I’m definitely having a moment with all things celestial — stars, the moon, constellations, etc. I’ve clearly got my head in the clouds! And there are SO many great options out there to satisfy my celestial cravings. I wanted to share 11 items with you which I absolutely adore. In no particular order, here they are.
These “written in the stars” rings from Sofia Zakia are just amazing. You can pick two different constellations, and she’ll combine them on one band. How cool is that?! I can picture them as wedding rings, friendship rings, or even one combining one’s parent’s or children’s constellations. Ok, I’ll stop gushing now.
I admit that while I covet this jacket from L’Agence, even the large doesn’t fit me. *drats* BUT…I was able to fulfill my fantasy through my client, who looked absolutely stellar in it. She’s pairing it with everything from a camouflage slip dress to a tee and jeans. Super versatile.
Buddha Mama has it going on with these earrings! They combine the star motif with the eye and accented in white-hot enamel. Plus, isn’t the shape so edgy? Very fashion-forward.
Again, I’m lusting for these Aquazzura Cosmic Star boots from afar, as I can’t wear a heel, but boy is my client enjoying them! They are such a chic way to add some personality to any outfit.
Rails has quite a few styles of shirts with stars on them, but I think this shirt jacket with star patches is my fave. When I’m not in black, grey or white, army green is my go-to color.
Sirciam has been a long-time favorite with their rose gold celestial pieces. This particular ring is a real winner in my book. Even though it’s a larger scale ring, it works perfectly for every day. And yes, I have yet another client who will attest to that fact.
If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I buy myself a “boyfriend gift” for various occasions. I mean really, why should I have no boyfriend AND no jewelry?! I can’t control the boyfriend part, but I can certainly buy myself jewelry! I await the arrival of my own Samantha Knight pendant with my lucky number 13 on it to celebrate the holidays.
Luckily, I did find the perfect pair of star jeans that actually came in a size 16. Score! Loving my new Mia star print jeans from Kut. I put them with a distressed over-sized light blue chambray shirt and felt awesome.
Honestly, this is just the tip of the starry iceberg. There are SO many options out there in clothing, jewelry and accessories, I could go quite crazy. What about you? Do you have any celestial cravings? I’d love to hear from you in the comment section.
Last week I had the honor of attending the Project Glimmer luncheon, and I was so pleased to run into local jewelry designer, Ashley Berman, of Ashley Morgan Designs. (If you missed my previous article about her, then click here to catch up.) We were talking about business, and she told me how her custom work has really been taking off. With her creativity, I was not surprised to hear this.
I welcome Ashley as a guest writer this week, where she shares one of her latest custom creations. Enjoy the article!
It all began with a dress. The dress was an elegant one: designed by Carolina Herrera, it was whimsical in design, with detailed lace set in garden-inspired patterns. When I was approached to make a necklace and earring set for this outfit — which was destined for a wedding — I was immediately inspired. I found myself intrigued by the intricate lace patterns, and sketched an elaborate collar necklace composed of medallions that had four separate designs; each reflected an element of the design of the dress.
I chose my favorite for the matching drop earrings. After pulling different themes and motifs from the dress, I customized the neckline to fit the dress exactly. I talked with my client about what she hoped the necklace and earring set would represent; I learned that she was attending her eldest daughter’s wedding, and that she wanted these pieces to be a celebration of her, the event, and what it symbolized. We chose blush pink sapphires as the stone that would stud the necklace: these represented the little girl she had raised into a lovely young woman, now all grown up.
The next step was to finalize the details. For any custom project, a computerized CAD is required to cement the crucial elements. After my client had seen the sketch of her lovely necklace and earrings, a CAD was made. This was then shown to my client, who happily approved what she saw. With the CAD and details confirmed, the project was ready to begin!
Production of the necklace involved carving each tiny element of the necklace and earrings out of wax, and then casting the medallions individually. Every rose gold swirl, vine, star, and cross-hatch had to be formed expertly and exactly. Then the many sparkling sapphires were added, in their hues of blush-pink. We wanted the necklace to exude a warmth and a glow, to give the impression of a natural garden preserved in gold and precious gems. This feel was achieved through the combination of rose gold and blush-pink sapphires.
The final result was more enchanting then we could have dreamed. A symphony of pink and rose hues, the necklace lays elegantly against the collarbone. The earrings seem to twinkle as they dangle, a perfect match for the necklace. A true joy from start to finish, this necklace is without a doubt one of a kind. Contact me today to begin your own custom project–experience the joy and satisfaction of bespoke fine jewelry created specifically to suit you.
(This article originally appeared on Ashley’s website.)
I was enjoying the opening night party at the Couture show in Las Vegas — sipping my cocktail while sitting on a poolside tuffet, and I caught a glimpse of something quite fabulous out of the corner of my eye. Hopping up to inspect more closely, I met Sefik Kabas, the designer of Taru Jewelry, who was donning one of his own designs. I made a point to visit this Istanbul-based designer in the showroom the next day to see more of his work.
First up, I had to try on this ram’s head bracelet, encrusted with champagne, brown and rough white diamonds!
Sefik gave me a tour of his collection and answered some questions for me.
Your artistic background has included jewelry, glass blowing, interior design, and more. How did you end up launching your own jewelry line, Taru Jewelry, in 2015?
I studied fine arts majoring in sculpture and glass blowing. I designed and produced furniture with bronze sculptural details from ancient civilizations.
large mirror designed by Sefik
Jewelry was our family business from 1976 till 1990. I spent a lot of time in our jewelry workshop during those times. Going back to the roots, in 2015 I decided to get back to jewelry design and created the Taru brand.
Taru falcon bracelet
Your line is full of brilliant animals — how do you select which ones to focus on?
I have an interest in archeology. I focus on the animals of power with mythical symbols.
I was just amazed by the Queen Bee necklace at Couture, and you told me that it took three and a half months to make. What was the driving force behind this piece?
I wanted to create a one of a kind queen bee showpiece — all handmade, everything made from scratch. Not starting with a drawing, but working freestyle. I also wanted to show the movements of the bees as in real life.
details on the back side of the necklace
Can you share a recent creation with us, and tell us a bit about it?
My recent creation is the ceremonial horse bracelet for women. The earliest archaeological evidence for the domestication of the horse dates back to approximately 3500 BC. The mythologies of many cultures include references to horses. Horses were used to preserve cultural traditions and for ceremonial purposes to convey royalty. I created this ceremonial horse with a gold chamfron decorated with precious stones.
Who do you see as the Taru customer?
My customer is looking for uniqueness — one who appreciates handwork and wants to wear bold statement jewelry with a story. The Taru customer is both men and women.
This earring only takes one piercing, if you can believe it!
For an amazing look at Sefik’s work, take a minute to watch this beautiful video:
I’m so happy to have met Sefik at the show and see his line, full of extraordinary detail and archeological flavor.
About a year ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Lucie Gledhill at the New York Now show. Her work has really stuck in my head, and I wanted to share some of her pieces with you. Lucie is a UK based jewelry designer who’s about 7 years into her line. What really made an impression on me is how she literally weaves with metal — take a look.
This is her Rope Chain necklace, which takes about 4 days to make. One link always has 2 other links to create the woven look.
She also has a really chic interpretation of the traditional gold chain; this is the Jumbled Curb Chain in 18K gold. I think it’s perfectly imperfect in effect, don’t you?
She has another group of necklaces that she described to me as both “ancient and feminine.” She creates this look by fusing white and yellow gold and accenting with diamond beads.
These firework earrings really made a splash with my short hairstyle.
I didn’t get to see this ring in person, but I’m loving the feel of this Magic Eye ring, with its marquis cut ruby and handcrafted recycled 18K gold.
All in all, a darn cool line! Would it suit your personal style? Do tell.
There’s something so exciting about the birth of a brand new jewelry line! stôn launched just this past June, and it’s making a splash in the world of jewelry. I was fortunate to connect with Latondra (Ton), the designer of this line, and explore some of the pieces in person.
First, take a look at the Pulley II necklace — so unique how it moves along the chain.
Tell me a bit about the Pulley necklace. I just love the kinetic movement!
The pulleys were inspired by my three sisters. They’re busy mothers and career women who are always on the go but are rarely frazzled. I wanted to honor them with a design that moves freely but has discipline at the same time (and I have to admit that it also appeals to my engineering background). The four of us have these pulleys in sterling, and I used gemstones from some of our late mother’s fine jewelry. I guess we get that energy from her!
What is your background — have you always been in jewelry?
Jewelry is a relatively new passion for me; I’ve always played around with textiles, small household fixtures, painting and photography, but nothing captured me like jewelry has. I grew up in a large family of artisans — quilt-makers, furniture makers, home builders — so making things is in my blood!
How did you end up creating this line?
We officially launched stôn in June. Before that I made custom pieces for friends’ special occasions, like his and his wedding bands. That experience gave me the confidence to do more.
One of the pieces I had the pleasure of trying on is the Shield ring made from bronze and rose cut grey diamonds. Latondra said, “The Shield ring evolved from an idea, to a sketch, and is brought to life in a powerful, finished piece. Cast in bronze and set with rose cut, natural colored diamonds. You never know when inspiration will hit you. I was heading into a difficult meeting one day, and the idea of armor came to mind. I jotted this design on a scrap of paper. This ultimately became our Shield ring. I hope it empowers women to charge though difficult times with strength, grace and integrity.”
You have four women on your stôn team — what roles do you each play?
Evelyn is a highly talented jeweler. When I knew the demand would exceed my personal capacity, I wanted to find someone who could not only make beautiful things but help me develop my craft as well. Sarah manages our story telling platforms. She introduced me to Evelyn, and she also encouraged me to pursue this work when I had doubts about it. Melissa and Stacey keep the wheels on the operation. They are terrific planners and operations managers who allow me to focus on what I love — creating! All of us are sales ambassadors for stôn, and we have a shared value for quality and sustainability.
I love the way women work together. We uplift each other, juggle so many obligations, and still manage to have a great time.
Ton in ball + chain cluster necklace and Rick Owens gown; Photographed by Sarah Alexandra Teodorescu
How would you describe the aesthetic of your line?
My designs are inspired by women and nature — both are resilient. I want the patina, textures and heft of the pieces to provoke images of unearthing treasures. Antiquity meets modern.
I think this is perfect description of this line. Here is a diamond bracelet, called the ball+chain III. It’s crafted from oxidized silver and rose cut diamonds, cast in place. It definitely has the feel of something from long ago, yet modern in approach. I could easily see myself wearing this stacked with other bracelets in my jewelry box. (Take a look at yesterday’s Instagram post to see this in action!)
What sort of woman do you envision wearing your jewelry?
I fantasize about a tribe of women out there wearing stôn who are confident, kind and making a difference in their own ways. They don’t need to wear something shiny to know they’re wearing something special.
Do you have a “jewelry uniform” and wear the same pieces every day? Or do you mix it up? Do you ever mix your pieces with other designers?
I mix it up each day. Often, I’ll wear prototypes of new designs so that I can see how they wear over a period of time before fully committing to them. stôn mixes so well with different styles, and I especially enjoy wearing it with my vintage pieces. Layering is such a great way to transform an outfit.
What are your dreams in how the line will evolve and grow?
I’d love to evolve and grow over time, keeping it a bespoke line. Success for me is having the freedom to create when I want, meeting amazing people along the way, while appealing to that growing tribe of women who see the potential this world has. I’m not in a hurry — there’s so much to learn along the way.
Of course, as a stylist, when I see a jewelry collection I immediately start envisioning how I would style it, wondering what clothing lines I could see it effortlessly meshing with. In this case, I pictured an edgy look from Rick Owens.
How would you style the line to suit your own personal style? I want to thank Ton for her time and for letting me explore these pieces in person. I truly appreciate it, and I wish you and your team a very sparkly future!
When I began planning my adventure in Scotland, I naturally asked all my friends for advice on where to go. A friend of a friend said I HAD to visit the Isle of Iona, as it was a completely magical place. OK…so I got out the map and located it. Hmm…it was part of the Hebrides Islands, a little isle off the coast of the Isle of Mull, off the coast of Oban. It didn’t sound like the easiest place to get to, but I was determined to make it happen. And, it turned out it wasn’t as difficult as I originally thought.
Enjoying the sunshine at the harbor in Oban, Scotland
You can see Iona on the far left, outlined in red, the Isle of Mull in the center, and the town of Oban off to the right on the mainland.
To get to Iona, I purchased a full day, round trip tour from West Coast tours. I bought my ticket almost 6 months in advance (not that you have to), and I lucked out big time on the weather — cool and sunny! We departed Oban just before 10 in the morning and enjoyed a scenic 50 minute ferry ride to Craignure on the Isle of Mull. From there, I hopped on a bus and took an hour and half drive across the ruggedly beautiful Isle of Mull. The driver gave an informative and sometimes humorous commentary during the journey.
Then it’s just a a 15 minute ferry ride over to Iona. Once I debarked in Iona, I just started walking. I knew the main thing I wanted to see was the Abbey, but you never know what you’ll encounter along the way. And what did I find??? An incredible jewelry gallery, Aosdana! Honestly, this was about the last thing I ever thought I’d find on this remote island.
Aosdana “derives from an ancient Gaelic word and is the collective term for the bards of old whose role was to record the histories and genealogies of the land, through poetry and music.” It all started with local jewelry designers, Alex and Euphemia Ritchie and Iain McCormick. In 1996, Iain gave a young female relative, Mhairi Killin, the wealth of his expertise and designs. In 2003 Mhairi opened Aosdana, where she showcases this work, as well as the work of many other Scottish artists. I was extremely impressed by the gallery, both in its clean displays and breadth in style of work. Here’s a peek inside the gallery.
I was very drawn to this zoomorphic ring with a dark finish. Its pattern was so much more complex than any Celtic design I’d seen before, and I learned it symbolizes renewal of life and eternity of spirit. Love it even more!
I was also intrigued by the green stones in many of the pieces, such as in this charm bangle. I discovered that these stones are often referred to as “St. Columba’s tears” by the locals, and they sometimes carry of piece of it in their pockets to ward off drowning. It’s a mixture of serpentine and white marble, and it naturally occurs in shades from lime to dark green.
As I strolled around the gallery, I couldn’t help but admire a large statement necklace hanging on the wall by Kelly Munro. This “creel” necklace is made of brass, rubber and wood. It could easily function as a piece of art if displayed when you’re not wearing it.
I also think the handcrafted silver work by Susan Macleod is quite lovely. Here’s her Sweet Pea & Pearl necklace.
Another artist who uses wood in her jewelry is Cristina Zani. I think it’s so pretty how she carves the wood and then uses paint and gold leaf to make it an organically beautiful centerpiece.
Grace Girvan uses pebbles from the beaches of Iona in her designs — here’s one featuring two stones with fascinating patterns.
If you find yourself on the Isle of Iona, you definitely have to visit the Abbey. (It’s just up the road from Aosdana.) It was founded back in 565 AD, and it’s still in use today. Can you imagine going to services in such an ancient building? There was moss and ferns sprouting from the interior walls — truly a mystical place!
Duke and Duchess of Argyll
When walking back to the ferry landing from the Abbey, you’ll pass Aosdana, and shortly thereafter come upon the Iona Heritage Centre. I found this a perfect spot for an alfresco cheese toastie for lunch. (translation: grilled cheese sandwich)
As I waited for my ferry back to Mull, I couldn’t help but get lost gazing into the crystal clear and frigid waters.
I’m so grateful that I followed the advice of my friend of a friend to visit this charming isle. If you find yourself visiting and you’re looking for a great place to stay in Oban, I highly recommend Greystones. This immaculate, modern boutique hotel, run by Mark and Suzanne, has five rooms. It’s the former private home of the director of Kimberley Diamond Mine. (Quite perfect for a jewelry blogger, don’t you think?!) I can’t rave over the views enough — and the yummy breakfast!
Greystones in Oban
View from my room — wow!!!
For drinks, enjoy the outdoor area at Oban Inn (established in 1790!), and then have a delicious seafood dinner at Eeusk.
I know it’s been quite some time since my last Jewelry Judge post, but I finally came across a worthy subject! In June I attended the wedding of a dear friend. At the reception, I found my way to my table, and before I even started chatting with the lovely lady seated next to me, my eyes were transfixed on the layers she was donning around her neck.
The lengths of the necklaces, the different scales of chains, the mix of metals and the glimmer of diamonds really drew me in. Not only was it a very chic look with her all black ensemble and sassy haircut, but it really was a conversation starter. Of course, the large medallion pendant was the piece de resistance!
She told me that she purchased this vintage Cartier turtle medallion from Lang antiques back in the 90’s. It was when the economy had taken a downturn, so she was able to purchase it for an amazing price — she actually offered them less than the price tag. Mixed with other family heirlooms and some more recent acquisitions, I just love the whole look. I may not have thought to put it together that way myself, but that’s one thing I just adore about jewelry. It really is a way to express your personal style!
Not only is it wonderful seeing jewelry designers I know when I go to the Couture show, but I’m always invigorated by meeting designers for the first time and seeing their work in person. Daria de Koning was one of those designers I had on my short list. Her use of color is wonderful, and she definitely is a queen of cabochons, which happens to be one of my favorite cuts. As typically happens at the show, I’m exposed to stones I’ve never heard of before. Yes, I learned some new ones at Daria’s booth! Let’s dive into some Q&A with this talented designer.
Dagny stacking rings
You have a background in painting as well as jewlery, right? How does painting influence your work?
Originally I went to art school thinking I would major in painting (derailed and became a graphic design/visual communications major). Graphics really helped train my eye and painting is similar to what I’m doing now — I’m just working with “hard” color in gemstones, versus fluids like watercolors or pastels. But I’m still working to create good compositions with the flow that a good painting magically creates. It just happens to be smaller and 3-D.
Azure malachite necklace with iolite and tourmaline
How does your jewelry making process work — sketch an idea first? Find the stones first? Something else?
It depends on the piece. I’ll make loose sketches sometimes, but a lot of the time I’ll build designs with stones and then go right to creating the 3-D piece…
Hexagonal aquamarine and amazonite necklace with a center stone featuring a fragment of a blue-green tourmaline crystal in quartz
I saw so many amazing pieces at the Couture show. Can you please share a couple of your current faves with us?
Oh jeez…there’s nothing better than having one of my “thoughts” become 3-D and real…but that tends to mean I’m most excited about whatever I’ve just finished. ha ha. I’m really stoked with my star crossed lovers bracelet. I’m starting to go down a path of working with negative and positive spaces while still incorporating my cluster cabochons. The malachite necklace is pretty baller and really packs a punch.
Malachite necklace with aquamarine, tourmaline and blue Peruvian opal cabochons
And, it wasn’t at Couture because I couldn’t finish it in time, but there’s this emerald ring that is fabulous.
Emerald ring with sapphires, apatite, rainbow moonstone and diamonds
I can only imagine how difficult it must be to create something so unique and beautiful and then let it go. Have you kept any particular piece for yourself?
I do get attached to my pieces. Each one is so special and I know that I’ll never be able to recreate it, so sometimes it’s really hard to let go. But I’d be a terrible business woman if I kept them all. It’s easier when I can sell directly to a private client since I know a piece will go to a happy home. Sending it out to stores is so much harder! Funnily enough, I don’t really own much of my own jewelry. I have some prototypes I’ve built and also I’ve kept maybe four pieces that I love to wear (and are easy to wear) from earlier collections.
Lodolite quartz earrings with sunstone and smoky topaz cabochons
What are the most challenging and most rewarding aspects of being a jewelry designer?
Overall it’s very rewarding. I love making jewelry, playing with pretty things, making something unique and special. As an artist, I love the whole process of a piece from conception to creation and the final. It’s so satisfying!
The most challenging aspect is the financial scenario of remaining independent (which I am — I built my business piece by piece) yet having to be the bank for everyone until something sells. This impacts everything in my business, ranging from holding me up from creating something new because I can’t buy stones, to impeding marketing plans like photoshoots, etc. From a creative point, the most challenging would be waiting for those perfect stones to “find” each other. Sometimes I’ll hold onto a gem that caught my eye for years before it can be made into that special something.
Aquaprase “tiger’s tooth” necklace with cabochon clusters of aquamarine, smoky citrine, and tourmaline
As I sit to write this article, I find myself desperately missing Scotland and a wee bit jet lagged as well. I have just returned from a month in the UK — three weeks in Scotland and a week in London. It was a most amazing solo adventure, and I’ve discovered lots of goodies to share with you. First up, I have to tell you about Joseph Bonnar, a truly amazing antique and period jewelry store in the New Town section of Edinburgh. I had the pleasure of visiting the store twice during my week’s stay, as I just didn’t take in enough the first time.
Entering this establishment feels like being in a well-curated jewelry museum where you can actually try on and BUY the artifacts! Just incredible. Many of the pieces come from local families, so Joseph can actually trace the heritage of many items. Here’s just one of the cases of antique Scottish jewelry. This store has the best selection of Scottish pieces that I came across on my entire trip.
Merchandise is very clearly labeled with information and price, which makes shopping very user friendly. I was drooling on the cases in the “gold” section. Both the variety of snake rings and this huge oval pendant (it must have been over 2 inches!) were screaming to go home with me. Alas…
As I chatted with Joseph about various pieces, he would suddenly pull something extra-special from the back for me to take a look at. We were discussing the resurgence in popularity of riviere necklaces, when he handed me this leather box from 1860. Take a gander at what’s inside! *gasp*
On my second visit, I was fortunate to see this paste crown and pin from the 19th century. It’s Central European and ended up in Edinburgh as the owner married a Scot. I wonder who she was…
A particularly lovely ring I saw is this Georgian silver and gold cushion cut diamond ring with enamel details. Isn’t it just exquisite?
The ring that stole my heart, and just happened to fit perfectly on my pinky finger, is this sweet Georgian citrine ring. I needed a pinky ring, right? I thought so.
I could have spent the whole day in this store, and I thank Joseph and his lovely staff for all their time and expertise. They do show quite a few products on their website if you’d like to get a more in-depth look at their collection. But personally, I say it’s worth an in person visit!
If you find yourself in Edinburgh, I’m sure your antique jewelry shopping will work up an appetite. I wanted to share a few recommendations with you, as I tried out many restaurants during my time there. For lunch, the restaurant at Harvey Nichols (Harvey Nick’s, for locals) was both delicious and had a stellar view! It’s only about a 5-10 minute walk from Joseph Bonnar.
View from the restaurant at Harvey Nick’s in Edinburgh
For dinner, I found two excellent choices. Both of these are in the Old Town, not far from Edinburgh Castle. The first is Howies on Victoria, the brightly-colored street that leads down to the Grassmarket area. While they had me at the elderflower gin fizz, the warm bread and salmon with tempura fried anchovies truly won me over.
Victoria Street in Edinburgh
The other dinner I really loved was at The Outsider, which came with a view of the castle. It’s not often that I enjoy pan fried stone bass while gazing at a frickin’ castle!!
Not a bad nighttime view! The sun didn’t set until around 10pm.
Edinburgh… I will be back. That, I can promise you.
I’m embarking on a big solo adventure this summer. Being the jewelry-a-holic that I am, as soon as I booked my flight, I started planning my jewelry wardrobe before anything else. I was browsing the Ylang 23 website (I’d hate to admit how many hours I’ve spent window shopping on this site!), when I came across this “dream” charm from Foundrae. I got tears in my eyes as I read the symbolism of the piece, “The divine triangle is associated with pyramids, arrowheads & sacred mountains. It represents the journey of self-discovery, revelation and ascension. The arrow represents powerfully launching forward and the star provides energy and divine guidance.” There it was — the perfect talisman for my adventure.
Since receiving it, I’ve been playing around with how to wear it. First, I tried it on my Marla Aaron bracelet.
At the Couture show in Vegas, I decided to add it to a Marla Aaron necklace, on which I also hung a big enhydro quartz pendant by Monica Marcella. Alysa Teichman from Ylang 23 took a cool candid of it when I met her on the show floor.
I love mixing different metals and designers.
But let’s get back to Foundrae, the jewelry brand launched just a year and a half ago by Beth Bugdaycay and her husband, Murat. It was the first day of the Couture show, I walked down the middle aisle, and there was Beth — my very first stop! And no, I didn’t plan it that way. Just kismet. Yay! I introduced myself, and once again I got a bit teary telling her why I bought her charm. I felt an instant connection with Beth, which of course makes me love the line even more.
I had the opportunity to ask Beth some questions about her jewelry, and here’s what she had to say.
I’m fascinated by your transition from the fashion world to the world of jewelry. What prompted this shift?
I wanted to do something more personal to me-jewelry was natural for me because I have always defined my personal style by jewelry.
How did you come up with the symbols for your original collections?
We came up with the symbols first, before we designed any of the jewelry itself. We refer internally to the symbols as “the Foundrae lexicon” and we still haven’t used all of them yet! They are symbols that I consider “found” from different cultures, different eras, and then I mixed them together. All of them were symbols that I was already familiar with and wrote down from memory.
Some new designs I tried on at the show
At the show, you debuted your new collections: Passion, True Love and Resilience. Can you share a little bit about these?
They are all chapters of our With Every Breath collection. Where the Core Collection is about self-recognition and self-discovery, this second collection, With Every Breath, is about creating beauty in our lives by following our hearts. It celebrates the connections we make and the possibilities we create when we not only discover our passions, but find the confidence to embrace them fully and without apology.
And yet in this collection is also the recognition that it is also a perilous journey, one whose joy is often punctuated by vulnerability, darkness, and doubt. But it is this duality, these extreme highs and lows, that make life not only worth living, but meaningful and beautiful.
The materials in With Every Breath reflect this twinned darkness and light, with a moody, intense palette—black, bordeaux and blush champlevé enamel—and a vocabulary of powerful iconography inspired by fantasies and ancient mythology: just-bloomed flowers, crossed arrows, wings, and thorns.
The surrender to passion is not a single moment; it is a lifelong process, with steps forward and back. These pieces are meant to be your companions on your journey, and even, to encourage you to move forward when the path seems most daunting. A life lived in pursuit of your dreams is never easy…but then, nothing rewarding ever is. The phrases that repeat themselves across the collection—If not now, then when?; With every Breath—are reminders of this most challenging and thrilling journey of the heart.
WITH EVERY BREATH chapters and symbols: Passion
Crossed arrows: Two individual arrows, cross to form a new whole. A union of friendship, of love, that didn’t exist separately.
Wings: Unbridled exuberance. With wings we are creatures of the limitless skies; with wings, we can climb as high as our dreams allow.
True Love
True Lovers knot (also known as Bowen’s knot): represents the connectivity of true love
Spark: It just takes a spark to begin a lifelong journey
Resiliance
Thorn: the risk we assume when we try for something we love. You can’t separate the thorn from the blossom.
Dark Blossoms: Blossoms bloom even in darkness. Resilience.
I love the horseshoe ring I tried on at the show. Can you tell me about the symbolism of this piece? I know it’s part of your Abundance chapter
We haven’t fully shown this chapter yet. The horseshoe ring and necklace were sneak peaks. The horseshoe is for abundance. We don’t need luck. It’s about gratitude and recognizing the abundant lives we already lead; it’s filled with diamond flowers.
Diamond Flowers: Wild, abundant, and untamed, these flowers are fed with passion
Do you have certain pieces of jewelry that you wear everyday?
For about the last year and a half I’ve worn the strength cigar band on my right pinkie plus a thin band and a gold vintage signet. On my left hand I’ve worn a gold signet with a “B” that says “light and divine guidance,” my diamond eternity vintage wedding band, a dream wide band, a blue thin band w/ my kids names on it, and I recently added the diamond baguette “if not now then when” band and 2 black “with every breath” thin bands.
On my neck, I wear the 15” extended clip necklace with a large 28mm initial medallion as my base. Then I add different medallions to it, usually protection, dream, and then a few initials in champleve enamel or diamond flowers. I’ve kept the same base for over a year but change the medallions.
On my left ear I wear a pair of petite orbit earrings on the 1st and 3rd holes, then in the middle a diamond(esque) thorn earring — I’m pretty sure it’s costume or silver, I can’t remember but I’ve had it for years. (It’s a different shape thorn than the one we just made-it’s like the thorn on a rose stem) My right ear I tend to change daily — either a bunch of small earrings or a few hoops in a variety of sizes.
What would be your dream for your line in the next 5 years?
I want to build a business that can offer good benefits and salaries to the team.
From this inside look into the line, you can see that this really is a jewelry collection rife with meaning and symbolism. Through the pieces you choose, you are showing your own life, dreams and passions via jewlery. I absolutely love it…even moreso now that I’ve met Beth in person and felt the energy she radiates. Beth, thank you for your time, knowledge and creativity!
