My grandmother’s jewellery box was full of wonders. Huge gold earrings and sparkly bracelets – she didn’t wear her trinkets and baubles often, which made them even more special. They were for getting dressed up, going out way past my bedtime, to glamorous Grown Up Places. It was, quite simply, treasure.
I’ve been collecting my own bits of treasure ever since I had pocket money – although I’ve moved on from the folded down pages of the Argos catalogue. I once missed a boat off a Greek island because I was buying an enormous turquoise necklace. Vintage markets, full of costume jewellery and sparkle, fuel my magpie approach to my collecting – spotting something out of the corner of my eye, knowing that I’ll cherish it.
Pearls lose their lustre if they…
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The Simple Things (Digital) - 1 Issue, December 2022