garden has little pockets of memories which relate to me, for example my grandma’s sweet peas, an Aunt’s penny farthing stepping stone and an old water pump from my first house.

Jewellery, in a similar way is like Adam’s garden, certain pieces represent each chapter of our lives with a story to tell. I love the fact I can wear my grandmothers ring and being able to remember her wearing it too. In a sense it brings us together.

Favourite garden plants like my sweet peas, pansy, rose, ivy and daisy were popular in Victorian jewellery, where flowers expressed unspoken thoughts to convey sentiment. This was known as Floriography (a language of the flowers) and one of the most poignant for me is the bright blue gemstone turquoise which represented the flower forget-me-not. Sadly, I think we have lost this art of subtlety these days but jewellery will always be a celebration of life’s special moments or just because we love it!

Flower patterned diamond set cluster rings were popular in the 1900’s often being used as engagement rings and I have a pretty example to show you which was given to me by my mum. These sentimental rings are often kept and passed onto the next generation. If they need some TLC and looking a little tired, our workshop can work its magic so that the ring can be worn again.

Charm bracelets are perhaps the most poignant part of any jewellery collection. Each has its own personality and relates to significant milestones in one’s life. They became popular in Victoria’s reign and latterly throughout the 1950s and 1960s. One of my lovely customers is creating a bracelet for each of her grandchildren and each year adding a charm relating to her time together with them. A little bit of jewellery history in the making!

Lockets still remain a special part of our jewellery journey and they hold whatever the wearer wishes to place inside, a photograph, message or a lock of hair. I have an oval gold locket given to me by my twins when they were five and now my daughter has recently been given my late mums ‘special’ locket as a keepsake.

The lovely thing about jewellery it is so tangible, you can hold it, you remember when and who gave it to you. It is a thing to treasure and enjoy…

Sally x

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AA Thornton Jeweller, a fifth generation family run jeweller specialising in design work, repairs & bespoke jewellery.

AA Thornton Jeweller, a fifth generation family run jeweller specialising in design work, repairs & bespoke jewellery.

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