Editors

Remembering My Mom Through Her Jewelry

EditorsMay 06, 2022

Remembering My Mom Through Her Jewelry

Associate Editor Lenore Fedow takes us on a tour through her late mother’s jewelry box, highlighting the stories behind each piece.

20220506_Mother's Day header NEW.jpg
Pictured here is a selection of jewelry that belonged to Associate Editor Lenore Fedow’s late mother. In her latest opinion piece, she reflects on the stories her mother’s jewels tell.
My mom, Mary, was the most beautiful woman in the world.

I say that not as a brag but as a fact. She had dark brown eyes, a bright smile, a sharp wit, and the best laugh you’ve ever heard.

Her signature scent was Trésor by Lancôme, mixed with coffee and fabric softener.

I would stand in the bathroom doorway while she got ready for work and watch her do her hair. She’d warn me before she broke out the hairspray so I’d have time to run and hide from the toxic cloud.

My mom’s jewelry style was classic. She always wore her engagement ring—a round brilliant diamond on a simple yellow gold band—and her matching wedding band, set with waves of melee diamonds stacked in slanted rows.

20220506_Mother's Day-1.jpg
My parents, Mary and Bruce, on their wedding day in July 1993. My mom wore a white satin power suit and a tiara, because, as they say, go big or go home.


She also had a rotating collection of pendants my father bought her through the years.

She’d add earrings if she was feeling fancy.

Nearly all my mother’s jewelry was gifted to her. She seldom bought jewelry for herself but then again, she rarely spent any money on herself.

She worked long hours for law firms in the city, holding down two jobs for a while to pay our tuition. I wanted for nothing.

20220506_Mother's Day-2.jpg
This is a collage of photos of my mom and I, and my sister Justine, through the years.


Though on a budget, she was a well-dressed woman. Her jewels were never flashy, a far cry from my grandma’s bold style. My mom carried tokens of love.

 Related stories will be right here … 

She dyed her own hair and did her own nails, and her natural nails were perfect, with bright white tips like a permanent French manicure. I’d hold her hand and admire her engagement ring, turning it to catch the light.

It was the first diamond I ever saw, given to her by her childhood sweetheart, the little boy who stood on his roof to watch her play softball after the nuns chased him away from the neighborhood field. It was beautiful.

“You can have that someday if you’d like,” she told me once. “I’ll give the band to your sister.”

When she died in 2015, I couldn’t bear to look at her jewelry. It was too painful, a tangible reminder of what was lost.

And so my dad set her jewelry to the side, locking it away for safekeeping until my sister, Justine, and I were ready.

The years have softened my anger, the bitterness over the unfairness of losing her before she could reap the spoils of a life of hard work. But the grief is still fresh, hitting me like a wave when I least expect it.

I’ve heard people say they sometimes dial a loved one’s number to tell them something, forgetting for a moment that they’ve passed.

I don’t understand that feeling. I have felt my mother’s loss from the moment she left us.

I had never known a world without her before that moment, and the adjustment has been a difficult journey, lightened only by my faith and those who love me enough to take the walk with me when it gets too hard to travel alone.

With time, it was easier to speak about her, and sharing her stories began to bring me comfort.

With even more time, about six years’ worth, I was ready to look at her jewelry.

For a simply dressed woman, she had a lot to look through.

Like all moms, before she was my mom, she was cool. Like “I wear a leather jacket and my boyfriend (later husband) is in a heavy metal band” cool.

She was a yellow gold loyalist, an interest I acquired over time rather than inherited, like our shared love of Bob Dylan.

20220506_Mother's Day-3.jpg
At left is a photo of my parents at one of my dad’s performances in the 1990s. At right is my mom in a cool leather jacket.


Diamonds were her stone of choice, with the occasional pearl thrown into the mix.

There were a lot of gold chains—think ‘80s chic—and pendants, including a rose and a No. 1 symbol.

My favorite is a mouse charm. My Italian-American mother couldn’t sing, but that didn’t stop her from serenading her children with a Lou Monte song called “Pepino the Italian Mouse.”

Mostly in Italian, with a little English sprinkled in, it tells the tale of a man who wants to invite his girlfriend to dinner but keeps getting foiled by a mouse named Pepino who eats all of his cheese and drinks all of his wine. The idea of a man chasing a drunk mouse is peak comedy.

20220506_Mother's Day-4.jpg
A closer look at my mom’s mouse charm. This guy just cracks me up.


Another pendant reads “World’s Best Aunt.” She had 13 nieces and nephews.

There was a necklace with three birthstones, a ruby, a citrine, and an amethyst, to represent my brother, me, and my sister.

I remember how much my mom was loved and loved in return, and I understand better why the loss was so great.

I have a greater appreciation for the power of jewelry to forge connections and the love and memories it conveys from one generation to the next. It’s something we write about all the time, and it can seem like cheesy marketing speak until you’re holding your mother’s jewelry in your hands.

My mom, like me, was a private person. I wondered if she’d want me to write this.

The only thing I know for certain is she wouldn’t want her jewelry to sit in a box gathering dust in the closet, and that her story is one worth telling. My mom’s jewelry commemorates a life filled with love and celebration.

I also know that I can only feel a loss this great because I’ve experienced a love that great in my life. That’s a blessing not afforded to everyone.

So, this Mother’s Day, I ask that if you share this grief, be it for your mother or someone else, that you reach out to those who love you and feel no shame in seeking help or counseling.

Oh, and call your mother. She worries about you.

The Latest

The Story of Everything Campaign, Toadstool Mushroom and Cosmic Egg
CollectionsJun 30, 2025
State Property’s New Jewelry Tells ‘The Story of Everything’

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

Smart Age Solutions CEO Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsJun 30, 2025
The Smart Lab: Why Q3 Is the Secret Weapon For Holiday Jewelry Sales

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

Morgan Keefe
Events & AwardsJun 30, 2025
AGA Names Recipient of 2025 Gemological Education Scholarship

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

The Jewelry Book
IndependentsJun 30, 2025
Melanie Grant’s New Book Explores 200 Years of Jewelry

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

Weekly QuizJun 26, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Gemist
TechnologyJun 27, 2025
Gemist Raises $6M in Funding to Scale Jewelry Tech Platform

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Jeff Preolo, David Stout, Levi Higgs, David Benavides
IndependentsJun 27, 2025
David Webb Announces New Hires, Promotions

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

Jewelers of America logo with meetup, State of the Majors, giveaway and massages
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Blake Graham and Jessica Kohoutek
Events & AwardsJun 27, 2025
AGS, GIA Announce Beatrice Shipley Scholarship Winner

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

Buddha Mama Monstera Ring
CollectionsJun 27, 2025
Piece of the Week: Buddha Mama’s ‘Monstera’ Wrap Ring

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Cashier handing Rocksbox bag to customer
MajorsJun 26, 2025
Why Rocksbox Is Opening Stores As Signet Jewelers Downsizes

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

Penny Ruston
IndependentsJun 26, 2025
Penny Ruston Dies at 80

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

Stock image of woman shopping
SurveysJun 26, 2025
After Recovering in May, Consumer Confidence Dips in June

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

Sorellina Playlist: Electric Dreams Campaign
CollectionsJun 26, 2025
Jam Out With Sorellina’s Jimi Hendrix-Inspired Jewels

The “Playlist: Electric Dreams” collection brings lyrics from the musician’s song, “Little Wing,” to life through fine jewelry.

The Jewelry Symposium event
Events & AwardsJun 26, 2025
The Jewelry Symposium Is Looking for Speakers for 2026 Event

The event is set for May 16-19 in Detroit, Michigan.

Exterior of Marissa Collections’ new store in Nantucket, Massachusetts
IndependentsJun 25, 2025
Marissa Collections Opens in Nantucket as Legal Fight Continues

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Counterfeit Cartier “Juste Un Clou” bracelet
CrimeJun 25, 2025
Customs Nabs Another Big Shipment of Fake Cartier, Van Cleef Jewelry

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

Karine Choudhrie Big Splash Circus Starfish and Lantern Fish
CollectionsJun 25, 2025
Splash into Karina Choudhrie’s Collection of Underwater Circus Performers

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

Jewelers of America
Events & AwardsJun 25, 2025
JA Announces Impact Initiative Fund Recipients

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.

John Dyer Montana Sun Sapphire
SourcingJun 25, 2025
2025 AGTA Spectrum Awards Open for Entries

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Lori Tucker
IndependentsJun 24, 2025
Colorado Bench Jeweler Celebrates 50 Years With Local Retailer

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

“Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch for the new The Fantastic Four movie
WatchesJun 24, 2025
Citizen’s New ‘Fantastic Four’ Watch Is Literally Super

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

XO Tacori diamond ring
MajorsJun 24, 2025
Tacori, QVC to Launch Exclusive Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry Collection

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel
GradingJun 23, 2025
GIA Names New President and CEO

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

Graphic for Las Vegas recap episode of “My Next Question”
Recorded WebinarsJun 23, 2025
Watch: Top Trends at Couture, JCK Las Vegas 2025

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Luanda Accord
SourcingJun 23, 2025
Diamond Producers, Organizations to Kick in Money to Promote Natural Diamonds

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

Penny Preville, Maggie Hess, Stella Song, and Benjamin King
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Celebrate 6 Jewelry Designers

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy