Tanya Lochridge

By now, it’s got to be pretty obvious that I have a penchant for all things vintage – of course, including jewelry. That being said, you can imagine my reaction when I saw these lovely Czech glass buttons that were made using vintage molds from the factory’s vault. This one, a soothing sapphire blue color blends magically with the silver dragonfly that graces it. The challenge for me came in the way of a design. While I wanted to call attention to the button, I also wanted to figure out a way to bring the past into the present. Mixing a combination of grey/silver freshwater ringed and seed pearls with sparkly bits of silver-lined Czech glass was the perfect way to get a feel for the old. A few Czech 10mm faceted round beads glisten around the button – giving off the essence of fairy dust when the light dances off the facets. To bring the piece into the present I added a big bold triple link gunmetal chain to serve as the base for it all. The end result – a feminine vintage look tossed with a downtown chic appeal. I like to wear it with the chain closest to my hand, since it has a slight drape to it. But you should play with it and see what works best for you. When I was wear-testing the sample, I wore it alone and I also layered it with a few dark metal and sterling bangles from my personal collection. Honestly, it looked lovely both ways – just depends on the look you want. The finished length of the bracelet measures 8 inches; but because of the depth of the components it fits a bit smaller. I added a one-inch extender and it closes with a top-quality lobster style clasp. I would say, if you have a really small wrist, you may want to pass on this particular design. But don’t despair there are others in the works. From the Tanya Lochridge Jewelry Vintage Collection. Special note: I have had so many ask me to repeat this design, if you are interested in being placed on the "waitlist" send me a note at tanya@tanyalochridge.com and I'll add your name to the list and let you know when more are available. No doubt about it -- it's worth the wait! Made in the USA using domestic and imported components.