Island Vibes

Marco Island has always been a popular vacation spot. The secret is out. Our peaceful blue waters and soft white, sugary sand entice visitors from all over the world. My grandparents crossed the Jolly Bridge for the first time in the 80s and never looked back. My father soon followed in the 90s, and I will forever be grateful to him for making that move. No shoveling snow for this girl! The tropical beauty and lush surroundings coupled up with our balmy weather makes for a very welcoming place. How can you not relax? You’re on island time! 

As always, our sea life designs and nautical looks are in demand. Everyone wants to bring back a little reminder of their stay on Marco Island. Anchors, compass rose, and wave pendants in yellow gold are having their moment. This is just such a bold and beautiful look especially when hung from a sparkly diamond cut rope chain. Perfection! I always look for bold pendants that are easily recognizable from afar and in pictures. 

The Larimar designs in sterling silver pack a pretty tropical punch, too. This is a natural stone found only in the Dominican Republic and has a pretty light blue color that reminds people of the water. When I visited the DR a couple years ago the locals were so proud to show off their beautiful larimar pieces mined by hand they had found in the rough. If I could afford it I would have a kitchen countertop made from the stuff. So cool! Dolphins, sea turtles, and sand dollars are the most popular choices for the larimar pieces. We have a marvelous Hawaiian designer that we always keep in stock and people return year after year to add to their collection. If the blue stone isn’t your thing check out our sterling silver and cubic zirconia designs. We have lots of sand dollars, starfish, palm trees, and turtles to choose from. These make a great gift to commemorate a trip to Marco Island if you’re not looking to spend too much.

As always our repairs have been keeping us quite busy. The shop is humming along with lots of hammering and polishing. A lot of restorations have been coming in. Here is your regular reminder to pop in the store for a complimentary cleaning and inspection of your prongs. Many people neglect this service and nothing is worse than looking down and seeing an empty spot where your diamond once was. Nothing lasts forever and much like a car our precious jewelry needs maintenance. Most of my clients have been wearing their rings for upwards of 30 years. Maintenance always costs less than a full restoration. Be proactive, come in and say hi and look around a bit at our latest styles, and leave shinier than when you came in! 

My father has been noticeably absent from time to time. He will be turning 71 this month and besides being a bit laid back, and rightly so…after 25 years as a jeweler in Boston and another 31 years here on Marco, he deserves time to enjoy traveling and life pleasures, most of all his four his grandkids. He’s no longer working the 50-plus hours he used to. He’s not totally out to pasture; I still have him tethered to the barn fence, and he still very much has his hands on things and is still creating fantastic commissioned pieces for his clientele with sophisticated tastes. So, if that is what you seek, I suggest you make an appointment for Dad’s special services to make sure he is available. Please, no appointments about jewelry repairs or watch batteries with Dad. We have a full staff to assist with your needs, including batteries, repairs, or restringing your precious pearls. The repair shop includes two talented goldsmiths and one happens to be my brother. I dare say my brother is giving my dad a run for his money in the talent dept. After all, my dad taught him, and my brother most definitely has younger eyes. Honestly though, the caliber of craftsmen like my father and brother are harder and harder to come by nowadays. The days of handing down a trade from generation to generation are nearly over.

I always consider myself very lucky my father wasn’t a plumber, and instead I get to play with beautiful jewels all day long.   

Thanks again, Marco Island. We’re so pleased to be one of your locally owned businesses that you support. We plan to continue to be so for many years to come!