My mantra for 2020

I was determined to get my mom a juicer for Christmas, and searching for one on Amazon yielded an overwhelming 1000+ results. Even sorting by customer reviews didn’t help much — there were still so many options, and none stood out as any better than the next. 

That got me thinking about how we have more choices and options than ever, but so many of them are worthless. We fill our closets with cheap clothes that won’t last us until next year, we gauge our love by the number of gifts we give, and we post a photo of the restaurant on Instagram but forget to enjoy the meal.

Are these things worth all that time, money, and effort?

A desire for “quality over quantity” has been popping up so much lately that I’m making it my mantra for 2020. I want to focus on editing down and being more purposeful, and cutting out the unnecessary things so that the things I DO focus on are more meaningful and special. It’ll be a big theme in both my personal life and here, with Sara Golden Jewelry.

I want to provide something that’ll make your life feel a little richer. Why should I make something if you don’t think it’s special, or if you’re not excited to wear it? This year I plan on hunting down more unusual, unique stones. I’ll be releasing smaller collections that pack more of a punch. I’ll be doing fewer events so I can spend that extra time making you jewelry that you’ll hopefully fall in love with and want to keep forever.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me so far — I can’t wait to dive into this new, more purposeful year with you!

Drown me in this perfume, please

What’s it like floating through space, making your way towards new worlds with the stars as your map?

Wondering that for ourselves, Kelly + Jones’ founder and perfumer, Kelly Jones, and I started gathering ingredients and experimenting. After lots of testing and tweaking, she ended up mixing us a custom scent that feels like being in deep space: Space Cadet. 

It’s slightly metallic and expansive, with notes of solar musks and sparkling bergamot, and whispers of amber resin. It’s a little unexpected, but beautiful to wear and crafted with luxurious, high end ingredients.

Left: The final product, Space Cadet; Right: Jean Shrimpton in Harper’s Bazaar, 1965

Kelly mixed a small, limited edition batch of this perfume oil, and as a holiday gift I’m sneaking a complimentary Space Cadet roll-on in with every order over $200 this month. I’m so excited for you to smell it, and hope you love it as much as I do!

Find out more about Kelly + Jones here, or find some special gifts for the holidays here.

Hidden Gems in Kingston, NY

Every time I’m in Kingston I make it a point to stop into Facets of Earth, a jewelry store feels different and more special than the other shops in town. Its owner, Morgan Mikula, mixes her own expertly crafted fine jewelry with the work of other drool-worthy designers, and I’m thrilled to have some of my pieces there, too!

This light and airy shop is along Broadway, a stone’s throw away from the Hudson River and the Kingston Waterfront that Morgan loves so much. Next time you’re in Kingston make Facets of Earth your first stop, and then hit up her recommendations for the city’s hidden gems:

Best cup of coffee

For Morgan, it’s a toss-up between Village Coffee and Goods and Rough Draft Bar & Books. Her drink of choice? A Red Eye, an Americano with a shot of espresso and cream.

Favorite dinner spot

She loves The Kinsley, a group of 19th century houses-turned-hotels featuring an exceptional restaurant. If you’re more in the mood for hangover food, she recommends Tubby’s, especially their tachos (a.k.a. tater tots loaded with fixings, a.k.a. the only thing I want to eat for the rest of my life).

BEST place to grab drinks

She recommends Tubby’s again. Morgan says they have a great selection of drinks, and if you see her there she’ll most likely be sipping one of their mezcals.

Favorite boutique

Morgan recommends Hops Petunia, a combination flower and gift shop across the street from Facets of Earth, and Lovefield Vintage, full of vintage clothing treasures.

Perfect Weekend Activity

Visiting the Farmer’s Market and long walks along the Waterfront.

All Plating is Not Created Equal

Maybe I should back up just a second. What, exactly, is plating? 

You probably already know that it’s gold over another material, but I’m willing to bet that most people who sell gold-plated jewelry couldn’t tell you much more than that. Why not? Probably because there’s so little gold on there that it’s not something they even want to talk about. 

But I’m proud of how much gold-plating is on my jewelry, and I’m not afraid to talk about it!

WHAT IS IT?

Plating is when a layer of gold (or silver, or rhodium) is added on top of another metal. Jewelry is usually plated to cover up the original metal color, to provide a more even color, or to prevent tarnish. But because it’s a coating, it will wear away over time. How fast that happens, though, depends on how thick the plating is.

HOW THICK IS GOLD PLATING?

Here’s how much gold-plated jewelry makers typically use:

Jewelry from mass retailers (think mega-huge stores with rock-bottom prices) usually aren’t using gold at all, but a coating meant to imitate gold. It’s so thin that it rubs off after a few wears. 

Specialty retailers (think fashion and designer brands) will use actual gold — most of the time — but not even enough to technically qualify as gold plating, according to the Federal Trade Commission. While it’s usually thicker than what you’d find on jewelry from mass retailers, it’s still pretty thin.

I want you to be able to enjoy your jewelry for a long time, so I make sure to go thick with my gold plating. I use 3-4 times as much gold as most designers, ensuring that your jewelry stays looking great longer.

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF IT?

Treat gold-plated jewelry like you would other jewelry — keep it away from harsh chemicals (like taking it off before going for a swim, or doing any cleaning), store it in its own pouch to prevent scratches, and if it gets wet, dry it off completely to prevent dark spots. With a little bit of care, you’ll be able to hold on to these pieces for years to come.

Making Molly’s Earrings

Left: Molly and Andrew walking down the aisle, photo by Meghan Baskin; Right: Molly’s custom earrings

---

I’m always so honored when a bride asks me to make something special for her wedding day — I remember how important it was for me to get every detail from my own wedding right, so I know how special it is to pick the jewelry you’ll wear.

This spring Molly reached out to me about making earrings for her wedding, and I was thrilled! She wanted something with a pearl, and something bigger than the Baroque Pearl Drop earrings (little did she know my favorite thing to hear is, “Can we go bigger?”). I immediately got to sketching, she picked her favorite design, and we made a few final tweaks. Next we found the perfect pair of pearls, and I got busy on the rest.

Left: Carving the rough shapes out of wax; Right: The wax after lots of fine-tuning

Molly’s earrings started out as thick blocks of wax that I cut down into the rough shapes I wanted. I used small files to refine the shape more, including all the contours. I carved the top setting so a pearl could sit safely inside, made sure the bottom drops wouldn’t be too heavy, and cast them all in brass. Finally I plated them in 14k gold, which really made them sparkle. 

Left: A close-up shot of Molly’s earrings; Right: Molly just before her wedding, photo by Meghan Baskin

I enjoyed the whole process of making these earrings, but loved seeing Molly wearing them even more. She looked stunning on her wedding day (those sleeves! that lip color!!), and the earrings complimented her look beautifully. 

I hope she and Andrew husband spend many blissful years together, and that happy wedding day memories come flooding back every time she puts them on.