Please join us for a festive night out at the historic Pleasant Home mansion. Friday night will feature libations, live music and One of a Kind Holiday gifts. 

Get a head start on your holiday shopping. Mention our blog flyer and receive 20% off your purchase.  

Pleasant Home 

217 Home Ave. Oak Park Illinois

Gentleman's Pocket Watch Fobs and Chains

Watch Keys, Fobs and Chains 

Lost Works of Art

Theses forgotten pieces of history captured our imagination and hearts from the very beginning. The watch chains are an awkward length usually being 13" or as short as 3" in length, nonetheless they are beautifully crafted and we have used them countless times in our pieces. When traveling to London in the summer of 2014  I accidentally stumbled upon a shoe box size of a museum specializing in watches and their evolution. Last summer the collection moved to the Royal Science Museum.    

  The collection was breathtaking. I thought that we have found some beautiful watch keys, chains and fobs in our jewelry pieces, but the collection at this museum was absolutely stunning! My imagination transported me back in time wondering about the past owners, their lifestyles and the stories that each of these pieces held silently behind the glass cases. 

                                    The Science Museum

The Clockmakers’ Museum in London is the oldest, and is considered by many to be one of the finest collections of clocks, watches, and sundials in the world.

 It contains some 600 English and European watches, 30 clocks and 15 marine timekeepers, together with a number of rare horological portraits. The majority of items range from c.1600 to c.1850.

The Collection had been at Guildhall in the City of London since 1874, but it has now moved to The Science Museum. It was formally opened by HRH The Princess Royal on 22nd October 2015 in a new gallery on the 2nd floor of The Science Museum.

            The watch key above on the bottom left section is an actual miniature portrait (presumably the owner's wife?). Other keys had the most exquisite enamel work I've ever seen.

This one above is from our collection, hand wired with garnet gemstones. Imagine the  story you can add to this beautiful piece of history! 

For our current collection visit our Etsy store: 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TwoGirlsGems?ref=shopsection_shophome_leftnav  

A LOCK ON LOVE 

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Every year just before Valentine’s Day, love fills the air as people search on land and online for the perfect gift that best expresses heartfelt feelings to significant others.  If ever there was a time in human history that best embraced a loving sentiment in daily life, the Victorian period was it. Often seen in the Victorian period was the heart padlock. These love locks have been a symbol of love and commitment through the centuries. The earliest dating back to the Roman times. 

Sterling Silver Padlock necklace $124.00.

As the eighteenth century gave way to the nineteenth, the growing Romantic movement solidified the padlock’s status as a symbol of love and commitment. Padlocks remained a fashionable motif in jewelry right through the Regency.

Sterling heart and key on a fresh water pearl necklace. Available at Two Girls Gems $105.00

Available at Two Girls Gems $94.00 

Padlock lockets or pendants were often worn on a chain. Chains during the Regency were available in a wide variety of ornate link patterns, usually in gold or silver. However, records show that some of the more upscale padlock lockets or pendants were suspended from gold chains studded with diamonds or other precious gem-stones, others from chains made of pearls. These chains might be relatively short, so that the padlock lay above the bodice. But during the Regency, it was fashionable to hang padlocks and other trinkets from very long chains which fell down below the bodice to the natural waist or a bit lower. Padlocks might also be hung from ribbons, either to achieve a special effect, or because a chain was too expensive. It should be pointed out that some men wore padlocks, often padlock lockets. Men wore these pieces either as a fob, or on a plain, simple chain around their neck, in most cases under their clothing.

  

  Golden Globe Winners with Jewelry Style 

  Cate Blanchett always has style and taste. This year on the red carpet she wore a Givenchy gown  with matching Tiffany & Co. jewels – a diamond bracelet that mimicked the pattern details of the lace and a pair of pearl tassel earrings to match the fringe. The long tassel earrings are perfect with her short bob. 

 The winner for Best Statement Necklace is hands down Jennifer Lawrence. This beautiful bib necklace is from Chopard’s “High Jewelry Collection”, the necklace boasts 156.77 carats of diamonds set in 18k white gold. Dress by Dior. 

 After winning early in the night, Kate Winslet showed her penchant for Art Deco jewelry from Neil Lane as she accepted her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie – Drama. We particularly love her antique bracelets. Stacked on her wrist was a pair of striking Art Deco bracelets, which went nicely with her diamond drop earrings. We award Kate with Best Art Deco Jewels.

Empire star and Golden Globe winner Taraji Henson rocked the red carpet with her statement earrings by  Kimberly McDonald earrings set with rare 107-carat cushion-cut Gemfields Zambian emeralds. We approve how she paired the earrings with the simple diamond studs.