I am continually inspired by Creative Mavericks: people who forge their own paths and shape intentional lives around their values rather than society’s expectations. Their stories stay with me.

This is one of them. It is the story of a custom wedding necklace, and of the life that led a couple to our gallery in search of a piece to mark their union.

Across the Fence

A friend once told me about her neighbors. They met years after his wife had passed, first as friends talking over the fence between their yards. During the isolating days of the pandemic, she, a single mother of two, moved into his home. She brought new life to the house and made it possible for him to age comfortably in place.

Their friendship grew deep and loving. They came to rely on each other, for the rhythms of daily life and for companionship. Eventually he asked her to marry him, wanting to give her the security of spousal benefits from his pension without affecting his heirs. She took eight thoughtful years to say yes. She knows theirs is a layered, non-traditional story.

A Stone Waiting for Its Story

That is where our paths crossed. She came to the gallery to commission a wedding necklace: an emerald set in rich, mixed metals. Rather than a traditional ring, she wanted an artful piece to honor a long, platonic kinship with a man older than her own father.

I had just returned from a gem-hunting trip to Tucson, where a raw emerald had caught my eye. Its natural form mirrored the silhouette of a flower. I knew a stone that unusual might take time to find its person, but a design came to me at once. Inspiration called, and I brought it home, prepared for it to wait quietly in the display case. As she described her vision, that botanical emerald was the first thing I thought of.

The Language of a Pansy

The meaning of the piece mattered deeply to her. This rare Trapiche emerald, shaped by nature like a pansy, was a perfect match. Emeralds have long symbolized love, balance, and eternal youth, along with loyalty, friendship, and wisdom. Pansies stand for thoughtfulness and platonic love. She saw their friendship in every one of these meanings. The Pansy Emerald was the one. They chose it on the spot, and I began sketching the necklace.

Just in Time for 99

Watching the piece come together in the studio was a delight, and it was even more gratifying that such a distinctive creation found its home so quickly. A month later, the two of them returned together to collect it, just in time to celebrate his 99th birthday and their “marriage.” The necklace looked perfect on her, and her smile told me she thought so too.

I have a deep appreciation for untraditional love stories, especially those that culminate in a bespoke piece of jewelry. I feel honored to have witnessed this one, even briefly. It is a privilege to create wearable art that holds such meaningful moments in people’s lives.

April Higashi