Beloved Generations – Green Amethyst Nuggets, Tourmaline & Antique Locket Necklace

Whenever I am fortunate enough to find a pretty locket with a family of old photos, it is a bittersweet discovery to know that the history of entire generations has either been given away or possibly sold during a period of hard times. Such was the case when I located this precious antique locket preserved with family photos of a young girl and what appear to be her mother and father. My mind wanders to the circumstances that led to the locket eventually ending up with an antique dealer - for sale, to the person that will pay a pittance for such a rich legacy.

The Beloved Generations necklace is composed of Alexandrite colored green amethyst nuggets and rondelles that culminate in a “frill” of multicolored tourmaline rondelles and a single watermelon tourmaline slice - highlighting the sweet memory of a locket from a bygone era. The antique gold filled locket provides its own provenance with original hand colored photos more than likely from the Victorian Era. The necklace portion measures 26” with a generous “frill” and feature watermelon slice bead more than 2” long before it culminates at the lovely old locket. The total drop of the frill & locket measures 5” long.

With a historic pedigree, the Beloved Generations necklace was inspired by a room I designed for the Junior League of Boston’s Silver Anniversary Showhouse – another home with pedigree, the Michael Curley Estate in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts. Michael Curley was the very controversial multi-term mayor of Boston with a bit of a “Robin Hood Syndrome”. He succinctly thumbed his nose at the Boston Brahmins when the Curley estate was built, by adding shamrock shutters to the house.

In a nod to the historic background of the Curley home, where very famous and some infamous personalities visited – the upstairs great room was dubbed “The Ambassador’s Club” with acknowledgement to the Curley legacy. This formal yet lighthearted great room space had formerly been two bedrooms in the family home. The rich, clear colors of the room as well as the chenille “Fleur de Lis” sofas were selected for their durability and comfort, as well as their cheeky comment to the capricious diplomatic wallpaper.