Showcase: Mimi and Dottie Jewelry
JONDIE's owner, Rebecca Davis’s jewelry line, Mimi and Dottie, features re-purposed antique and original jewelry. Her work can be seen on the necks and wrists of some of the most recognizable faces in music, and on amazing people from Alaska to the U.K.
Behind each piece of Mimi and Dottie jewelry is a story - a piece of history. It comes in different forms – an antique religious medal from Belgium, a centuries-old coin from Spain, an antique pocket watch fob from England. “Our tagline is ‘History Repeats Itself,’” Rebecca says. “I discover unique and unusual antique and vintage pieces from around the world and incorporate them into contemporary jewelry designs. I’m taking old things and making them new again. I use high quality pieces and create timeless heirlooms.”
Rebecca translates her passion for travel into her work. Mixing pieces from all over the world with semi-precious stones brings her wanderlust back home. Her favorite trinkets are antique coins and religious medals, things that carry sentimental value. She utilizes her ever-growing collection of antique and vintage pieces and interesting curiosities to design unique one-of-a-kind jewelry. Her focus is on quality and craftsmanship and she mixes her antique baubles with sterling silver, 14 karat gold-filled, vermeil (24 karat gold over sterling silver) and semi-precious gemstones.
“I really enjoy talking to people and telling the stories of my pieces,” Rebecca says. “I’m fascinated by religious art and antiques and the whole beauty of them.” She also receives commission work from customers wanting an inherited item incorporated into a new piece of jewelry.
Rebecca began designing repurposed jewelry and creating custom pieces when she was in high school. It all began when her grandmother offered her antique jewelry from the 1930s to repurpose into new pieces. While in college at Auburn University, she exchanged that particular style of vintage jewelry-making for a more traditional one – but she never forgot how much she loved the transformation from old to new. After college, Rebecca packed up her skills and became an award-winning graphic designer. Fifteen years later, in the fall of 2008, she launched Mimi and Dottie and has developed a following of loyal customers who love her edgy, feminine designs.