Mark Your Calendar

Three days that bring out the Americans people’s patriotic side are the Fourth of July, when the US celebrates Independence Day; Memorial Day, which pays tribute to fallen soldiers on the last Monday in May; and Veterans Day on November 11, honoring military vets. On these holidays, it’s traditional to fly the national flag, and jewelry designers often reflect the red, white and blue theme in custom-made brooches with rubies, colorless diamonds, and sapphires. The vintage jewelry market may see rare pieces depicting the American eagle, the “V” for victory, or even small military vehicles. Both Oscar Heyman and Tiffany & Co. have produced some beautiful flag brooches and pendants that sparkle with national pride.

Let jack-o’-lantern season begin! Pumpkins, ghosts, monsters, witches, spiders and bats are popular inspirations for Halloween jewels, and designers such as Ricardo Basta, Cicada Jewelry and Michele Ong of Carnet have created some beautiful pieces. Cicada’s charming witch in gold, diamonds and sapphires is a good example, as are Carnet’s gold and diamond pumpkin brooch and the coral rings of David Webb. The younger generation of US jewelers has also conjured up some magnificent pieces depicting haunted houses, coffins, and graveyards after dark — as seen in the Haunted Mansion cuff and other works by Chelsea Born of Georgia-based Appaloosa Designs. While orange is a favored Halloween color, creators aren’t afraid to mix it up, incorporating amethysts, purple sapphires, onyx, coral, emeralds and diamonds.

While Thanksgiving jewels may be rarer than those of other holidays, they certainly exist. The traditional turkey makes an appearance in these designs, as do other Thanksgiving staples such as the cornucopia, colorful corn, and cranberries. Fall colors like red, yellow, orange and brown are prominent in the palette. Designers including Hemmerle, Chris Chaney of Agrijewelry, and Nicole Conklin of Arrok Metal Studio offer precious corn brooches and pendants. Also notable are Tiffany & Co.’s Cornucopia brooches and the delicate Cranberry collection by Alaska-based jeweler Judie Gumm.

The Super Bowl — the final showdown in the National Football League (NFL) championship — is one of the country’s biggest events. Millions of Americans
gather in front of their TVs on the first Sunday in February to root for their
teams. With star-studded halftime shows and ads costing millions of dollars, it’s no surprise that the Super Bowl has inspired some extravagant jewelry — particularly the gem-set rings the NFL commissions for the winners. In 2015, each New England Patriots championship ring cost over $36,000 and boasted 205 diamonds totaling 4.85 carats. The primary manufacturer of Super Bowl rings is Jostens, which has produced over 30 different editions since 1966. On the vintage market, some of them can exceed $100,000 — like at Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, which specializes in these rare collectors’ items.

Colorful tree ornaments, falling snowflakes, gingerbread men, beribboned wreaths — these
and other symbols of the season find form in precious jewels that are perfect for wearing to Christmas dinner or, as many do, for the whole month of December. Diamonds, rubies and emeralds are among the common stones in these designs, in keeping with the classic Christmas colors. As Lewis Herman of Oscar Heyman notes, “the holiday season tends to inspire many custom orders.”