Heirloom Locket Gets New Life

“Wearing a piece of heirloom jewelry feels special.  This locket connects me to my roots and reminds me of life’s most important things.  It’s exciting to imagine my own daughter wearing it a few decades from now.”

Betsy was excited to have one of her favorite family jewelry pieces deep cleaned and updated for a burst of new life.

heirloom locket redesign monogrammed family locket showcased in Portugal custom jeweler jadorn designs

Betsy’s locket was passed down to her recently by her mother from that side of her family.  The locket first belonged to her great grandmother Mildred.  

On the outside, the gold heirloom locket has Grandma Mildred’s maiden monogram engraved in a beautiful script: MHJ (for Mildred Hadley Jones).

    • Fun fact: Back in the early 1900s, monograms were done in name order (as in first initial, middle and then last) rather than the first LAST middle that we see commonly today

This heirloom locket spares no detail!  The reverse side carries a lovely and intricate floral engraving. 

It’s what I like to call “A second locket look.”

heirloom locket front back monogram custom jeweler jadorn designs

But, like all good things, it’s what’s inside this heirloom locket that matters most.  Open it up and you’ll find two old photographs.  And the sepia tones give us all the nostalgic feels!

One photo is of Grandma Mildred’s husband, Betsy’s great grandfather Edward Tucker.  While he is pictured in his WWI Army uniform, I was excited to learn that he was also a fellow artist!  After his military service, he and Mildred moved to Washington DC where he worked as an illustrator for the Department of Agriculture.  He also did some freelance commercial poster art on the side.

Heirloom locket redesign monogram family locket heirloom custom jeweler jadorn designs

The second photo is of Betsy’s grandfather, Kenneth Tucker in his WWII Coast Guard uniform.  Grandpa Tuck lived with Betsy and her family from the time she was ten years old until he passed away 13 years later.  

“It was an amazing addition to my childhood to have my Grandpa right next door in an in-laws suite.  There were lots of trips to the snowball stand in his pickup truck and sneaking treats and certain TV shows.  Lots of monopoly games.  It really is one of my most treasured childhood things.  So, being able to carry his memory with me by wearing this heirloom locket is a true gift.”

Originally, the locket was on a shorter, thicker chain.  It fit the piece well, but Betsy wanted something a little updated.  
    • Her vision was a longer chain so that the locket would hit right below the ribcage.  
    • And, we decided a more delicate gold filled rope chain would enhance the look.
    • As a bonus, Betsy is now able to pass the original gold chain along to her sister
      so they can each have a piece of this heirloom to hold on to.

heirloom locket redesign monogram family locket gets new life for the next generation

“Ali had this piece ready for me just before we jet-setted off to Portugal, Spain, and Myrtle Beach.  It is exactly what I had dreamed of.  So easy to dress up or down and a great conversation started.  I loved carrying a piece of my family history with me as we’re creating our new family memories.  I think everyone should treasure, preserve and create family heirlooms!”

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20 on the Rise: Alison Jefferies Wins Designer Award!

top creative entrepreneur jewelry designer Alison Jefferies, J'Adorn Designs custom jeweler and bridal accessories

Alison Jefferies was recently named a top designer by 20 On the Rise, a curated list of 100 creative entrepreneurs to watch!

We are so proud to share that our CEO and custom jeweler Alison Jefferies won a spot on the list of Designers in this list of rising stars!

20 on the rise finalist Alison Jefferies, Top Designer, emerging creative entrepreneur

So, what is 20 on the Rise? 

20 on the Rise is a list of creative entrepreneurs to watch, curated by The Rising Tide Society, Gusto, Peerspace, and HoneyBook.

According to their website:

“20 on the Rise is a celebration of individuals who are making waves and raising the tide, rocking their respective industries through hard work and creativity.” 

20 on the rise finalist Alison Jefferies, Top Designer, emerging creative entrepreneur

Contestants were nominated anonymously by their peers. The winners were selected based on: empowerment, impact, purpose, and passion.
20 on the rise finalist Alison Jefferies, Top Designer, emerging creative entrepreneurHere is an excerpt from Alison’s 20 on the Rise profile. It explains the heart behind what she does through her work as the owner of J’Adorn Designs and in the community.
  • 20 On the Rise: What are you best known for?
  • Alison: My custom accessory clients know me best for my warm and intuitive customer service and excellent craftsmanship of their commissioned projects. My potential clients who have come across J’Adorn Designs online know me for bridal accessories and upscale custom designs for both weddings and major life events. The designs I make are known for their combination of elegance, simplicity, botanical elements, comfortability, and quality craftsmanship.
    My TuesdaysTogether community knows me for my empathy and desire to make our resources available to everyone in the group. They know me for my genuine interest in how each of them is doing, and for my willingness to share my own expertise with them.
    Friends and family know me for my empathetic and sensitive nature, my passion for women’s rights and equality, my quirky sense of humor, my love of world languages and cultures. (I’m fluent in German!) [They also know me] for my undying love/obsession with bunnies.
    My hope is that everyone who knows me will know me as a trustworthy and caring person with a love for life and desire to share that love with them in tangible and intangible ways. I hope that the world knows me as an ally who looks for opportunities to serve them and make their lives better.

    20 on the rise finalist Alison Jefferies, Top Designer, emerging creative entrepreneur

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