Julia

Commemorative Treasures

Craftsmanship, care, & love

“I’ve had the pleasure to have known An for several years, having first met him at the age of eight or nine while visiting his store with my father. We first bonded over the fact that we share the same birthday (it’s coming up soon!) and from those initial visits has developed an enduring friendship that I cherish greatly. An is not only one of the first people that I seek out whenever I return to Durham, but he is one of the first people to know of any important ‘life events’ that I go through.

One such life event occurred when I was accepted into Clare College, Cambridge for a postgraduate degree. An was nearly as excited for me as my father when he learned the news and together they came up with an idea to commemorate the event. To recall the colors and crest of my college, An designed a gold and ebony pendant necklace that I have since worn proudly to both my matriculation and graduation ceremonies. But perhaps even more creatively, when my father informed An that I had taken up rowing for my college, An made me a golden pin in the shape of an oar that I could affix to the blazer I wore to my college’s rowing-related events. It is almost unnecessary to say that both of these pieces are exceptionally beautiful—we all know the incredible craftsmanship An brings to every piece of jewelry he creates—but what makes these pieces so special for me is the thought, care, and love that An has put into them. I will always cherish them not only for the events they commemorate but because An created them for me.

Here’s to more ‘life events’ in the future!”

~ Julia, London, UK