Pretty Things: Handmade Jewelry from Porcelain and Stone

all photos via Porcelain and Stone Etsy shop

I've been thinking of making a jewelry purchase for myself for almost a year now, on and off, and I've finally decided what I would like. I was originally thinking of a dainty ring, something more on the fine jewelry end of the spectrum, though the price on that was always going to be a little high to fit comfortably in my month to month shopping budget. Also, I haven't worn rings since a brief period before law school when I was obsessed with bright cocktail rings, before I decided that they weren't practical for me. Long story short, I think a necklace is the way to go. In the past year, I've transitioned rather decisively to being no-frills with my accessorizing: Just a teeny-tiny necklace, barely visible over the neckline of most of my clothes, and a subdued watch most days. It's a big change for someone who used to get heavy use out of a rather sizable collection of brightly colored statement necklaces, and it sometimes feels too somber. I'd like to dip back in to wearing more substantial jewelry, and I think a necklace from Boston-based company Porcelain and Stone is the way to go, most likely the bar necklace below. (I might be ordering mine from Moorea Seal.)

I first heard of Porcelain and Stone through my undergraduate school's alum Facebook group, from someone who had purchased one of he necklaces. I went to college on the East Coast, so the tie to the Boston area has a bit of a geographical connection to us alums. Kimberly Huestis, the artist behind the business who also hand-makes each piece, specializes in ceramic or porcelain jewelry, often with really beautiful marble or natural stone-looking colors and textures. (She also makes more colorful pieces than the ones pictured, and you can see the process on her Instagram.)

Anyway, I've mentioned that I struggle with fully taking the leap into shopping more ethically for clothing, which I think requires relying on shopping secondhand. Figuring out a way of balancing my budget-consciousness with the minimalist ethics that I really want to embody is tough. It all feels even more complicated because work leaves so little extra time and energy for shopping from anywhere other than my usual mall retailers online. With this one purchase, I'm glad that the decision is simple: I'm supporting a small business, one that also happens to be woman-owned, and I'm buying something handmade in the US. The pieces I thought about are also more comfortably within my month to month budget than the other possible jewelry purchases I thought about these past few months, which is another big plus. I wanted to treat myself to something that felt a little indulgent, partially to sort-of celebrate a recent industry-wide raise even if I'll only benefit for a few weeks on this end, while still operating within the constraints of my monthly budget.

Whichever necklace I end up buying, it'll pop up in July's shopping budget. Kimberly's work really is beautiful and unique, and I highly recommend checking out her shop, whether on Etsy or her website, and her Instagram is lovely too.