Milestones & Memories

The Key of the Door: Jewellery for Life’s Milestones

There’s something quietly magical about milestone moments. They’re not just birthdays or anniversaries on a calendar—they’re the markers we use to tell our story. Sweet sixteen, coming of age at eighteen, the symbolic “key of the door” at twenty-one, a touch of gold on a bangle for a fiftieth, or a silver bracelet for a forty-fifth anniversary—each one speaks of love, growth, and the passage of time and for centuries, we’ve given jewellery to honour these chapters.

The Key to Freedom: Why 21 Matters

The idea of receiving the key of the door on your 21st birthday has its roots in history, when twenty-one was the age of legal adulthood in the UK. It was when you could vote, marry without permission, or sign contracts—so the key symbolised being trusted with life’s big responsibilities.

Parents would sometimes give their child a literal key or sometimes even the key to the family home. Over time, that tradition evolved into the giving of gold or silver keys as pendants or brooches, often engraved or embellished with a birthstone.

Though the legal age of adulthood has shifted to eighteen, the symbolism of twenty-one still holds. It’s often celebrated with a meaningful piece of jewellery—something chosen with care, to carry forward into this new stage of life.

Recently, I made a set of gold rings for a 21st birthday gift. The giver wanted them to be something lasting—worn often, not kept in a box and for that, their daughter chose the gemstones (and they weren't necessarily the ones which they would have chosen!) That’s what I love most: jewellery that becomes part of your everyday life, worn with jeans or party dresses, and remembered in years to come.

Sweet Sixteens & Eighteenth Birthdays

At sixteen, there’s often a sense of firsts—first real jewellery, first big celebration. For my niece’s birthday, I am making her a special bracelet that feels delicate and meaningful, something she can wear now and still love when she’s twenty-six.

Eighteen is a new kind of milestone—stepping out into the world, perhaps heading to university or work. I recently made a pair of silver cufflinks for an 18th birthday from a godmother. They were clean, simple, and quietly smart—the sort of thing that could be worn for a first job interview or special occasion. Their first outing was actually Prom!

It’s easy to think of jewellery as ornamental, but for me, it’s always been about memory and meaning. These are gifts that say, I see you, I’m proud of you, You’ve grown.

The Big Ones: 50th Birthdays & 45 Years of Love

As the years go on, milestone birthdays seem to take on a reflective note. Turning fifty often brings a sense of looking back at everything you’ve achieved—and looking forward to what’s still to come. A recent bangle I made for a 50th birthday had that feeling woven through it. It had a hoop for every decade and the last one was 9ct gold! It was a lovely chunky bangle to represent resilience. It felt like a perfect match for the woman receiving it.

And then there are anniversaries. The 45th is traditionally marked with sapphire, but silver also plays its part—bright, enduring, and timeless. I am halfway through making a silver piece to honour a couple’s 45 years together. It has a gemstone to mark every 5th anniversary. That kind of love is quiet and steadfast, and creating something to represent it felt like a quiet privilege.

Why Jewellery?

Milestone jewellery is more than a pretty gift. It’s a marker, a talisman, a tiny piece of wearable memory, whether it’s a silver heart for a sixteenth birthday, a bangle for a fiftieth, or a ring for twenty-one—it says: this mattered.

If you’re marking a milestone soon, you’re always welcome to get in touch to commission something personal, or browse my collections for pieces that already hold meaning within them, life’s big moments deserve something just as special to go with them.

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