Holiday Gift Guide: My Personal Wish List 2013

Every year I make a Holiday Wish List, which covers all my bases as a jewelry collector, gemologist, blogger and treasure hunter!  I try to pick items which I am currently coveting–like a new jewelry designer I discover, or a gemstone I am really loving at the moment.  My list for 2013 is a bit lengthy, but I’ve been extra good! 😉 

1- Nashville gets chilly during December and January, and sometimes your coat is seen more than what you have on underneath!  I’m in need of a furry/leather combo and this one from Nasty Gal is gorgeous!

2- This diamond pave bar ring from Hirotaka is unique and right on trend!  Hirotaka is my current favorite jewelry designer and his background and story are so interesting!  He is based in Japan!

3- I am on a quest to find the perfect antique portrait ring.  I’ve been hunting on eBay and browsing flea markets, but can’t seem to find “the one.”  The art of miniature portrait painting was at its peak during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Some were done on guilloché, watercolor on ivory, and even enamel.

4- Pearls are my current favorite gemstone in jewelry and I’ve been noticing jewelry designers being incredibly creative with them.  The one pictured is from the 1960s, an era that has some really funky jewelry designs, which can be amazing sometimes.

5- This is a slab of iris agate, a rare but incredible mineral specimen to any gem nerd.  This baby has been on several wish lists since it is so hard to find and quite expensive.  It would look great next to my amethyst geode I brought back from Tucson!

6- Pictured are a passport and airplane tickets in hopes of my summer trip to England comes to fruition. I’ve got the trip planned out and a fellow antique jewelry collector sidekick on board, ready for a treasure hunting adventure of a lifetime! 

7- This flower and diamond two-finger ring designed by Elisa Solomon was a piece I recently wore in a photoshoot for my blog Gem Gossip.  I fell in love with the ring and hopefully my fiancé understood all my hints I dropped about it being the perfect gift!

8- Being a new homeowner, my Christmas tree is quite pitiful when it comes to having ornaments decorating it!  Over the years, they accumulate, but right now I have about ten!  My theme is white, especially anything feathered, fluffy or cute!

9- One of my biggest hobbies is treasure hunting.  With this, a lot of traveling and walking are involved.  At flea markets and jewelry shows, I need both hands to do my job but also a place to keep my money and important items–a backpack is perfect!  This one from Nasty Gal is an ideal size; I can already picture it carrying all my loot!

10- I always like to get one good jewelry book for Christmas.  Reading and learning about my field is so important to me, being well educated is my biggest priority in life.  This year I would love to own this book from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which chronicles the breath-taking jewelry of JAR.

this post originally first appeared on KatherineSchwarzenegger.com