I can’t tell you how thrilled I am today! I’ve finally managed to get one of my very favorite Jewelry Designers, Georgia Hecht, to spend time with all of us, and let us into her beautiful world of antique jewelry, latest jewelry designs and more.
{Georgia’s Signature Wrap Necklaces. Very limited edition, they change in design each season.}
We have carried Georgia’s exceptional jewelry at FrenchGardenHouse for years, and Georgia’s pieces have quite a following.
Georgia has such a honed sense of style. She has an affinity for fine heirloom pieces, all things feminine and chic.
Combining her passion for the past she creates one of a kind jewelry —everyday luxuries with sentimental lockets in gold, silver, watch fobs, and other antique jewelry treats, and marries them to high-end semi-precious gems, Czech crystals, and hand made chains.
Her jewelry is made for collecting!
Georgia’s one-of-a-kind and limited-edition collections are distinguished by her unmistakable attention to detail. Her pieces reflect her love of antiques, her love of creating, but mostly, of her incredible generous and romantic heart.
{I have to share with all of you, that I’ve never interviewed anyone like her. After we finished talking, I found I had fallen in love with her heart. She is such a caring, generous person, and artist.}
This French Joan of Arc Necklace combines vintage, antique and new elements.
Here’s a peek inside her world of design, jewelry making, and an art that straddles the distant past with today’s fashion.
1. Please tell us a little about yourself. I live with my husband Phil in California. I was a nurse, and it was such a joy to take care of people. I owned my own vintage and antique shop for a few years which was great fun, now I design and create jewelry.
2. How did you decide to become a jewelry designer? It seems that making jewelry using antique and vintage pieces was a “trend” about ten years ago. I loved making necklaces and bracelets back then, and started it as a fun hobby. I never really dreamed it would become my business.
My jewelry was so well received, people kept asking for more, and it is the perfect combination of my love for antiques and for creating. I get such a charge out of hearing clients feel amazing when wearing my designs.
3. What makes your jewelry distinct? My jewelry is designed to honor the past, with classic design, and a great deal of femininity.  The pieces in my collection are timeless, they are traditional with a contemporary touch.  I design my pieces using heirloom components, exceptional glass Czech beads that I buy from small boutique sellers, and select chains.
I want each piece to feature something special, to be a real conversation starter!
4. What inspires you? My inspiration is always my clients, the women who love and wear my jewelry. I get a huge thrill out of knowing that women cherish my jewelry for more than being “just a pretty accessory” – I design jewelry specifically with my clients in mind.
I think of my clients as friends, darling women I would love to be friends with, fashionable, confident in who they are, all around wonderful women.
5. If your jewelry had a message, what would you like it to say? The whole reason I create jewelry is to give women a lift, to give them confidence in their own natural beauty.  I want women who wear my pieces to feel good about themselves, I hope wearing one of my necklaces or bracelets will be uplifting, give them a happy feeling and the knowledge that they look their best!
The most rewarding is when I work with someone who is dreading going to a social event. A party, for something important, where she has to “look good, and act right” – that kind of event.
When we can find a stunning, one-of-a-kind necklace to accent her outfit, and it makes her come alive, she glows and looks transformed!
That is the miracle and power of a well-chosen piece of jewelry, it can bring out a certain “pizzaz” and personality in us; we already have it, but knowing we look great, that is what brings it out in a big way!
6. What’s your favorite antique? My very favorite antique is my wedding ring. It belonged to my husband’s great-great grandmother, each day I wear it I feel special. It is not only beautiful, it has such a strong connection to the past, and the women in my husband’s family.
7. What do you wish more collectors knew about your jewelry? First, that I design my jewelry pieces with authentic antique and vintage quality components.
Second, that this jewelry is classic, it looks just as beautiful with a traditional wardrobe of silk shirts and haute couture skirts, as it does with jeans and a t-shirt. Â
It’s not going to go out of style because it’s well designed, it will last for many seasons.
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2017 Editions- the Camille and Roselynde Necklaces worn together.
Third, that my line is designed to be able to be worn in several different ways. Mix it up. It’s all about the presentation of your jewelry, you can layer it together with other pieces, add a chain, or one of my long wrap necklaces. The longer chains can be worn singly, or wrapped twice for a shorter necklace. Wearing my jewelry is meant to be F U N!
Georgia’s chains and necklaces can be worn together creating a new look.
Please give us a peek into your life, loves and inspirations:Â
1. My favorite color is:Â Green
2. If I could have one wish, I would wish for: Like everyone, I could wish for world peace, and I do. But if I’m really honest, I truly wish that my two grandchildren lived closer!
3. Right now I’m reading:Â Right now I’m not reading anything! But I do love a good mystery book!
4. My favorite place is: Â Anywhere where my two grandchildren are! I wish they lived closer, I’d love to see them every day, they are so precious. My little grand-daughter is named after me, which is a huge honor.
5. I can’t live without: Phil, my husband. We met when I was 11, I had a crush on him, and when I turned 13 I fell madly in love with him. We have been together ever since! I can’t imagine my life without him by my side.
6. A French Garden House antique I adore: Â I love the antique Santos best. A close second is the antique linens, with their hand embroidery, the careful stitching and fine lace. They are works of art!
I am so thankful that Georgia took the time to share a snippet of her creative process with all of us. I love wearing her designs, and many of my clients cherish her jewelry, and are building a collection that they can mix and match.
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This was a beautiful post, thank you Lidy! I particularly love Georgia’s Camille and Roselynde necklaces, and I also love that she wants women to feel good in themselves. Not to mention having loved the man in her life since she was a little girl!! Talk of romantic.
Jeanne
I agree, Jeanne! Georgia has such a romantic heart, and her thought process for why she creates jewelry is so caring. Not to mention that her pieces are absolutely gorgeous!
Love your blog always so inspiring!
Oh Lidy, what a true artist Georgia is. Her designs make me happy like a stroll through a great antique emporium. Thanks, I adore this post.
Carole, I so agree! Georgia has such a talent for creating beautiful timeless jewelry that looks amazing with casual outfits but then also dresses up anything for a special event. She is a true creative genius.
Beautiful jewelry, and I love your blog!
I love the necklaces with the lockets! This gives me inspiration! I have some that were my Mother’s & have the same beautiful engravings. I remember opening them to see the pictures inside, always her parents.
I loved your interview with Georga, she’s a lovely person. And the display of her work was stunning.
Oh my gosh Lidy. Georgia’s jewelry is so beautiful. I have been playing around with the idea of making a necklace on the blog with old brooches and earrings etc found in 2nd hand and thrift stores. Of course it would not compare to her beauties but she is quite the inspiration. Thank you for sharing this great artist.
Some of these entire pieces, are heart stirring to me – the round gold engraved locket, a very detailed gold piece – a gold pen on a chain, a gold cross, of course – and so many little bits on the chains themselves. So delightful, all! I’m going back to look again, can’t recall every piece just now and just want to take them all in. Thank you for sharing! Patricia
What beautiful jewelry. They are truly works of art.
Lidy, this is a wonderful feature! Jewelry that has that collected look is beautiful. I really enjoyed reading a little of Georgia’s story. 🙂
Thank you for introducing me to Georgia Hecht’s jewelry. I just ordered a necklace and can hardly wait to receive it!
Great inspiration to put together a necklace with the other necklaces I have that I don’t know what to do with but love. I wear a lot of scarfs but Georgia’s necklaces would easily replace them with the design and colors.
OH….MY….Goodness…Georgia’s jewelry is exquisite! I love the fact that each and every piece is so special…like they are telling a story!….I love that fact that she wears her hubby’s great-great grandmother wedding ring….and the fact that she is married to her childhood sweetheart, the thing (person) she cannot live without….I can so relate to that! I love the pieces with the monograms and those chains…be still my heart….thanks so much Lidy for introducing us to this most wonderful lady who is such a great talent in which she can share and enhance the happiness of others in preserving and re-creating the beauties of the past!
Love the creation of something that marries the old with the new to make something so lovely that one can’t help but wear it with pleasure. Thank you for sharing Georgia’s story, it’s heartwarming for so many reasons.
Oh my! The jewerly that she makes is so beautiful any one would love to own and wear it. I just love them all. Please enter me into the drawing.
Thanks, Denise
Thank you, Lidy. Love your final photo of the necklaces trailing down a stack of antique books. Every photo in this post is stunning. Your talent for artful display is amazing.
Georgia is truly a gem herself. What a lovely view of her clients she holds as she creates these gorgeous works of wearable art.
How awesome it would be to wear a piece so rich in history right near your heart.
Beautiful pieces and remembrances of where we are from. She brings us a deep appreciation for our Mothers and grandmothers’ cherished pieces. Enjoyed reading her story. Another woman who brings enjoyment to others
Charlotte Brackett
Gorgeous…
The jewelry is exquisite! The blended colors so refreshing and unique! LOVE the charms, chains & beautifully unique details!
What glorious jewelry!! I was inspired by your photos to raid my jewelry box and wear my gold locket necklace today!! My locket has ” teething marks ” made by my son Kevin. A great memory of my early motherhood, as he is now in graduate school. Thank you Lidy for your inspiring website.
Mary, thank you for sharing that…that is so sweet of you to say. AND…I love that you are wearing your locket, with the teething marks. It’s what makes that piece so special, isn’t it?