Secret messages in Jewelry: The Touchstone Story

When I was a child and through middle school, I would write notes back and forth daily with my best friend. We would make plans, secretly swoon over boys and spin crazy adventures. We weren't worried that our pre-teen messages would be exposed because we wrote them in our 'secret code'; illustrations and our very own hieroglyphics that we could decipher in an instant. As kids, we were certain that this was a fool-proof plan and that no one would ever be able to figure out what we were saying. We both still have a few of these silly notes stashed away for posterity's sake!As an adult, I have been very careful about what I write in texts or emails. Also, as an adult, I realize how easy it is to misinterpret something written without context or tone of voice. So keeping certain things more private is not always a bad idea.

When I began designing jewelry (decades later) I thought back to the thrill of those hidden messages and decided that plenty of people might like to wear or share, a special message of their own. My ideation process moved to the Braille language, created to assist the vision-impaired with reading. It is a beautiful thing, a language of touch, and one that translates beautifully into jewelry with subtle patterns that convey a special message if you know where to look, or how to feel it.

By touching the inlaid stones, you can 'read' the message there - for example, I love my cuff bracelet with 'YOU GOT THIS' set into the gold. Others may only see a pretty bracelet but I can run my fingers across it and it gives me a surge of energy and confidence through the message.

The first design in the collection was a vertical bar charm with the hidden word: BADASS. This was part of a necklace gifted to a group of eight special girlfriends and the term is so fitting for them all!

I designed a series of gold bands set with crystals that are pretty enough to be part of a wedding set. My favorite has the message BELOVED across the band. I hope when they are available that at least one becomes a gift to a deserving bride.

While the collection is just being created, there are rings, bracelets and necklaces with five unique messages; I Love You, Beloved, Badass, Fearless, and You Got This. I welcome feedback and suggestions for future messaging - please share your thoughts!

I hope this collection resonates with people and hope that the wilderness preservation that comes with each purchase is a welcome touch.