From Loss to Legacy: How Greek Jewelry Changed My Life

I’m watching the gallery fill with people admiring the paintings and all the Dimitrios Exclusive jewelry we have on display. Men are trying on watches and holding their arm out strong and sure, turning their wrists, feeling important. I see women trying on necklaces, rings, and bracelets as they show their husbands their extended arms and flash their necks like royalty. They are holding the mirrors up and looking at themselves while a quiet smile slides across their face.

I know what these women are feeling. I feel it too. The very first time I ever saw Greek jewelry was when I was 14 years old. My grandfather had died, and my dad and brother went to Greece for the funeral. My mom and I stayed home. My dad brought me a whole set of gorgeous, intricately designed and adorned jewelry that was inspired by Ancient Greek jewelry. I had never seen anything like it.

When I put on the earrings, necklace, and bracelet and looked at myself in the mirror, I was transported. I was an ancient princess standing on the steps of the Parthenon with my glowing white dress cascading down the stone steps. I was royalty.

I treasured this jewelry throughout my teens and wore it often. I felt set apart. No one else around me had anything this ornate and unique. I was proud to know this was a piece of my heritage. As I grew up and started visiting Greece, I collected many pieces of jewelry each time. No other jewelry I had ever seen could compare. I spent fortunes buying as many pieces as I could on each trip. I had a huge collection of silver jewelry from Greece, each piece possessing a profound memory of my growth journey.

In 2016, I saw Dimitrios Exclusive jewelry for the first time. I was in the city of Thessaloniki and walked by a shop that had his pieces displayed out front. Each stone glistened in the light, beckoning me to come inside for a closer look.

Although I am well-versed in all things Greek jewelry, I had never seen anything like it. I could not even conceive of something this gorgeous and spellbinding. The combination of color, scale, ornate designs, complex workmanship, and the exquisite combination of stones perfectly cut to sparkle and radiate was something almost supernatural. I was completely transfixed. I tried on almost everything and could hardly decide which I loved most.

I bought an emerald green set including earrings, a bracelet and a ring. It was all my budget could take at that moment, but I have never forgotten that store.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Since then, every year that I have gone to Greece, I have added to my collection, excited to see the latest designs released by Dimitrios Exclusive. All throughout the year, I wear these pieces and feel like a queen. They are so royal looking and exquisite and unique, I never get tired of them.

I discovered a shop on the island of Rhodes that carries mostly Dimitrios jewelry. A lovely lady, Valentina, and her husband run the shop, and they celebrate with ear-to-ear smiles, gasping, and clapping as each customer tries on new pieces. They make the whole experience even more amazing, because they convince you to buy the pieces that you want so badly but can hardly give yourself permission to buy. In all the years I have visited and bought jewelry, I have zero regrets.

Anytime I would run an art retreat in Rhodes, I would take the ladies who love jewelry to the shop to try on anything they like. It always proves to be magical and profound and one of our favorite lasting memories of the trip. I love seeing the ladies at different events with their Dimitrios jewelry looking like royal beauties.

When my suitcases were stolen in Rome, I lost a huge portion of my Dimitrios collection, and I was heartsick. I tried to get over it by telling myself, “It is just material possessions, and everything could be much worse.”

But I still felt the pain of loss and missed my jewelry that meant so much to me. It felt like more than just materialism to me. I felt like I had lost the experiences and memories each piece held. After a few months of still feeling that sense of loss, I decided it was only money and I could end my sorrow with one big purchase from my friend Valentina in Rhodes.

I went onto Dimitrios’s website, took screenshots of all the pieces that were stolen, and sent them to her, explaining what had happened and why I wanted to buy them again. She was happy for the big sale, and we arranged for her to give them to John, who was traveling to Rhodes for a retreat that month. I could hardly wait for John to return with my treasures.

Then it happened. I realized, “What am I doing? I own an art gallery. I could sell Dimitrios Jewelry!” I already agreed to buy the pieces from Valentina, so I was committed and followed through with the purchase, but this opened a whole new door for me.

I contacted Dimitrios Exclusive and pitched my business and gallery to them, asking if I could represent the brand in Sarasota, Florida. They haven't really broken into the American market yet and were thrilled at the idea. I didn't know that they were looking for ways to do so and hoping for such an offer!

More Than I Imagined

I was contacted through WhatsApp by Vassilis Kapsakis with the words, “I would be honored to have my jewelry in your art gallery.” I could hardly believe it! The honor was truly mine. I learned that Vassilis is the son of Dimitrios and is the leading designer of the company. He worked with me personally on getting our account up and buying all of the pieces for our gallery collection to launch his brand.

In one of our WhatsApp conversations, I mentioned that Season 3 of our reality show took place in Spetses, Greece. I mentioned that we were about to start filming Season 4 in Sarasota and thought he would be a fantastic guest judge. He sounded interested. After a few more conversations, to my amazement, we had a deal! He and his brother, who is his business partner, flew out to be a part of the show with his jewelry as inspiration for one of the challenges.

Not only is he being featured on The Outstanding Artist, but we also arranged to have an art show at the gallery featuring his jewelry and him as the lead designer for the brand. Now I stand here in amazement thinking about how grateful I am that my jewelry was stolen in Italy.

I’m watching our gallery fill up with art lovers and unique jewelry enthusiasts. I hear Greek being spoken by a few and am watching Vassilis and his brother talk with the people who have come to meet him. No words match the tremendous joy I feel seeing all the people delight in what I love. We have Greek wine, Greek appetizers, and Greek sweets Vassilis brought from Athens. It’s a perfect night.

I catch a moment to talk with Vassilis: “What a great turnout! Everyone loves your jewelry and the opportunity to meet you.“

“Yes, it is very nice,” he says. “I am going to buy your painting,” he casually announces.

“Really?! Which one?” I’m ecstatic, but trying to play it cool.

“The Alexander the Great painting,” he says with a big smile.

“Wow! That’s fantastic! Thank you! It’s a perfect painting for you. Like Alexander, your jewelry will spread all over the world. Everyone will know of your beautiful creations!”

“Yes. It’s perfect.”

Full Circle, Full Heart

I was still trying to hold all my emotions in, but I could hardly contain what I was feeling. All at once I was hit with the deepest gratitude for the life I get to live. Not only did God turn something so painful and terrible into a profoundly fulfilling joy, but I could see everything from my youth returning to me with great magnitude.

I fell utterly in love with Greek jewelry design at 14 years old, and now I get to sell and share this love with others and have this new friendship and connection with the leading jeweler of Greece. I get to be one of his very first expansion outlets in the U.S. with more to come. And now Vassilis Kapsakis, Greek jeweler extraordinaire, is one of my collectors. My power statement I read states that “I sell my art to men who are movers and shakers who live for a cause.”

After the theft in Italy, I almost felt ashamed of how hard I took the loss. I told myself, “It's just jewelry. It's only money. Get over it.” But now I know it was something deeper. It's a connection to destiny. An attempt of theft of my inheritance. That jewelry represents more than just pretty jewels. It represents my heritage, my Alexander the Greatness, my queenly stature, and my ability to share and bring others into this glorious multifaceted jewel of many colors—this life of art, this life of destiny.

I could now see that when my heart broke from the loss of my precious jewelry collection, God and my angels started to put in place an epic redemption. They pulled on their already laid plans from even years back to bring forth this glorious win. I find incredible comfort in knowing that God takes our losses and heartache and restores our soul with blessing and abundance. It's a Divine romance He delights in.

As I stood there taking a picture, holding my Alexander painting beside my favorite jeweler, I thought back to the day I painted this piece. How could I have known it would one day go into his hands and begins it journey to deliver the messages to his heart? The dialogue would begin. That I could play some part in this man’s unfolding destiny and all the lives that would be changed by his designs, just like mine had been.

Have you ever lost something that held deep meaning for you? What did that loss teach you, or how was it redeemed later in your life?

Share your story in the comments below!