She saw her people
A custom necklace created to hold the people closest to one woman’s heart.
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When my friend Ann reached out to me about a milestone birthday for Kayla, she and a group of Kayla’s close friends already knew they wanted to give her something special.
They just didn’t know exactly what it would look like yet.
These women have been friends for years, golfing together and celebrating life’s milestones together. I had previously had the privilege of creating a special necklace for another woman in the group, so it was especially meaningful when Ann came back to me for Kayla’s gift.
Ann became my primary contact, and Kayla’s daughter, Stephanie, joined the conversation as we began thinking about a necklace that could represent the people closest to Kayla.
The idea began with seven birthstones.
Aquamarine for Clark.
A diamond, represented by cubic zirconia, for Charlie.
Opal for Stephanie.
Emerald for Blake.
A marquise ruby for Kayla.
Opal for her late husband, Tom.
And ruby for Mia.
Knowing what the necklace would represent was actually the easy part.
Figuring out what those seven very different stones should become took a little longer.
From seven stones to one design
I explored several different possibilities, thinking about Kayla herself as I worked. Her style is refined and timeless, but there is a fun side to her, too. I wanted the necklace to feel elegant without becoming too formal or predictable.
I shared several concepts with Ann, Stephanie and the group, giving them the opportunity to choose the direction that felt most like Kayla.
They ultimately chose an organic, vertical cluster.
In this design, each stone could keep its own color, shape and character while nestling into the others to create one composition.
At the center, I placed Kayla’s marquise ruby—because she is the heart of this family.
Around it are the stones representing Tom, her children and her grandchildren. Small touches of 14k gold bring warmth and contrast throughout the piece, while an adjustable sterling silver chain allows Kayla to wear it at different lengths.
Then it was time to turn the drawing into the real thing.
At the bench
Bringing seven stones of different shapes and sizes together was its own little puzzle.
Each setting was made individually, and the composition slowly came together at my bench—stone by stone, connection by connection.
I love this stage of the process.
It isn't particularly glamorous. The silver still bears the evidence of soldering and fabrication. The gemstones aren't there to provide their color and sparkle.
But the structure of the piece exists.
Every opening has a purpose. Every setting has been created for one particular stone.
And eventually, the design that had existed only as an idea and a drawing became something I could hold in my hand.
Then came the transformation.
As I worked, I kept thinking about all the thought that had gone into this gift long before it ever reached my bench.
Ann, Stephanie and Kayla’s friends had decided who they wanted represented and what they hoped the necklace would mean.
My part was to listen to all of that and find a way to translate it into something Kayla could actually wear.
And then Kayla opened it.
And then came the part I couldn't have designed.
After Kayla opened the necklace, Ann sent me photos of her reaction.
Seeing how much the gift meant to her was incredibly moving. I had spent so much time thinking through every detail of the necklace, but those photos reminded me that its real meaning went far beyond anything I could create at my bench.
The necklace held reminders of the people Kayla loves, but in that moment, it became something more—a reminder of how very much she is loved, too.
When Kayla and I talked afterward, she told me:
“I’m not a crier, but I was crying. I was just overwhelmed.”
Then she told me:
“I just never dreamed anyone would give me such a special gift. I just never, never dreamed it.”
And perhaps my favorite part—she said she hadn't taken it off since the day they gave it to her.
Later, Kayla wrote to me about what made the necklace so meaningful:
“I was overwhelmed by all the thought, time and love behind this beautiful necklace.”
She talked about the birthstones representing her children, grandchildren and Tom, and how the necklace would remind her of the people who mean so much to her.
She saw her people.
There are seven stones in the necklace.
Seven different colors and shapes, each representing someone important to Kayla, gathered together into one composition.
But when Kayla looked at it, she didn't simply see seven birthstones.
She saw her people.
And she saw the thought and care of the friends who had gone to such lengths to create this gift for her.
That's something I could never put into the necklace on my own.
Ann, Stephanie and Kayla's friends gave the piece its meaning. I had the privilege of giving that meaning a form she could wear.
And perhaps that's what the most meaningful custom work can become—not simply a piece made especially for someone, but something that could never have belonged to anyone else in quite the same way.
From the Studio
The pieces I treasure creating most aren't necessarily the ones with the rarest stones or the most complicated techniques. They're the ones that carry something I couldn't have invented myself—a family's history, a friendship, a memory, a person someone wants to keep close.
That's the beauty of making something for one particular person. The jewelry may be what we can see, but the meaning is what makes it hers.
Creating beauty worth treasuring.
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Have a story you’d like to carry with you?
Custom work begins with a conversation. If you have an idea, a meaningful stone, or simply a story you’d like to explore, I’d love to hear about it.