Rhinestones and Brigitte's Pearls

My sister and Niece - Kathy and Brigitte - are visiting from South Africa. While we were at our parent's house, my mom had us go through the jewelry boxes of the grandmas, great grandmas and great aunties. Not being a wealthy family, most of the jewelry was of the costume variety, but it was all fun and lovely just the same. Here are a few pieces that we found.

A nice melange of glittery bits.

I remember my grandmother wearing the huge green rhinestone brooch, but these others were new discoveries.

These fan earrings are a favorite, but they are clip ons, and I don't usually wear earrings anyway. But I enjoy looking at them.

I searched all of the jewelry boxes for loose rhinestones and glued the ones I found back in their pieces, but I couldn't find the rhinestone that was missing from this piece.

I remember my mom wearing this turtle. When I was little, I imagined it as a turtle who had lazer beam eyes and was carrying it's eggs on it's back. What happened to that wonderful imagination?

This was my dad's favorite watch when he was a very young man. He saved up and bought it and loved it, but he had a hard time keeping it running. After the 3rd or 4th time to the watchmaker for repairs, the watchmaker told him to buy a new watch. Must not have has warrantees in those days. I think it is really beautiful evn though it doesn't run and is missing one of the thin straps on the band. I may wear it as a bracelet.

This piece is quite old and one of the coveted pieces in the jewelry boxes. I don't know what the centerpiece is - glass? faience? a stone? The setting is silver.

And here is the beautiful and talented Brigitte wearing a string of pearls that I restrung for her.