The Collector's Eye with Mirta de Gisbert
Symbolism and intentional collecting, piece by piece
A huge thank you to start! I'm so happy to see so many new faces who found me through the Sourcing Secrets post and the fantastic recent collaborations with
, , and – three of my favorite Substack writers, what a dream!Your enthusiasm for the Sourcing Secrets post has inspired me to create a continuing series, The Collector’s Eye, where we'll explore the distinctive approaches, personal stories, and beloved pieces of fellow stylish jewelry enthusiasts I admire.
Sourcing Secrets
From clothing to furniture to art, I'm a sucker for a good second-hand find. But let's be honest, jewelry is my weakness. My collection is mostly made up of second-hand finds – a mix of things I picked up while working in the industry and some amazing discoveries on online marketplaces like
To start, I'm honored to feature Mirta de Gisbert, someone I've long admired. Her passion and her ability to imbue jewelry with profound meaning and storytelling are truly captivating. I adore her. For those unfamiliar, Mirta is a jewelry expert, gemologist, advisor, and curator whose global background—born in Spain and raised in South Africa—infuses her craft. Mirta's expertise and keen eye shine through in everything she does, from consulting to helping clients discover pieces that truly resonate. She empowers clients to start or expand their jewelry collections, covering everything from engagement rings and wedding bands to birth presents and personal treats—celebrating life's big and small moments. She extends her services to fine and vintage watches, as well as offering design and sourcing expertise.
Mirta also has a fantastic curated edit with At Present—check it out!
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What’s your earliest memory of jewelry? Was there a specific piece or person who sparked your interest?
My earliest memory of jewelry is definitely tied to my mother. Thinking about this brings a smile to my face, especially since March is the month of both her birthday and the anniversary of her passing. She would always say her mom (my grandmother) loved jewelry, she loved to travel and that I inherited both loves. Growing up in South Africa, my mom couldn't wear fine jewelry due to safety concerns. However, when we’d travel back to Spain, we'd always make a stop by the bank to take some of her jewelry out. I remember sitting outside the vault, eagerly waiting for her to come out with her pieces. At first, I wasn't allowed inside, but once I was old enough, I'd go in and ask her about each piece, wanting to know the stories behind them. Even in South Africa, where she couldn't wear gold, she always found ways to accessorize beautifully with other types of jewelry and her Hermès scarves, which were part of her signature look – my grandmother gave my mom her first Hermès scarf when she was 16 and my mom passed down that tradition by gifting me that same exact scarf when I was 16. She was, without a doubt, the most elegant woman I've ever known.
Did you inherit any jewelry or have family heirlooms that influenced your style?
Yes, I've inherited several pieces that have influenced my style from a diamond and ruby ring that belonged to my mom to a cigar band with the letter M in diamonds that belonged to my paternal grandmother. I remember seeing it on my grandmother’s hand as a child, and loving that we shared the same initial. When she passed, my aunt gave it to me and it is one of my most precious rings.
The ruby and diamond ring, in particular, resonates with my style. I love its design, which has a serpentine quality that appeals to me. I'm drawn to pieces that are timeless, and a lot of the jewelry I’ve inherited is gold with colored stones and each one has a story. Perhaps their timelessness has influenced my style more than anything.
When did you first start expressing your personal style through jewelry? How have your jewelry tastes evolved over time?
Looking back, my journey with expressing my personal style through jewelry started quite early. One significant influence was my godmother, my father's sister. She has a real love for jewelry. As a child, I remember making friendship bracelets with her, and she would always get me these beautiful threaded bracelets from her travels, which I absolutely loved. And even then, my passion for rings was evident. I used to tell my mom I wished I was an octopus, just so I could wear as many rings as possible! That love for rings has definitely stayed with me. Even now, I enjoy stacking them, but I always make sure each ring can be appreciated and seen.
My tastes have certainly evolved over time. As a teenager, I went through a phase where I preferred silver, white gold, and platinum. For some reason, I just didn't connect with yellow gold. But as I've gotten older, my perspective shifted. I now love yellow gold and enjoy mixing metals.
How would you describe your overall jewelry style?
I'd say it's timeless, with a touch of maximalism and always full of meaning. I love bold, statement pieces. I believe jewelry is a genuine form of expression, a way to feel empowered, confident, and beautiful. It tells stories.
One constant in my style is jewelry with meaning. For example, one of my most prized possessions is a Himba bracelet made of PVC. I wear it with my fine jewelry stack. I’ve had it since I was 14 when my family and I took a road trip from Johannesburg to northern Namibia to visit the Himbas, a semi-nomadic tribe. A girl from the tribe gave it to me. It's so precious to me that I refused to remove it during childbirth, even when my wrists were swollen because they had infiltrated the IV.
I'm drawn to bold, eye-catching pieces that tell stories and that can elevate my mood on any given day. I have a pair of red pom-pom earrings that I bought from Casa Chiqui in Cartagena and whenever I put them on, I instantly feel beautiful and bright. I gravitate towards pieces that draw attention and spark conversation.
“One constant in my style is jewelry with meaning.”
Tell me more about the Himba bracelet…
The Himba bracelet is incredibly special to me; the plastic itself is worth less than a penny, but for me, it’s priceless. It's a tangible piece of Africa that I carry with me. Though I'm from Spain, I called South Africa home for 21 years. This bracelet holds precious memories the road trip I took with my parents and brother. Mind you, my family and I took many road trips (we drove from Sydney to Perth along the coast!) but this one was particularly memorable because of the Himbas but also because of the journey itself. From flat tires in the middle of nowhere to having to wait for river currents to subside so we could cross with our 4x4s, to sleeping in our car because the riverside lodge had flooded to driving through the Namib desert in search of the Himbas.
Even now, talking about it gives me goosebumps. It still has the color from the mud the Himbas use on their bodies, which is amazing to me. I was 14 then, and I'm turning 40 this year, and some the color is still there. It's just such a powerful reminder of that journey and the connection to that moment in time, the Himbas, Namibia and my family.
Do you have a signature piece or a go-to type of jewelry you wear most often?
Earrings…
I wear diamond studs constantly—a gift from my godmother for my civil wedding. I rarely take them off. I also have a curated earscape, with one piercing done in honor of Nico (my son) – a crescent as it represents the transformative nature of motherhood. I love snakes, so I always have a snake earring in there too, and a pearl that belonged to my mom. When I want to wear my statement earrings, I simply swap out the studs.
Bracelets…
For bracelets, I wear the Himba bracelet, and two Juste un Clou nail bracelets—one mine, one was my mother's. I wear them together, positioned head to head, which represents a heart-to-heart connection for me. I also have a Bulgari Serpenti cord bracelet, a birth present I gave myself when Nico was born. I love snakes, and this piece symbolizes my transformation into motherhood, like a snake shedding its skin and becoming stronger. A Bulgari B.zero1 bracelet which was the first wedding anniversary from my husband, a 'Mama' bracelet, a Mother's Day gift to myself—I'm a big believer in self-gifting—and an antique snake bracelet from around 1890 to 1900, which I absolutely adore.
“While I don’t believe there are rules to wearing jewelry, I do like to read about the symbolism behind wearing pieces a certain way.”
Rings…
My 10-year anniversary gift, a Marie Lichtenberg horseshoe ring, is a favorite. It's super special to me because my husband knows how much I love horses (I grew up riding and jumping) and jewelry. I keep a running wish list of jewelry, and this ring was on it. I love everything Marie Lichtenberg does. The horseshoe is also a symbol of good luck, and the sapphires are one of my favorite stones, plus they're my Virgo stone.
While I don’t believe there are rules to wearing jewelry, I do like to understand the symbolism behind wearing pieces a certain way. I had read that a horseshoe ring should be worn on the right hand, on the index finger, to maximize its good luck attributes. And supposedly, it should be worn with the horseshoe pointing towards you, so the luck doesn't 'pour out.' However, I choose to wear it with the horseshoe pointing outwards because I don’t believe in keeping all the luck to yourself. I want to share it! Whether my hand is up or down, the luck is being shared.
My signature Kupula rings are another go-to. This is the first piece I've made that is not bespoke for a client, but something that someone can readily purchase. 'Kupula' means 'dome' in Basque. When I was getting my gemology degree, my mom suggested I study jewelry design, but it wasn’t something I was ready for at the time. She planted a seed, and fast-forward years later when I was looking through stones she had left me, the idea of designing came to life - designing something that's not specific to an individual but universally beautiful. I felt a bit stuck when thinking through what to do with her stones, perhaps because of the emotional connection so I took a big step back and thought about what I love – I love gold rings and I love juicy rings. So I went back to basics and made the Kupula rings. They have this delicious chunkiness, and I love how they move and sound together. I wear two at once.
I always wear my platinum wedding ring —my husband and I have matching wedding bands, a Spanish tradition I love. My Brent Neale knot ring on my pinky, which was my birth present from my husband when Nico was born. One side is the “before Nico” and features our two birthstones: peridot and turquoise. On the other side of the ring, we have all three birthstones, and on the inside, are our dog's birthstones.
While my everyday pieces are constant, I do rotate some rings depending on my mood. I might add an emerald and diamond pinky ring or a Mizuki baroque pearl ring, but I avoid filling the same fingers on each hand with rings – I like to offset them while still keeping it balanced.
Necklace…
This Azlee necklace, designed by Bailey and her team, is a favorite. What drew me to it were two things. First, the chain itself—I had been searching for the perfect gold chain, and this one was just it. You can wear it alone, which I love. Second, the elephant pendant is full of meaning for me. It represents my connection to Africa, my journey as a mother, and—because I'm Spanish and very superstitious—the elephant's trunk is up. It absolutely cannot be down! I won't buy anything with an elephant whose trunk is down, even wallpaper. When decorating my son's room, I rejected numerous wallpapers because the elephants' trunks were pointing down.
“I don't just wear jewelry; I wear pieces with intention.”
Where do you typically find your jewelry? Do you primarily buy new, secondhand, or a mix of both?
If we’re talking about my personal collection and where I source it, it's a few ways: self-purchasing, inherited pieces and gifts from my husband, brother and late parents. On my travels, I absolutely love to discover jewelry – I’ve been like that since I was a teenager. Regarding the type of jewelry, typically, it's been a lot of contemporary, but in the last few years, I've included a bit more vintage and antique in my own purchases.
In terms of why the shift to include more vintage and antique, it's a combination of things. I’ve always been drawn to them given that my inherited pieces are vintage and antique and my internship at Sotheby's in London in 2012 continued to feed my interest in vintage and antique. Lately, shows in Miami and Vegas, and conversations with dealers, have really fueled that passion. It's so contagious, it's really an addiction. Jewelry, I think, is a healthy addiction.
Vintage and antique pieces have this innate rarity – you can try to recreate them but it won’t be the same. That's a huge part of what makes them appealing. And don’t get me started on the lives and stories antique and vintage pieces hold – I find that aspect absolutely fascinating. They’re like little time machines.
“Jewelry, I think, is a healthy addiction.”
What factors influence your sourcing decisions?
Ethics always play a big role, of course. But also, rarity, budget, and quality are key. You can see a beautiful vintage or antique piece, but you need to check if the stones are damaged. Are they going to fall out or crack?
If you're told a piece is signed by a certain house, verify it. If it is signed, check the price point. Is it truly justified? If you’re told there is provenance, verify it as well. Make sure the claimed history matches the reality.
It's a lot of detective work, which is true for jewelry and stones in general. But with antiques, you can't go straight to the source. You're relying on stories, and you have to fact-check them. It's fun and interesting, but you also want to be thorough, especially at higher price points. You always give the same level of attention, but you want to make sure you're doing it right.
Could you elaborate on the differences in sourcing new jewelry versus antique or vintage jewelry?
Trust is everything, no matter what you're buying. But in jewelry, it's especially critical. Even with contemporary designers, you want a relationship and to ensure they have the reputation they claim. Look at the piece from every angle—front, back, check the stones, the craftsmanship.
With vintage and antique, it's the same, but the trust level is even higher. You're relying on the dealer's reputation. Unlike contemporary, where you connect directly with the source (aka the designer), vintage and antique comes with a story. 'This is from such and such date,' they might say, showing you a photograph. Still, verify everything – are there stones missing, has the piece been modified, is there any damage to the piece. It's not a reflection on the dealer; they're likely checking too.
There's just more that goes into it with vintage and antique. Provenance, current quality—you want it to last, right? You want to wear it 10, 15 years down the line. So you have to be extra thorough.
What advice would you give someone starting a jewelry collection? Which foundational pieces would you recommend?
When starting a jewelry collection, I really think about the person's lifestyle. You can't just say everyone needs everyday earrings, because someone might not have pierced ears, or they might have toddlers who pull on them. Same with rings—if someone works with their hands a lot, you have to consider that. I like to think about how to build their jewelry box based on their life.
If you have pierced ears, good studs are a great start—diamonds or colored stones. I love statement earrings or necklaces; statement pieces, in general, are fantastic—necklaces, earrings, even a cuff. Double cuffs are cool. Also, they don't have to be fine jewelry; fashion jewelry can be fun as well. I love a pinky ring—it's a power finger—and a pointer finger ring too. So, I'd suggest good everyday earrings, something statement—a cuff, necklace, or ring—a pinky ring, and a good watch. Then you build from there.
Jewelry is about having fun and connecting with the piece. It's how it makes you feel. My pair of pom-pom earrings make me feel amazing, and so do my diamond studs. Each piece has its place.
What mindset should collectors have when buying jewelry? Is it primarily an investment, a way to express themselves, or a mix of those motivations?
First and foremost, when wearing jewelry, you should feel something positive—beautiful, happy, empowered, confident. Whatever it is, I want you to connect with the piece. Whether you feel confident when you put on a cuff or you smile because you’re wearing a ring that reminds you of a loved one.
Yes, jewelry can be an investment. But when buying, make sure that the quality aligns with the value. Check the back of the piece—is it polished? Are surfaces smooth? If possible, check the porosity of the metal, the prongs—are they securely holding the stone? These details add to the investment aspect. Of course, not everything has to be a huge investment. I have clip-on earrings from an antique fair that were only ten quid. They looked Deco, and I wore them for years. They weren't an investment, but they made me feel good and I loved their look. Whether it's ten quid or a million dollars, just have all the information beforehand. Know why it's worth the price. Make sure you're well-informed.
Ultimately, I want everyone to have a collection that truly speaks to them and represents who they are. Jewelry is about connection, expression, and feeling something positive: happiness, confidence, a twinkle in your eye. It should be fun, not stressful. If buying jewelry feels stressful, you need a different approach. I'm here to share that joy, along with my knowledge and expertise.
Be sure to check out Mirta on my favorite podcast,
(The Materialist). It's a truly fabulous listen.I'm thrilled to share that our little gem (a beautiful baby girl!) arrived on March 30th, and we're thoroughly enjoying the newborn bubble. So, I'm currently on maternity leave, but I'm still very much around, and rest assured, I have several exciting stories and features in the works.
If you are new here, please catch up on my previous posts—archived posts can be unlocked with a paid subscription (and if I do say so myself, there are loads of good reads there). Also, please keep the chat going on Vejeweled, and for sourcing requests, DM me or email vvalentinenyc@gmail.com.
xx Veronica
This is so awesome 🤍 you’re a STAR!
Congrats, Veronica!! Enjoy this special time 💗 and loved this feature!