Necklace Details
Name: The Calico Cat
Item#: CMT2280
Precious Metal: 14K Yellow Gold
Gem: Blue Sapphire = .92 carat (7x5mm Oval)
Diamond: .07 carat
Measurement: 7/8″ or 21.5mm from top to bottom
Chain: 18″ 14K Yellow Gold
Price: $1,434
The Calico Cat Blue Sapphire & Diamond Necklace
Style #:
CMT2280
The Calico Cat Halloween Costume
It’s 1890, the wind up clock in the parlor is ticking. It’s a grandfather clock with moon phases and the big bronze pendulum swinging. It’s October 31st and it’s two in the afternoon. The pendulum swings, otherwise the room is silent. I’m waiting for Justine, we’re going to a Halloween party. She dressed as a calico cat, I am dressed as a ring master. Justine loves Halloween, it’s her favorite holiday. I’m watching the late afternoon light coming in through the Palladian windows. I close my eyes and listen to the clock. I can hear Justine on the stairs.
The Gems
Blue sapphire – Blue sapphires usually comes from Southeast Asia. It’s a color nature feels generous with in this part of the world. We love blue, particularly blue that shows well after the sun goes down. We tend toward a lighter brighter truer blue color in all of our sapphire pieces.
Diamonds world sourced, cut in Belgium. Well-cut with a full complement of 58 facets, rating a 3 on our quality cut scale, which means they are really sparkly. Nice white color, beautifully matched. Hardness 10.
Why We Love This Necklace
It’s not bronze, but real gold, and the weight at the bottom is one of the heaviest gems, a blue sapphire, giving our armature on a chain a good swing. And yes, just above is a diamond to catch the afternoon light. 18” chain places this pendulum 2” from her heart.
Necklace Details
Name: The Calico Cat
Item#: CMT2280
Precious Metal: 14K Yellow Gold
Gem: Blue Sapphire = .92 carat (7x5mm Oval)
Diamond: .07 carat
Measurement: 7/8″ or 21.5mm from top to bottom
Chain: 18″ 14K Yellow Gold
Price: $1,434
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About the Trade Wind Collection:
Where does inspiration come from? Where do the creative sparks for design begin? For Cross’ new Trade Wind Jewelry Collection, we find ourselves drawn into the story of Captain John Henry Drew, from Gardiner, Maine. Born in 1834, he grew up the son of a Ship’s Carver, and went to sea at the age of 15, eventually becoming Captain of a series of clipper ships, and traveling from New York to China and back home, when that voyage took more than seventeen months.
Instead of carving or knotting or other hobbies that were characteristic of sailors, this mostly self-educated man read books, memorized details from newspapers, and wrote about his journey—his literal and his inner journey. His hand-written and personally illustrated journals tell us of his longing for Maine, for his family, and for “making something of himself”. He is very much like you and me, and it makes his story that much more compelling. He savors apples from home, as tasting better than apples from anywhere else. He imagines the scene he might see looking in the window at home, where his family sits, and he chastises himself for not getting more done at home when he was there.
The jewelry in our Trade Wind Collection is made by his great-great-great grandson, Keith. This young man went to sea as well, at age 18. As part of his service to the US Navy, his travels took him to many of the same places his great-great-great grandfather’s clipper ships visited. Keith also had a hobby unconventional for sailors— he had a fascination for gems and he studied gemology. He studied so that when his service was completed, he could become a jeweler. As Keith traveled the world, he collected exquisite gems, and after leaving the service and returning home, he mastered the art of fine jewelry making.
It is now decades later. We met Keith for the first time in March, 2014. We were impressed with his jewelry, and as we talked further, discovered he had a clipper ship sea captain ancestor and became intrigued with the parallels of his journey in life with that of his sea captain forebear.
The parallels in the two stories are expressed in the jewelry itself—the exotic colors, the flow of the designs, the attention to detail which is something passed down in this family—whether it is to protect the ship, its cargo and its crew, or to create a design that will last and protect its valuable gems, giving the wearer the same pleasure we experience when a ship at full sail goes by. You can’t help but stop and exclaim, “Isn’t that beautiful?”
We were hooked by this story, and by the jewelry. We think you will be too. In fact, we’re posting pages from Captain Drew’s journals from the Voyage of the Franklin in 1868. Take a few minutes to join in the journey, and think of those you love most, and rejoice if they are right there with you.
Read the Captain’s
Clipper Ship Journal Entries
Orders Over $1,000 require a signature on delivery. You may choose free FedEx Overnight or US Post Office Express Mail.
Orders Under $1,000 no signature is required. You may choose FedEx 2-Day Service or US Post Office Priority Mail.
Rings that need to be sized take extra time (See our current sizing time). If ordering a ring, you may select, “No Sizing Yet, Ship Right Away”.
Curbside Pickup is also Available – please give us a call to place your order.
Free Shipping Details
Shipping Details
Orders Over $1,000 – Ship Free by your choice of FedEx Overnight or US Post Office Express. A signature is required on delivery.
Orders Under $1,000– Ship Free by your choice of 2-Day FedEx or US Post Office Priority Mail. No signature required.
30-Day Returns/Exchanges
We design, craft, and create really nice jewelry with amazing gems. Our guarantee, she’ll love your gift. If for any reason she doesn’t… you know you’ve got 30-days for a refund or exchange.
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