These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

A Few of Gemma's Favorite Things:

Circa 1870 Austrian Ship Pendant

I just adore the intricate whimsy of this Austrian ship pendant c.1870. The process of creating enamel is always especially fascinating as it is a unreliable process that brings out certain immediate and painterly qualities in jewelry. The sweet composition of color and texture coupled with the imaginative and charming sailboat flying along the chest always gives me a smile. 

Circa 1840 Rose Cut Diamond Earrings

Rose Cuts! Rose Cuts! Rose Cuts! Can you tell I adore them?  

These earrings are not only a marvelous piece of fashion history, they are also so much fun (and easy!) to wear. I love to contrast organic and linear elements, which for me, creates elegant, simple modernity. The rose cut gives us an opportunity to contextualize and play with the natural stone-like texture and sparkle of the gems to create outfits and ideas that mix the old and the new.  

A Thanksgiving Day "Thank You" Sale

It is somehow right that Isadora’s anniversary month coincides with Thanksgiving, as every year at this time we are doubly reminded of all that we can be thankful for—the gift of Isadora's beautiful clients and the city in which we live and love.  

Only Erte could express what enormous gratitude we truly feel.

We hope you will stop by the day after Thanksgiving for some chocolate, bubbly and a Thanksgiving Day "Thank You" Sale.  

Love,
The Women of Isadoras

Why Gift Giving Matters to Me

Every August my friend Elizabeth says, “It’s almost Christmas” and I cover my ears and hum a ditty.  And she uncovers my ears and says, “Before you know it, it will be Christmas” and I ignore her.  But here we are three days before Thanksgiving and she is sitting smug with a half filled Christmas closet and I wonder where September and October went.

Art Deco Holiday Postcard

And so, as I try and cobble together a Christmas list, I find myself contemplating the nature of Christmas gifts and gift giving in general.

Antique Gold Heart Locket-The Ultimate in Sentimental Gifts

I remember the first year I picked out my own Christmas gifts.  I was ten or eleven, and felt it was time I started participating in the gift giving as well as receiving. And so I counted my pennies, consulted with my grandmother and decided to give gifts to five family members.  I don’t remember most of the gifts I gave that year but I do remember giving my mother a beautiful cake platter that she uses to this day.

Vintage Diamond Negligee Necklace

And I learned something that Christmas, that overused but true truism, it is better to give than to receive.  Or if not that, giving can be really great, because that Christmas I remember anticipating less what I would receive and more the expressions on peoples faces when they opened the presents I had purchased for them.

Victorian Snake Ring-Symbol of Eternal Love

And ever since that Christmas, I have given gifts.  Which depending on the size of my bank account, has varied from the moderately lavish to the homemade.  One year I think I had to glue the wrapping paper shut because I ran out of money for tape.  And like my bank account, my investment emotionally in gift giving has also varied from the perfunctory to the heartfelt.

Antique Victorian Scottish Bracelet

But this year I want to reinvest myself in why I choose to give gifts.  Because for me, when I get it right, a gift, large or small, can be an expression of how I value and love my friends and family. A gift can be a wonderful moment, a lasting memory of friendship or love exchanged.  Something my friends and family can look at as a reminder of how much I care for them.

Art Deco Enamel Cufflinks-Men Appreciate Jewelry Too!!!

One of the very best gifts I’ve ever given was a 1920’s shell cameo with marcasite frame.  I gave it to my grandmother who adores cameos and it is her very favorite one.   She wears it on special occasions and she even rigged a little picture frame for it, so she can keep it on her bedside table whenever she is not wearing it.  For me it was the gift giving equivalent of a home run, because not only it is something she loves for what it is, singularly, it is something sentimental and lasting and only a few people know how much which she loves cameos and I am one of them.

Victorian Cameo Brooch

I’ve given gifts that I’ve remembered and given gifts that I’ve forgotten and this year I want to give only memorable gifts.  Gifts that say I see you and I love you. This year I plan to be unabashedly sentimental.  This year I plan to wear my gift giving on my sleeve.

European Treasures: Just in Time for the Holidays

As the holidays approach, we at Isadoras take gift giving very seriously.  We have been scouring the globe for the most beautiful, the most unique and the most intimate holiday gifts.  And if I do say myself, I think we have outdone ourselves this year.

We have just put on the floor some truly gorgeous antique gems.  Please stop by the store to see these beautiful European finds.

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These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

A Few of Miko’s Favorite Things:

Art Deco Jade Platinum Ring

My absolute favorite Isadoras piece of jewelry is this striking Art Deco platinum ring.   I love the soft color of green jade contrasted by the hardness of the platinum.  And I adore the subtle architecture of this ring and how close it sits to the finger.

Victorian Steel Cut Earrings

I have a fondness for industrial Victorian jewelry.  And steel cut jewelry, to my eye, is one of the most fantastically industrial Victorian baubles, simultaneously beautifully antique and intensely modern.  With their industrial sparkle they would suit the most modern of fashonista and you can dress them up and dress them down.  I love the length of this particular pair of 1850’s steel cut earrings.

Art Deco Silver Horse Head Brooch

For the past several years I have found myself drawn again and again to striking animal jewelry—whether it is a panther ring, lion bracelet or horse head brooch.  I love the details of this particular piece.  You feel the horse might actually come to life.  Brooches are also one of my passions, as I feel  you are truly wearing a mini work of art.

Vintage Omega Yellow Gold Watch

Two of my good friends have recently purchased vintage watches and I have to say I keep looking at them with an acquisitive eye.  Like many of my generation, I wore a wristwatch in my youth, but I have relied of late on my cell phone.  But a cell phone cannot replace the handiness of a watch and it can definitely not replace a watch’s beauty.  I love the beautiful lines of this 1970’s yellow gold Omega.

Vintage Retro Diamond Ring

The Retro era of jewelry has always been one of my favorites.  I feel like it was one of the most creative eras.  I adore the shape of this ring as well as the pairing of warm rose gold with sparkling diamonds.

Isadoras Antique Jewelry Featured in November Seattle Met Magazine

Isadoras owner, Laura, was featured in this month’s Seattle Met Magazine. Seattle Met’s Laura Cassidy chatted with Isadoras Laura Dalesandro about her life long love affair with jewelry.

Please check out the article on news stands now or at Seattle Met’s website:

http://www.seattlemet.com/style-and-shopping/articles/laura-dalesandro-accessories-expert-and-owner-of-isadoras-fine-antique-jewelry-november-2012

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These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things . . . Lauren

As the holidays approach, we decided to revisit our favorite blog series, "These are a few of my favorite things".  Every Tuesday through Christmas, one of our staff members will take a moment to share five of their favorite Isadoras pieces and why they absolutely adore them. 

We begin our series with our newest staff member, Lauren:

A Few of Lauren's Favorite Things:

Czechoslovakian Glass Dangle Earrings

These earrings immediately caught my eye because of their vibrant neon orange color! I love their movement and the funky nature of the imperfectly matched beads. I love things that make a statement and I would love to pair these earrings with an all black outfit and an amazing up-do. These earrings are a definite conversation piece!

Antique Victorian Diamond Ring

This is the first piece of jewelry in the store that made me melt. I wore this ring for three days straight. I love how the diamonds are clustered together to create a circular, geometric look. The ring is also detailed with black enamel on the sides, which really accents the diamonds and makes the ring really pop! It’s absolutely stunning and being a nontraditional girl, it’s my dream engagement ring!

Vintage Retro 18KT Gold Bracelet

This is THE gold bracelet of all gold bracelets, in my book. It absolutely stands alone as a beautiful, architectural piece. It has a great weight which makes it feel extra amazing on!  It is definitely a statement piece but can also be stacked with other gold bracelets for a different look. It would be a fantastic staple in any jewelry collection.

Art Deco Onyx & Diamond Ring

This ring is so striking, with the diamonds set against the pitch, black onyx. I love the length of this north to south ring, it really elongates your finger. It would pair well with a monochromatic outfit of any color.  I envision bright orange or magenta.  It could even be paired with jeans and a white tee shirt! This pick again speaks to my love of geometric shapes.

European Collection: Victorian Enamel & Pearl Locket

I love the vibrant blue color of the enamel against the bright gold locket and white pearls. The pairing of colors really accents the symmetry of the design on the front, making it bold yet precious. There is also something about lockets that I find really sweet, the close proximity to the heart and the idea of carrying an image or symbol of someone you love. I also think this is a great piece to layer with other gold chains or simple necklaces for a different look! 

Isadora’s Invites the City of Seattle to a 40th Anniversary Celebration

After 40 years in business, owner Laura Dalesandro wishes to celebrate Isadora’s anniversary with the people she adores, the people of Seattle.  The staff of Isadora’s invites the city to stop by the store during the month of November for some champagne and sugar.

Isadora’s Antique Jewelry was opened on November 7^th, 1979 in a garage in Tulsa, Oklahoma with just a $500 loan and a small collection of fine antique clothing and jewelry.  Today Isadora’s resides in Seattle, Washington on the corner of 1^st and Pine at the heart of the Pike Place Market, proud to be part of the Inn at the Market and Seattle.  There have been many changes over the years and many things that have stayed the same, primarily a commitment to a family business and beautiful, well crafted, ethically sourced, antique jewelry.  But if you ask the owner what decision she believes had the most impact on the store she would put moving Isadora’s to Seattle at the top of her list.  In moving cities Laura wasn’t just changing locations but also making a choice to move to a city that would not only be a good fit for her store but a city that she wanted to grow with, live with and a city that shared the same values and aspirations as she did.  And having made that choice she has tied her destiny to the city of Seattle.

And Seattle has been so good to Isadora’s.  The support of the customers who have come back year after year has been enormous, there are the avid collector who have not just become customers but also friends and there are the individuals and couples who at each stage of their life chose to commemorate that moment with a piece of jewelry from Isadora’s, whether it is with a wedding ring, a locket to celebrate a new baby or a bracelet to commemorate a graduation from college.  These residents of our city have chosen to share some of the most special, intimate and beautiful moments of their lives with us and we feel so blessed.

As Isadora’s looks to the future, a future that includes antique jewelry and a continued one on one connection with each and every customer, owner Laura Dalesandro, knows it is only possible with the partnership of Seattle and her people and she wishes that as many people who have been a part of Isadora’s over the last forty years and as many as will be a part of Isadora’s for the next forty, stop by for this special week so we can say thank you.  As owner Laura says, “I am not sure anyone could realize the way I feel about this. . . 40 years!!!  And I owe it all our clients and the staff . . . there is not an Isadora’s without that . . . really . . . see, I feel wild inside . . . with gratitude”.