To celebrate our new ‘From My Hands to Theirs’ series, which explores family ties through the generations, we sat down with Rosita Sweetman – author, journalist, feminist pioneer and, of course, mother to our CEO Chupi. She shares some treasured family memories as well as favourite moments with her new granddaughter Aya.
It has been astonishing seeing my daughter become a mother
. No one can really prepare you, though lots of grandmother friends had been hinting how lovely being a grandmother is. And Chupi is such a natural, a thousand times better than I was. I think that mums now have so much information available to them, it’s wonderful. And they can get information from experts online – they don’t have to swallow some old nonsense from a person who probably didn’t do it that well themselves!
Other people’s advice can be so annoying when you’re the mum of a newborn.
It can sort of wreck the magic. I don’t think I shared any advice with Chupi before Aya was born – I certainly meant not to. You and your partner finding out how it’s done is so much part of the trip. I remember one of my sisters going into great detail about organising baby’s clothes for washing – lightly soiled in one bucket to steep, more soiled in another. I just sort of shut down. It made it all sound ghastly.
Bringing a child into the world, bringing that child up to be a balanced, happy individual is the greatest thing a human can do
Before Aya was born, I was kind of worried that I wouldn’t be any good at being a grandma
, but it’s been stunning seeing this little person, already so full of character, emerging into consciousness. My absolute favourite pastime with Aya is sitting with her while she gives you one of her slow smiles, she holds eye contact and then lets this slow smile spread. It’s heart-melting.
Some of my favourite parts of motherhood are when we’re all together, cooking delicious feasts
, eating delicious feasts and drinking delicious things. And afterwards playing very noisy board games like Cluedo or Scrabble.
I see Brian and Chupi with Aya and it’s a completely new world – it’s both parents taking responsibility.
Feminism has been fantastic for young mums – it’s shifted the whole balance in favour of motherhood, femalehood. I’d be happy to see it shifted a good bit more too. We were so left to it while the men sailed off back to work, the pub etc. It was so different, and so much has changed.
Mums and dads should get so much more support.
Bringing a child into the world, bringing that child up to be a balanced, happy individual is one of the greatest things a human can do. Parents should be supported and allowed to feel hugely validated for doing it, not run off their feet and then having to pay a second mortgage in childcare when the babies grow up a bit – it’s so wrong.
I’d like Aya to know how wonderful girls and women are, but I think Chupi and Brian have taught her that already.
People like her mum, her aunt Esme, hopefully me. I think she knows men – like her dad, and her Uncle Luke – are pretty wonderful too.
When Aya was born, I gave Chupi a Russian icon, a Madonna and Child on a china egg.
It was given to her great grandfather who was a doctor in Crimea when he saved a Russian soldier’s leg; as a thank you the soldier cut the icon from inside his jacket and gave it to Grandfather. My mum gave it to me. I also got Aya a ‘Pusher and spoon’ – Victorian silver in a leather box. She’ll probably never use it but it greatly amused Chupi.
Our timeless, precious and sustainable
heirloom collection
is designed to help you mark your own precious moments. Browse some of our favourites below.
Inspired by the art deco rings of the 1920s, Chupi made the Hero ring as a reminder of our strength.
At over 500 years old, emerald cut rings are one of the oldest gemstone cuts in the world. They became wildly popular in the 1920s as a symbol of women’s strength and independence. Wear this striking ring on its own or stacked with your heirloom rings.
Inspired by the words of Frances Clark: ‘There wouldn’t be a sky full of stars if we were all meant to wish on the same one’.
Three tiny diamonds glisten like stars in the night sky. The sparkle reminds us that while there are so many stars in the sky, there is a different star to wish upon for everyone.
Shop the Stars in the Sky Necklace here.
Our classic Edwardian Eternity ring is made from signature hawthorn twig paired with sparkling diamonds, the perfect combination of beauty and strength.
This delicate eternity ring is set with tiny diamonds half way around the band. Our half Eternity ring works beautifully as part of your stack to mark a special moment.
The Hero Ring
Stars in the Sky Diamond Necklace
Edwardian Diamond Half Eternity Ring
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