Gilding the Lily

Shopping for the young woman in your life may be a challenge: they know what they like: they simply can’t explain it. But what they don’t want is easy — they don’t want what anyone else has. They want things to be perfect, selected specifically for them.

We might have the answer!

In many ways, this box is just perfect for the young woman beginning to build her own jewelry collection. It features high quality construction — wooden compartments lined with green velvet — and a stunning 18th century image, from Landseer’s “Arab Tent” reproduced here: a mare, tenderly nuzzling her foal. A quiet moment of warmth and affection, representative, perhaps, of a mother’s love for a beloved daughter. It’s sentimental without being overtly so. The brass nameplate can be engraved with her name or initials, further personalizing the gift.

You can find the Arab’s Tent jewelry box here!

Shimmer and Shine

This gray mother of pearl necklace may be the ultimate holiday piece. You can wear it with everything from a white t-shirt and jeans to your little black dress. Sarah Jessica Parker, in Sex and the City, even wore a necklace very like this one to bed! (Not necessarily recommended, mind you!)

You can never, ever go wrong with pearls. Especially not when the pearls look like this:

At 17″ long, this gorgeous necklace rests almost perfectly on one’s breastbone, a great length that works with many necklines. Always appropriate, this necklace is subtle and elegant. It looks fabulous in candlelight, so if someone’s taking you out for a special dinner, you’ll know what to wear.

Pearls are classic and timeless, while the silver-gray sheen of these mother of pearls is very cutting edge and of the moment. A great combo, in limited quantity. You’ll want to find out more  here.

Embrace Fall’s Hottest Color Now

Citrine — the bright, golden color of autumnal sunshine, captured perfectly in stone — is the stone of the moment. Every designer, from here to Europe and back again, is rushing to render up their finest creation in this hot, hot stone.

Seen here in a bold, striking piece, citrine can be used to make a real statement: very fashion forward while still incorporating traditional elegant equine symbols: note the Double Stirrup clasp!

You can wear this long, or double it: versatility in a piece sure to be a key player in your wardrobe this fall! Best of all, some people say that citrine has the power to dispel sadness and chase bad dreams away. If they’re right, you can look good and feel good, all at the same time! Find out here

In The Spotlight

You might have noticed that we’ve named the Show Stable Artisans blog “In the Spotlight”. There are a couple of reasons why we’ve done this.

Of course we want to give our newest, best and most attractive pieces of equestrian jewelry special attention- but there’s another reason, too.

In the Spotlight (who I called Spotty) was more than just a horse to me. She came into my life in 1990, and when my husband passed away in 1992, Spotty was exactly what I needed-she was more than a companion or show horse, she gave me a focus and she gave me a life for the next 8 years.

Now of course, horses from Europe are popular and in high demand. Horse people everywhere value the talent and temperament that comes from the careful breeding of royal stock with thoroughbred and work horse stock. Spotty was one of the earliest “warmblood” horses in New England, and in some ways she set the bar.

It was my good fortune to have had a horse that embodied the characteristics that are most prized by amateur riders: an amazing athlete, a steady, reliable and comfortable gait to ride, lots of chrome, a pleasure to ride and watch ( routinely covering up MY mistakes), perfect ground manners, an easy keeper, AND she was always happy to see you!

Together we were a team- and it was all Spotty’s doing. We attended the top shows in the Northeast (Ox Ridge, Fairfield, Farmington) competed at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida—and regularly came away with great ribbons.

The horseshow judges loved her!

Then when she had a career ending injury, she gave me the most beautiful foal!

Spotty was a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and I am so grateful to have had her.

So, this blog is to chat about jewelry, and to highlight new and fashion forward pieces of jewelry-but also to honor Spotlight-The Star- and to acknowledge how very lucky I was to have had her in my life.

The Horsewoman’s Perfect Ring

Finding a great ring as an active horsewoman is difficult: you want the glamour and style — but you know that life with horses is less than kind to more fragile pieces. Rings are especially vulnerable: combine a high-mounted ring with life in the saddle, and you’re asking for disaster.

Here’s the solution you’ve been searching for: the ultimate rider’s ring:

The 14K White Gold Horseshoe Nail Ring combines substance and style. All of the stones are bezel set, which means you can wear your diamonds without any fear of them snagging or being lost. The bezel setting is the most secure setting you can find, keeping the stones safely nested within the gold.

This is a bold ring, a distinctive ring, a ring that speaks volumes about your commitment to style and quality — and to your active lifestyle. This is the ring of a woman who values herself enough to embrace the life she enjoys — and who knows how to look great doing it!

Find out more about this fabulous ring here

Time for Something Great

This is the watch I wear every single day: the Eclissi Equestrian Watch, available exclusively from Show Stable Artisans

You don’t have to compromise style for durability: this beautiful watch features the SSA logo, with Roman numerals in gold. It fits securely around the wrist, with a sturdy bracelet link band and a very reliable toggle clasp: you can wear this watch riding with no fear of losing it along the trail.

Before we decided to offer this watch, we field-tested it. Five demanding individuals put the Eclissi Equestrian watch through its paces, wearing it into the barn and in the practice ring, running errands around town and, of course, in the office. Everywhere we went, the watch received compliments — and it never lost a minute, despite all the wear and tear we put it through!

A great gift item — or treat yourself! Style and stability: quality that will stay with you, no matter where the trail takes you!