Jamie Lee Curtis helped spotlight some good news for jewelry designer Cathy Waterman this week. Curtis reposted Waterman’s announcement on Instagram, and the story behind it is worth knowing.
Here’s what happened, friends. Waterman’s Aqua Tattoo earrings – the ones Michelle Obama wore on a visit to Buckingham Palace – are now officially part of the Obama Presidential Center’s permanent legacy. That means a pair of earrings chosen for a meeting with British royalty has found a home in presidential history.
Waterman shared the news herself on Instagram. “I am proud to be included in the Obama Presidential Center and the legacy of the Obama presidency,” she wrote. “Michelle Obama wore the Aqua Tattoo earrings to Buckingham Palace and I still pinch myself seeing this picture. I’m honored when women (or men) choose to wear my jewelry and this is certainly no exception.” She closed with thanks to Michelle Obama, Meredith Koop, and the Obama Foundation.
Koop is Michelle Obama’s longtime personal stylist. She’s had a hand in most of the memorable fashion moments from the Obama years. Her choice to reach for Waterman’s earrings for a Buckingham Palace visit was not a casual one.
Curtis also has a place in the Obama Presidential Center’s legacy. She amplified Waterman’s announcement by reposting it to her own account, putting it in front of a much wider audience.
For anyone not yet familiar with Cathy Waterman, here’s the short version. She’s a Los Angeles-based fine jewelry designer known for handcrafted, delicate pieces that tend to end up with people who have serious taste. Her work doesn’t show up in department stores. It gets collected, passed down, and – apparently – worn to Buckingham Palace.
The Obama Presidential Center is being built on Chicago’s South Side. It’s meant to honor the Obama presidency and carry forward the work of the Obama Foundation. It isn’t a simple archive or library. Think of it as an active institution with programs, community space, and historical artifacts. The collection reflects the culture and legacy of those eight years in the White House.
Getting your earrings recognized as part of that is genuinely meaningful. Waterman said she still pinches herself looking at the photo. Hard to blame her.
Curtis didn’t add a caption to her repost. She let Waterman’s words carry the moment on their own. That kind of quiet endorsement from a celebrity with a significant following can open real doors for a smaller designer’s story. Curtis has long been known for using her platform to lift up other artists and causes she believes in. This fits that reputation.
There’s a plain kind of magic here, friends. A piece of jewelry starts as a creative vision in someone’s studio. It gets chosen by the right person for the right occasion. And years later, it’s part of the historical record of an American presidency. Cathy Waterman’s Aqua Tattoo earrings made that trip.
