Apple Therapy

In December, I went to Apple’s Jewelry Trunk Show. Traditionally, a Trunk Show is when the Designer arrives at a boutique with a trunk full of the most recent creations from the design studio. Typically, customers then have the opportunity to purchase such creations, at such an event, usually at less then retail.

Apple has lived all over the planet and currently calls Hawaii home, so she came over to visit her sister and sell her wares. She does this every few years, right before giftmas, which is a good time. She has been a friend of mine for about 20 years [there I go again, uttering that phrase!] and I have been buying her jewelry since she started, about 10 years ago. The majority of the necklaces in my collection are her designs. That’s on purpose. Besides absolutely loving her one-of-a-kind creations, I like the idea that I know my jeweler.

Perhaps it is the romantic-in-me or the swank-librarian, but I can’t help but think back to the ‘olden days’ when jewelry and vanity items like hand carved mirrors, or tortoise shell hair clips were passed down generations. Back when these things were hand-made. Back when people didn’t have much, and thus they valued the items they did have. I don’t know why, but it appeals to me… to wear the same adornment that had been worn for decades, as if somehow preserving all of my ancestors memories, their hopes, their good times. Feels like I am cheating Time.

I’ll have to ask my mother if she has anything of grandmother’s. Of course the flip side to all of this is that my forefathers could have had bad taste and the stuff is crap. Like I said… this is the romantic in me. While I don’t own any such ancestral treasures, in my early 20’s I realized that when it came to jewelry, I was not an off-the-shelf kind of girl, and that I wanted quality items that had some meaning, that had intimacy. And that is when I started buying Apple’s jewelry.

Gorgeous Goodies!

Her stuff isn’t cheap. Nor should it be. She uses the highest quality findings, pearls, gemstones, etc. Each piece is hand-made, no two are the same. When she isn’t taking care of her kid, her husband, her house, herself, she works on her jewelry. I admire her for that. It adds a sense of integrity. She is incredibly elegant, understatedly beautiful, and passionate about life.

Shopping... with wine, of course!

Apple writing up a reciept. Notice the beauty around her neck!

Women were trying various items on and asking each other, “What do you think?” I always offered my unsolicited advice :) Every once in a while; there would be a woman who just couldn’t make up her mind. Here is where my specialty as a jewelry therapist comes in handy. For one woman, it came down to two necklaces; one was a choker with little light blue stones with one larger bright red stone that rested perfectly in that little divet at the base of her neck. It was sweet. Other women had tried that necklace on with NO affect. This was a necklace she could wear everyday. The second one was a lariat style made with a type of clear stone [forgive me Apple for not describing these well] that sparkled like ice. This one was a bit more formal than the other one. When she wore it, she exuded confidence and beauty. It certainly had the ‘WOW’ factor.

We discussed what she wanted from her new piece of jewelry… what she wanted out of her life now, what she wanted to feel when she wore her new jewelry, etc. Sometimes these types of questions help to sort out one’s feelings.

She chose the light blue one with the red stone. She couldn’t have made a bad choice.

Thanks Apple.


December 4, 2004	Apple Therapy In December, I went to Apple’s Jewelry Trunk Show. Traditionally, a Trunk Show is when the Designer arrives at a boutique with a trunk full of the most recent creations from the design studio. Typically, customers then have the opportunity to purchase such creations, at such an event, usually at less then retail. Apple has lived all over the planet and currently calls Hawaii home, so she came over to visit her sister and sell her wares. She does this every few years, right before giftmas, which is a good time. She has been a friend of mine for about 20 years [there I go again, uttering that phrase!] and I have been buying her jewelry since she started, about 10 years ago. The majority of the necklaces in my collection are her designs. That’s on purpose. Besides absolutely loving her one-of-a-kind creations, I like the idea that I know my jeweler. Perhaps it is the romantic-in-me or the swank-librarian, but I can’t help but think back to the ‘olden days’ when jewelry and vanity items like hand carved mirrors, or tortoise shell hair clips were passed down generations. Back when these things were hand-made. Back when people didn’t have much, and thus they valued the items they did have. I don’t know why, but it appeals to me… to wear the same adornment that had been worn for decades, as if somehow preserving all of my ancestors memories, their hopes, their good times. Feels like I am cheating Time. I’ll have to ask my mother if she has anything of grandmother’s. Of course the flip side to all of this is that my forefathers could have had bad taste and the stuff is crap. Like I said… this is the romantic in me. While I don’t own any such ancestral treasures, in my early 20’s I realized that when it came to jewelry, I was not an off-the-shelf kind of girl, and that I wanted quality items that had some meaning, that had intimacy. And that is when I started buying Apple’s jewelry. Gorgeous Goodies! Her stuff isn’t cheap. Nor should it be. She uses the highest quality findings, pearls, gemstones, etc. Each piece is hand-made, no two are the same. When she isn’t taking care of her kid, her husband, her house, herself, she works on her jewelry. I admire her for that. It adds a sense of integrity. She is incredibly elegant, understatedly beautiful, and passionate about life. Shopping... with wine, of course! Apple writing up a reciept. Notice the beauty around her neck! Women were trying various items on and asking each other, “What do you think?” I always offered my unsolicited advice :) Every once in a while; there would be a woman who just couldn’t make up her mind. Here is where my specialty as a jewelry therapist comes in handy. For one woman, it came down to two necklaces; one was a choker with little light blue stones with one larger bright red stone that rested perfectly in that little divet at the base of her neck. It was sweet. Other women had tried that necklace on with NO affect. This was a necklace she could wear everyday. The second one was a lariat style made with a type of clear stone [forgive me Apple for not describing these well] that sparkled like ice. This one was a bit more formal than the other one. When she wore it, she exuded confidence and beauty. It certainly had the ‘WOW’ factor. We discussed what she wanted from her new piece of jewelry… what she wanted out of her life now, what she wanted to feel when she wore her new jewelry, etc. Sometimes these types of questions help to sort out one’s feelings. She chose the light blue one with the red stone. She couldn’t have made a bad choice. Thanks Apple.
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