I've never been much of a jewelry girl....until now. I've
been thinking more about jewelry as important accessories to historical
costume, both day and evening, but my collection is sparse, to say the least.
Time for some shopping - oh darn!
There are a couple fantastic historical jewelry makers, one
of whom is K.Walters,
At the Sign of the Gray Horse. I'd seen her creations online, but never
ordered anything, not being much of a jewelry girl.
But as I get more into accessorizing, I thought a couple
coral pieces would be a good "starter" set, since coral jewelry is
*so* historical, and *so* versatile. I asked Kim, the proprietrix of Gray Horse, if she
could create a graduated coral bead necklace and bracelets. She encouraged me
to also try the earrings with clip-on findings, and now I'm really glad I did!
Since the
jewelry was made for me, the bracelets fit my spindly wrists perfectly - not
too loose and not too tight.
When the
set arrived, I was impressed by the beauty and quality of it. The photos online
donot do the Gray Horse jewelry justice! The beads are Swarovski crystal
red coral beads. The findings are delicate silver - the bracelets and necklace
have a slide/snap fastening that's makes it really easy to get the jewelry on
and off, especially the bracelets. Kim also included a ring as a surprise, and
let me know that she is working on bringing tiaras to her shop (which I will
definitely be getting, to complete my very first parure).
As for the earrings, I have to say I've never worn a more comfortable clip on. These have a screw-back for adjustment, and I could not feel them when they were on. They didn't hurt my sensitive ears at all, and they stay put all day without incident.
As for the earrings, I have to say I've never worn a more comfortable clip on. These have a screw-back for adjustment, and I could not feel them when they were on. They didn't hurt my sensitive ears at all, and they stay put all day without incident.
One of the things I really like about Kim is that her work
is full of love. She enjoys making the jewelry, she makes an effort to get to
know her clients and create items they'll love, and the profits from her craft
go to support her rescue horses (hence the name of her shop). Supporting small
businesses with heart is important to me, and I couldn't be happier with
supporting At The Sign of the Gray Horse.
If you are interested in historical jewelry, check out Kim's
online shops. She can make just about anything, so be sure to contact her for
information on custom jewelry creation:
For more on American Duchess - you can follow her on the following:
