While at jewelry trade shows in Las Vegas last week, our Kathy was fortunate enough to attend a round table that included Kathy Rose. If you’ve heard of her, I’ll bet it was in connection with Bravo Television’s fashion reality show ‘Launch My Line’. If you’re not familiar with her name, let me tell you a bit about the show and her.

The premise of the first nine week installment of ‘Launch My Line’ was that, with proper guidance, a professional person from outside the field of women’s fashion could demonstrate enough imagination and skill to create a successful line of women’s clothing. The winner would be rewarded with a big chunk of cash to start his or her new business – launch his or her line. To help them deal with any technical deficiencies, each of the ten contestants was partnered with a professional fashion designer – in Kathy Rose’s case, Emil Gampe (of EMIL Couture); but the designs were all theirs. Ms. Rose’s inspirations were mixed, with influences from animals (both land and sea), Native American culture and the palate of colors open to her. With it all, however, she insisted that jewelry and attire had to synchronize with one another; and she was successful – and her use of jewelry, helped bring her to that jewelry forum in Las Vegas.

In fact, as a former partner in a now closed Los Angeles boutique, Ms. Rose’s background had been in jewelry; and it was this background that impelled her into the contest. “Cuts on clothing,” she allowed, “never take jewelry into consideration.” In her perception, jewelry “stars” in the daily drama of “what shall I wear?” In Ms. Rose’s words, “(speaking of jewelry) I want it to surround and protect and lead.” To this end, her necklines were open and often deeply “Veed”, the better to showcase a pendant or necklace; and of course, to showcase bracelets, wrists were never covered. Judges called her work “cohesive” and “totally wearable.” There, of course, is the nugget of information that you might profit from.

It seems imperative that the core of your jewelry collection should be purchased strategically. That is, jewelry that you may only visit is much less enjoyable to own than jewelry that can be worn often; so your jewelry purchases should be considered from the standpoint of how they will work with one another and with the clothing you wear. In a word, you will want a “cohesive” look; and without verbalizing it, Kathy Rose has said that jewelry is, or should be, the durable part of your wardrobe. This certainly makes sense to one who knows the jewelry business; and while there are basics to consider – diamond studs, pendants and bracelets – it doesn’t exclude fashion. With one proviso, nothing is so forgiving of personal idiosyncrasies as jewelry.

The proviso? It’s a variation on what the late Duke Ellington once said of music – “If it sounds good, it is good.” In jewelry the question is really that of whether or not you love it; it is so durable that “like it” is not enough. In a practical sense this means that the pendant you love, but only wear occasionally because the chain is wrong (too long or too short) for most of your clothes, needs a different attachment. This would be a simple, and often inexpensive, addition to your jewelry wardrobe that would allow it to go places currently denied it. This also means that the diamond ring you don’t wear should be restyled. The rub, of course, is that doing this will not be cheap; so it should only be done when you know your diamonds will be showcased in something you see as beautiful. That piece of fine jewelry you find to be homely and without sentimental meaning? Trade it in for something that you will wear and enjoy. It’s not a matter of money, it is a matter of value. After all, what value is there in a piece of jewelry you won’t wear?

Of course, that brings us to the jewelry we sell. We won’t buy gold ‘over the counter’; but we will let you trade it against the purchase of new jewelry. We don’t buy diamonds ‘over the counter’; but provided that we can use them, we will take them in trade against more expensive diamonds. If you have a homely diamond with sentimental value, we can tell you whether or not it is the cut that’s the problem. If it is, one of our friends is an internationally known master diamond cutter; and his shop can make it sparkle. Restyle your diamond? We do that sort of thing every week – to rave reviews, I might add. Advice on what to do to enhance the wearability of your jewelry? It’s free. If it’s fine jewelry, we do it; so check us out on line at hurstsberwynjewelers.com, then phone us at 708.788.0880 for an appointment. We’re Hursts’ Berwyn Jewelers and we’ll help you realize your dreams.