Despite what you may think, this does not refer to the 90s popular Alaska songstress and poet Jewel Kilcher (please don’t say “Who?”). On the contrary, just in case Valentine’s Day didn’t have you tapped out on the concept of jewelry (although the modified set never gets tired of jewelry, right?), along comes a day to celebrate all that is blingy and beautiful.
Yet another unofficial “national holiday” whose origin is murky, National Jewel Day takes place on March 13th of every year. As seems to be the case with many of these fun, one-off days, they function on multiple levels. For National Jewel Day, you can use it to surprise someone with pretty things, buy some for yourselves, or (this one might be a little bit of a stretch) honor your favorite jeweler. That said, we do have an amazing staff of artisans here at BodyCandy who would love to hear your thoughts on all of the hard work they put into creating new pieces. It’s easy to tell which are BodyCandy originals, as their product numbers begin with HC and titles usually included “handcrafted” (for example, the lovely HC-5540, or Handcrafted Ring of Keys to Your Heart Dangle Industrial Barbell), which is just one among many, many others.
It’s also a great day for those who’ve aspired to create their own jewelry to take a whack at it themselves. If you’re not sure where to start, a jewelry-making class is as good a place to start as any; many craft stores (such as Michael) offer such classes, and those adult education catalogues that many school districts mail out twice a year offer local sessions. Or if you’re loath to learn with a bunch of other people, go completely 21st century and look up any number of online tutorials available on YouTube.
So whether you’re in it for yet another token from a significant other, want to give to your best friend or any other loved one, or want to explore the meaning behind your birthstone, just remember that – according to poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Beauty is whatever gives joy.” Use this day to express yourself as the unique beauty that you truly are and will always be, even if it comes from a plastic ring from a bubblegum machine. Make it a happy day!
