Sitting on our couch at “To Hold & To Have” one Saturday morning, a young tech. business executive chatted with a coffee in hand, his dog by his side while his girlfriend looked through our jewellery cabinets. It was a long weekend and they were stopping by to say ‘hello’ to us on their way to the ocean. The gentleman’s name is Christopher.
He and I had recently had a lengthy chat over dinner in Sydney about one of our favourite topics – all things vintage. For Christopher this mainly but not exclusively, refers to his yacht. Not just any yacht but the gorgeous “Benicia” which was built in 1931 by Captain Frank Jelly, who at the time was the Harbour Master of the Port of Hobart. Launched at Constitution Dock Hobart, Captain Fred Harris and crew raced the “Benicia” against some mates from Hobart to Sydney in 1942 through to 44 and in 1945 the first Sydney to Hobart race was born! The “Benicia” competed in five Sydney to Hobart races, coming third in 1951.
Having already circumnavigated our store several times Christopher could really appreciate our love of all things vintage and how we sometimes contrast this with strikingly modern juxtapositions. He asked about the design elements that create the vintage resonances in our jewellery. We discussed the use of fine mill graining texture around the settings of diamonds and gem stones, which often features in Art Deco style jewellery in particular. Marcasite and seed pearls are back in vogue and are a popular request for wedding jewellery this season as are hand-made one off pieces in platinum – a process which we will always make time for. Filigree and fine detailed settings are also a hallmark of an age not lost in our workshop but celebrated and kept alive with reverence and pedantic obsession!
As Christopher and I chatted that morning I felt grateful for having the opportunity to design the old/new jewellery treasures we create and sell in our store. It reinforced my passion for quality handmade pieces, for the stories they witness and the way they add to the lives of the families in which they live and pass through. They are lasting statements of time, marking celebrations, journeys and style.
To Hold & To Have 