What do you like to collect?

by Cristina from Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design

Let me start out by saying that during my lifetime, I've had a few collections. However, since I have moved around so much during my life, and lost so many things along the way from my childhood, my experiences collecting have not been very good or rewarding.

I watch Antiques Roadshow a lot though, and started developing "collection envy". Therefore, now that I think I'm pretty much settled (keeping fingers crossed), I have begun a relatively new collecting venture which I have to say, brings me a lot of joy. I did always have fond memories of my collecting too (boy, I LOVED my sticker collection), even after my inevitable loss of interest or umpteenth move. I also really loved showing my collections off to other people.

Which brings me to the topic of this post: My beautiful bracelet collection!

Now you might be thinking, Why would a jeweler collect jewelry? Or it may just make perfect sense to you. It actually just kind of happened naturally over time. I noticed that I just kept buying them, and receiving them as gifts and it has developed into a pretty sweet and eclectic collection.

Antiques Roadshow, here I come!

This charm bracelet was actually one lucky survivor of my odyssey up and down the eastern seaboard. I bought this in Puerto Rico as a teenager with my allowance. It was such a big deal for me at the time.
A very good friend of mine just showed up at my house with this one day and said "You want this for your collection? I never wear it." NICE!

I think my mom gave me this one like a million years ago. Thanks mom!

Oh wait, she gave me this one too. Can you guess where she got it?

I'll give you a hint: Merci, Mom!

Oooooh mom gave me this one too. It's my favorite. It's a Taxco Silver reproduction designed for Frida Kahlo. Its fancy- it came with papers and everything. Wow my mom's really cool.
This hot mess is great. Its a mexican charm bracelet with a special charm called "milagros", which is spanish for miracles, and the mexican people use then to pray and make wishes.
This is a very special piece I had made for me by a very good friend and fellow jeweler, who is very talented. I had never had anything custom made for me before. Really awesome.

Collecting is cosidered clutter to some, and is an obsession for others. I'll let you know if I still have this one the next time I move. I really hope so!

I would love to see what some of you collect too!

Happy collecting!

:)