The Japanese Brooch

This is a take on the classic circle brooch.  It has broken lines with some brushed silver and asymmetrically placed pearls.

This was a gift to me from a man I used to date in Tucson.  He traveled frequently to Japan and brought me this after one such trip.  The remarkable thing about it is the speech he used at its presentation.  He said that it was given to him by a businessman in one of the obligatory gift exchanges that Japanese do.  He said it wasn't in his taste, but he was giving it to me.  Think about the semantics of this:  Was he saying he hoped I'd never wear it?  Or maybe, that I should feel free to re-gift it at any time?  Or that I was someone who should feel grateful for anything that got tossed my way?  Because the only feeling associated with the gift was negative, I have never loved wearing it.

But over time, I have learned to appreciate it for its very neutral color, its classic style, and the fact that it's so big.  It's good to wear with dresses with plunging necklines.  I can put it at the low point to keep the neckline from getting into mischief.

Here I have it on a flapper-style dress with a beaded low-cut bodice.