Love Conquers All

I really wanted to use this name for my blog site, but of course someone has already claimed it. It's a beautiful phrase and people who live by these words are true romantics. In times of struggle, may it be internal or external all I need to do is call up my mom, or partner, or a friend, or get an enveloping hug from my kids and all is washed away. To me, as the Beatles once sang, "Love is all you need..."

When developing my jewelry line, Soyoung, which is still a work in progress, I look to these three words to inspire me and to translate them to my designs ("Love Conquers All"). You'll see what I'm talking about when you see its debut.

Though the obstacles of Gold/Silver and material prices rise everyday and causes an hinderance for most fine jewelers. It just goes to show you what an investment fine jewelry can be.

You've seen the "Cash for Gold" signs everywhere. The demand is insatiable. Does that I mean that I am going to run with my old, gold, out-of-fashion jewelry to the nearest Gold broker? I don't think so. I am a romantic in many ways and hold great emotional attachment to my jewelry. Even the gaudy 80's stuff holds a place in my heart. 

However, I am Korean and my mother has told me on more than one occasion that traditional 24kt tiny rings and bracelets received on my first birthday ("Dol", is the Korean 1st year celebration), and my children's could be melted down in the future if we faced any financial hardships. These gifts are not meant to be worn but to be kept as a keepsake. I think many cultures view gold jewerly as currency.

Here is my 4 year old showing off her baby jewelry. Koreans gift children with 24kt etched rings and usually bell bracelets for their 1st year birthday.  I am told bells are symbolic of warding off evil and protecting baby.  The gold rings are symbols of luck and fortune.

I know a woman who wears this gorgeous antique diamond brooch turned into a necklace that is from the Holocaust era. When she was leaving to come to the United States from Israel, with very little money in her pocket, her mother said, "take this and if you ever need money sell it". 37 years later, this woman is a very successful and is very proud that she never had to sell the heirloom. What wonderful symbolism of her success.