The Touch, the Feel

The touch, the feel...no, surprisingly I am not talking about cotton. You're probably thinking "come on it is jewelry and it is all about the look, so what's with the touch and feel stuff." Well, while the look is important, for me jewelry serves another purpose. You see, I am a "fiddler" -- not the kind of fiddling associated with a musical instrument; but the kind of "fiddling" that happens when my fingers have to be busy. I've never been able to sit perfectly still -- no matter the location (frequently to the dismay of those in close proximity). I can't help it, I have busy hands and I am an annoying foot wiggler as well -- so I doodle and I knit and I wear jewelry all while wiggling my foot. Be forewarned - you might not want to sit next to me on a flight and I am okay with that!

So, I say "let's hear it for jewelry" -- it is an acceptable way to deal with fiddling. It's no secret -- I love big gemstones and big jewelry made from those gemstones. If you know me, you already know that. But, I'll pretend that you have no idea who I am and we'll go from there. Call me crazy but not only is there something about the way the gemstones look, for me, oftentimes, it is about the way they feel. Always cool to the touch and, depending on the cut and faceting, in most cases there is a smoothness about them that can't be copied in plastic or any faux material. I know that when I wear a bracelet made from bolder gemstones, I spend a lot of time fiddling with it. Not in that "I can't wait to get this thing off my wrist" kind of way, but in a calming almost meditative way. I know, I know -- it's just jewelry right? Well, clearly not for me. It seems that I use jewelry for more reasons that just mere decoration.

There is much lore around the powers of gemstones, and, quite frankly, the rock geek in me loves learning all I can about rocks and minerals. I do believe that they carry the energy of Mother Earth -- of all things that came before. Now could they not? It is this thinking that drives me to showcase the gemstones in both simple and complex designs, allowing for the stones to look beautiful and providing a touchstone, of sorts, for you the wearer.

I'm hoping you get the point I am working so hard to make here. Just think of the worry beads you find in Greece -- beads that men, women and children hold and "fiddle" with throughout the day. Knowing that people around the globe are holding on to beads at this very moment makes me feel better. It confirms that somehow my "fiddling" with jewelry is not an unusual behavior; in fact, it is quite normal...right?