Blog

At the 1851 Great Exhibition in London, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert received the first mechanical keyless wind watches, making pocket watches and watch fobs popular for both men and women until the mid 20th century. Even after watch keys were no longer necessary for winding watches, decorative fobs remained popular as jewelry for women and men in the Victorian and Edwardian era. The excavation of ancient sites in Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Egypt in the mid 1700s influenced art, jewelry and fashion from Italy to England. Carved jasper, onyx, carnelian and shell became popular with the revival of Classical themes. When Napoleon placed ancient Roman...

I feel incredibly lucky in my line of work. The people who are drawn to our jewelry tend to be interesting people full of stories and adventures. A few weeks ago, a friend and Compass Rose supporter sent me this amazing picture from a photoshoot she did in Savannah Georgia. I love Amy. She is a deeply kind human being who looks stunning in a corset. Here she is among moss and magic in Savannah in a Victorian button necklace with pearls - isn't it perfect! Do you have a photo of you in your Compass Rose Design jewelry -...

Sometimes life really gives you lemons. Last week, after our annual hometown faire, the Fairfax Festival, someone broke into our car and stole most of our show stock. SO MUCH work is gone. It's one of those moments in life where you have to make a decision. Stay calm. Freak out. All of the above. I feel thankful that my daughters 2nd favorite monkey was passed over. No one is hurt. We've certainly lost a lot - hours of work, but instead of falling into a pot of despair, we are simply moving forward. Exercising resilience. Choosing (trying) to not spin out.  Perhaps it...

We live in a time of fantastic and present dads - raising children who dream to be makers and astronauts and engineers AND who want to be nice people. Here are a few delightful handmade gifts to give to the creative dad in your life to say - hey, you are doing a good job.  All our vintage button pins are great for hats, lapels and bags - versatile gifts at a great price. Men love our bezel-set clockwork rings - custom made to size - or our selection of vintage button rings.  Our handmade cufflinks are a thoughtful way to accessorize the well-dressed man...