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Some of the closest moments my mother and I have shared were going through her jewelry box. From the time I was little, we would spend a few hours looking for treasure and talk about all the jewelry we saw-a child's first necklace, a school ring, the inexpensive pins that kids buy on Mother's Day or Christmas, a Navajo bracelet from that trip out west, a mother's ring with her children's birthstones, the cameo inherited from Grandma. The treasures contain the memories of a lifetime. Occasionally we would find an item that was not jewelry but was equally as precious-a first tooth lost or an envelope with a clipping from baby's first haircut.

Jewelry boxes are as loved as the jewelry they contain, from the first child's musical jewelry box with the twirling ballerina to the most elaborate antique jewelry box or custom made wooden jewelry box. They can become family heirlooms and increase in value as time passes.

The practical purpose of the box, from the smallest ring box to the most stately armoire, is to protect and keep organized one's jewelry. Small rings and earrings are prone to being lost. A cool dark place helps prevent silver from tarnishing. Gold is soft and can dent or scratch. Hard jewels can scratch softer ones. Tangled chains, difficult to separate, are more likely to break. Many boxes have soft linings and separate compartments to protect your jewelry. Give some thought to the jewelry you own-do you need more ring bars or small compartments for bracelets? Or hooks for necklaces?

Antique and collectible boxes can be purchased for reasonable prices. Wholesale jewelry boxes are cheap if you need small boxes in bulk. A dresser-sized discount jewelry box can cost you in the fifteen to 50 dollar range, armoires in the 199 dollar to 399 dollar range. New or custom wooden jewelry boxes are more expensive, running from under one hundred dollars into the hundreds. Features offered in boxes are mirrors, locking drawers, music, pull out trays, glass door fronts, and a choice of beautiful woods-cherry, mahogany, and oak.

Whatever you choose, leave room for more acquisitions. If you don't? You're just going to have to buy yourself another beautiful box.

A well made jewelry box is an investment that protects your jewelry, appreciates in value, and can become a family heirloom, one that you can enjoy exploring with your own child.

Learn more about this author, Teresa Austringer.
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