The Story Before Yours Begins
Behind the scenes of sourcing, naming, and sharing the pieces that carry legacy forward.
Every piece in The Inheritance Collective carries a story, but that story doesn’t begin with you — it begins long before. Because we deal primarily in vintage and estate jewelry, each piece has already lived a life. It was once chosen, gifted, and loved. Some jewels carry too much pain for their owners to keep. Others were once the most treasured possession, only to outlast their keeper, their emotional value unrecognized by the family left behind. And some were worn just once for a momentous occasion, then tucked away until the time came for them to step into another lifetime. Before a necklace rests in your palm or a ring slips onto your finger, it has traveled through auctions, private collections, and hidden jewelry boxes. Each drop is both the final chapter of one journey and the beginning of another.
✨ The Hunt: Sourcing
Finding the right piece is part instinct, part discipline. I comb through estate auctions, vintage dealers, and collections from around the world. I study weights, hallmarks, and stone settings, but in the end, every piece has to be something I would wear myself.
To be honest, I choose them the same way I’ve chosen birthday presents my whole life: Is this something I would love to keep for myself? Yes. And would it feel meaningful to share it with someone else precisely because I would want to keep it? Also yes. That’s the standard.
When a piece is right, I feel a pause — a quiet, almost unthinking stillness. If I have to talk myself into it, then it’s probably not for the collection. That said, I also give myself room to grow. My own style is always evolving, and sometimes I circle back to pieces I wasn’t ready for at first. That freedom to broaden and experiment keeps the hunt alive, and ensures that each jewel is not only rare, but resonant — worthy of becoming an heirloom again.
📝 The Naming
Once a piece is chosen, it needs a name. Naming is where a jewel begins its next chapter.
I don’t do this part alone. Every piece in The Inheritance Collective is named in collaboration with my creative partner, Kathy. Together we consider the design, the history, and the feeling it carries. Sometimes the right name comes instantly. Other times, we let it sit until the words feel inevitable.
The names aren’t just decorative. They give each jewel an identity and a place in the story, connecting the life it once lived with the life it’s about to begin.
🌸 When a Story Comes With the Jewel
Most of the time, we don’t know the exact path a piece has taken before it reaches us. But every so often, we are given the story of the woman who wore it, cherished it, and made it part of her life. Those moments are extraordinary.
When we can tell her story alongside the jewel, it becomes more than adornment — it becomes a celebration. A necklace might honor the woman who wore it to every family gathering, or a ring might carry the memory of someone who built her life with quiet strength and joy. Sharing those details sends her story back into the world, allowing her legacy to ripple outward through everyone who encounters the piece.
For me, that is one of the greatest honors of this work. Because every woman deserves to be celebrated. Every woman deserves to be remembered and raved about. And when a jewel carries not only its own beauty but also her story, it becomes a living tribute — one that continues long after her lifetime.
📸 The Photographing
Once a piece has been named, it’s ready to step into the light. Photographing jewelry isn’t only about showing what it looks like — it’s about capturing how it feels.
I’m fortunate to work with Ade of The Lab St. Augustine, whose eye brings each piece to life. Her photographs reveal not just the details — the curve of a setting, the play of light across a stone, the weight of metal against skin — but also the mood. A good photograph makes you imagine the clasp fastening at your neck, the shimmer catching your eye in the mirror, the presence of the piece before it’s ever yours.
Through Ade’s lens, the photography becomes part of the storytelling. It’s where the jewel moves from being an object to becoming an experience — something you can already picture living with. Together, Ade and I shape how each piece enters the world, ensuring that the story it carries is felt the moment you first see it.
🌐 The Role of Social Media & Local Markets
The story of each piece doesn’t end with sourcing, naming, and photographing — it continues in how we share it with the world. Social media has become an essential part of building The Inheritance Collective. It’s where we tell the stories behind the jewels, where people discover us for the first time, and where a community begins to form.
We’re still experimenting — testing formats, trying new ways of showing pieces, and learning what resonates. It’s a process, and we’re grateful for your patience and presence as we grow. If you believe in what The Inheritance Collective could become, we invite you to be part of these early steps. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, share our pages with friends and family, and help us spread the spark. These first followers — the ones who see the potential before it’s fully realized — are the foundation of the legacy we’re building together.
For those in the North Florida area, we’re also beginning to increase our physical presence at local markets. As soon as we know where we’ll be and when, we’ll share that news on our channels. For me, this part of the journey is especially meaningful — the chance to meet you in person, to hear your stories, and to learn about the beautiful memories and moments jewelry holds in your life.
I’ll be honest: I’m shy, and markets don’t always come naturally to me. I’m not a salesperson with a perfect script. I’m not even a trained jeweler. In fact, you may know more about certain details than I do — and that’s okay. I’m open to learning, and I love the idea of learning together. What I do bring is passion, reverence for these pieces, and a belief that jewelry is meant to be shared and cherished. So I encourage you to connect with me. Reach out, say hello, tell me your stories. That personal connection is the true heart of The Inheritance Collective. ❤️💫