Antique Jewelry, New Life

Many customers who come into the store often ask where we get the beautiful jewelry in our cases. The majority of our vintage and antique estate pieces are acquired in… get ready for it… St. Louis, Missouri!

Saint Louis, Mo. in 1855 - Engraving on stone by Leopold and August Gast, Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, TX

First settled by a number of Native American tribes followed by European occupation, St. Louis became part of the United States after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The city thrived with commerce and trade as the population exploded with immigrants, and by the start of the 20th century it was a major manufacturing hub for many industries, including jewelry. Its proximity to various modes of transportation, central location within the nation, and hosting duties for the World’s Fair and Olympics in 1904 positioned St. Louis to be second in jewelry production, just behind Paris, France.

World’s Fair at Forest Park in 1904, St. Louis, Missouri

Fast forward to 1987, when the owners of Designs In Gold Jim and Ginger Cleland moved their business to the central west end of St. Louis in an area rich with history and antiques. They were fortunate to make genuine and lasting connections with other business owners and community members there from whom the Clelands were able to regularly acquire amazing vintage and antique pieces to add to their collection. This practice continued when the family felt called to California and moved to the Santa Ynez Valley in 2008, where Designs In Gold has grown and thrived. Ginger has an experienced and keen eye, and still travels to St. Louis about five to six times a year to select just the right pieces to delight her customers, giving new life to antique jewelry.

10K YG Victorian Diamond Necklace, $2,250

14K YG & SS Edwardian Diamond Necklace, $2,450

14K YG Art Nouveau Pearl Ring, $1,375

Ginger and Jim Cleland

Sources:

City of St. Louis website 2023, accessed 9 May 2023, <https://stlouis-mo.gov/index,cfm/>

Explore St. Louis website 2023, accessed 24 May 2023, <https://explorestlouis.com/itinerary/all-the-worlds-a-fair/>