Society, as a whole, has grown removed from its environment. Too many of us are consumers now – we purchase, consume, and dispose – often in a rapid cycle. People chase after the next big trend, and mass-market retailers are ready to satisfy with mock-ups of designer jewelry, conveniently made by the thousands and thousands in a third-world country’s workshop. H&M offers $10 bracelets; Forever 21 offers $5 necklaces. They fall apart after a few uses. So what? They’re cheap, and look good – for now.

Is this really the inevitable track that the modern’s consumer mind goes down?

I don’t think so – we, the team at Elysieme, don’t think so. It’s not only important what something is, but what it was, and what it will be. Here’s what I mean:

“What [something] was” means the heritage of the item, where it came from, and how it was made. Who was responsible for the design of the piece? Are the peoples responsible for designing and crafting these jewels able to live well? Are the manufacturing processes conscious and ethical? What do they stand for? What are their ideals and beliefs?

How about “what [something] will be”? By that, we mean the quality behind the item – how it wears and endures, as well as its affect on its environment. Is the craftsmanship behind the item sound? Will it last for years and years, possibly to be passed onto another loved one?

In the end, all these answers have to be positive. We’ve got to look at the long term, beyond the temporal consumer mindset. And if we sell less? That’s fine – let’s just enjoy the journey together.

Traditionally, jewelry and ornament have always been about a display of beauty. Our ancestors wore them to reinforce and empower their beauty, to show their wealth, and emphasize their power. Monarchs had jewel-adorned crowns and scepters, swords, and even spoons. Even today, there are thousands upon thousands of people for whom jewelry is a flashy show of wealth – stereotyped in the image of the newly-rich music artist, sports athlete, or performer.

For an increasing niche though, jewelry is no longer simply admired because of beauty or monetary value. Designer jewelry, like anything that we choose to wear, is a form of self-expression. It is wearable art. At its core, art has always been a form of communication – a message transcribed from the mind of the artist into physical form, to speak directly to the senses or emotions of the viewer. In selecting what jewelry we adorn ourselves with, we pitch our support and expression behind each one of these messages.

In a very real sense, we encapsulate thoughts within objects. We define how our thoughts, moods, and beliefs to the world by using things to adorn us. You have the flashy glam necklace and bracelets when you’re bright and cheerful and going out on the town. Maybe you have a wood pendant necklace, for those quiet, introspective days, sitting at home curled up by the fireplace with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate.

But the things we own don’t define who we are – we define the things we own. We impart personality and character to them. After all, without the individuals, a wedding ring would just be a hammered precious metal; your grandfather’s old watch would just be a collection of springs and dials.

I think we’ve moved beyond what’s simply visually appealing. We now use jewelry as communication – taking the voice of the designer, making it ours, and sharing it with the world.