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“More and more we’re realizing that buying new is having a real impact on the earth.”
~ Elizabeth Potts, Founder The Moonstoned
Some of us who can remember our first vintage experiences, the thrill of finding something that no one else has- a unique visage of the past. For some, it’s a faded t-shirt from a musician that their parents wore in their heyday. Others enjoy the hunt for that perfect atomic era table lamp to go with your mid-century secretary desk (yes, that’s me). For Elizabeth Potts, it’s always been jewelry. Her collection of vintage baubles grew from scavenging for shards of pottery on her grandparents’ranch that were later strewn together as necklaces. By the time she had her driver’s license it had grown to a full-fledged hunt for heirlooms around New Mexico and Mexico.
Part of her fascination with vintage jewelry comes from her love of history (which she studied later at New Mexico State University). The other part is fueled by the romanticism of the culture in her home state and the stories behind each heirloom. Pinpointing where it all began, Elizabeth told me about a childhood memory when she was a guest at a coming of age ceremony at a Zuni tribe. “Looking around I noticed how beautifully dressed women were,” she said about the heirloom pieces each woman wore. During that trip she also met a jewelry smith where the experience helped to solidify her passion for jewelry. “Watching someone craft felt spiritual to me.” The two experiences combined had a huge impact on a woman who would later find her vintage jewelry shop, The Moonstoned.
These days Elizabeth has expanded her hunt for vintage jewelry to churches, shops and fairs all around the world. Sometimes she’ll find a sapphire halo ring or memorial locket for her online store. Other times she’s shopping for her clients. “One woman recently lost her mother and wanted a piece that had a symbol of a raven for her to remember her mother by.” For that particular client, Elizabeth sought out pieces from the Art Nouveau era for their sculptured approach to jewelry. She also specializes in finding engagement rings that will tell a story for her clients. “I feel like a lot of men get lost in this rabbit hole and end up paying for something that they think is the price tag that is on their love. But, I like to find out what is most important to them.”
“The only new jewelry that I care for is custom-made and really personal. There’s just no comparison.”
In case you were wondering if Elizabeth mingles The Moonstoned vintage heirlooms with gold-toned throw-aways, know that she is not one to indulge in fast jewelry. For her there is no comparison to solid craftsmanship. “You had people who spent their entire lives being craftspeople. They made their own tools. They cut their own stones.” There was also less waste she explained. “Everything was used. There wasn’t an idea of mass waste.” As a woman who has been vegan for almost a decade and is in the process of putting solar panels on her house, waste and evaluating her environmental impact is something that Elizabeth reviews in her business.
She doesn’t just recycle jewelry, she recycles other materials used as well. “All of my packaging is biodegradable and the stuffing is recycled craft brown paper. We only do shipments once per week to minimize transition and we’re finding ways to be better.” As a new mom, Elizabeth will pass down her heirloom pieces and these values to her daughter. It’s part of The Moonstoned story and for Elizabeth, “the storytelling is almost as important as the piece itself because it creates a real bond.”
