The diamond industry has witnessed a significant shift with the advent of lab-grown diamonds. These scientifically created gems have sparked a debate about the future of traditional diamond mining and whether lab-grown alternatives could potentially replace real, mined diamonds. Let’s take a look. What are Lab-Grown Diamonds? Lab-grown diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments […]
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]]>The diamond industry has witnessed a significant shift with the advent of lab-grown diamonds. These scientifically created gems have sparked a debate about the future of traditional diamond mining and whether lab-grown alternatives could potentially replace real, mined diamonds. Let’s take a look.
What are Lab-Grown Diamonds?
Lab-grown diamonds are created in controlled laboratory environments using advanced technological processes that replicate the natural diamond growing conditions. These diamonds have the same chemical, physical, and optical properties as mined diamonds.
Environmental Impact
One of the most compelling arguments for lab-grown diamonds is their lower environmental impact compared to mined diamonds. Traditional diamond mining is often criticized for its ecological footprint, including land degradation and carbon emissions. Lab-grown diamonds are a more sustainable alternative.
Cost and Accessibility
Lab-grown diamonds are generally more affordable than their mined counterparts, making them an attractive option for me. This price difference has allowed a broader range of buyers to purchase diamond jewelry, potentially expanding the market. However, it’s important to note that the price of lab-grown diamonds has been decreasing, which could impact their perceived value and long-term investment potential.
The bet is still out, but one thing is for sure—these diamonds are becoming more and more popular each year.
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Scrolling through Instagram or just walking down the street, it’s been impossible to miss the recent takeover of the eye-catching, playful, craftcore-inspired beaded jewelry. Like many of the biggest trends these days, it’s a fun interpretation of Y2K fashion and 90s style. Even celebrities like Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid have been spotted sporting beaded […]
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]]>Scrolling through Instagram or just walking down the street, it’s been impossible to miss the recent takeover of the eye-catching, playful, craftcore-inspired beaded jewelry. Like many of the biggest trends these days, it’s a fun interpretation of Y2K fashion and 90s style. Even celebrities like Dua Lipa and Bella Hadid have been spotted sporting beaded pieces. If you are inspired to hop on the beaded train or want to expand your collection, here are some cool beaded jewelry brands to check out.
Ian Charms
When LA-based designer Lisa Sahakian was looking for fun and original handmade jewelry for a gift she just couldn’t find what she wanted on the market. So she started her own brand—“Ian Charms”. From food-themed charms to locket-style images of celebrities, Sahakian’s whimsical beaded creations are filled with personality and humor.
(@iancharms)Shroom Spoon
Launched in 2020 by designer Gena Wachendorfer, Shroom Spoon is your go-to brand for colorful candy-like earrings. Each earring is sold as a single, which may seem strange at first, but it gives you endless mixing and matching opportunities.
SHROOM_SPOON
(@shroom_spoon)Picinc Blanket
Picnic Blanket, by designer Katie Rawsthorne, focuses on dreamy pastel-color beaded jewelry. But make no mistake, the soft color palette doesn’t mean the pieces make any less of a statement.
Mudd Pearl
From pastel colors to pearl-centered designs—Mudd Pearl, by Yasmin Moon and Mary Anderson, gives a more minimalist and sophisticated interpretation to the playful aesthetic of beaded jewelry. Instead of bright colors, they offer neutral shades and unexpected shapes.
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After a year of lockdown, you best believe we’re going to rock our most outrageous, out-there outfits this summer. PJs out, statement earrings—very much in! One small jewelry brand we’ve got our eyes on is Elysian Theory. Established in 2015 by designer Elyse Tolles (hence the name), the brand offers sculptural, dreamy, and effortlessly artful pieces that don’t […]
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]]>After a year of lockdown, you best believe we’re going to rock our most outrageous, out-there outfits this summer. PJs out, statement earrings—very much in! One small jewelry brand we’ve got our eyes on is Elysian Theory. Established in 2015 by designer Elyse Tolles (hence the name), the brand offers sculptural, dreamy, and effortlessly artful pieces that don’t necessarily require a special occasion.
The antithesis to mass-produced fast-fashion, Elysian Theory jewelry embodies intentionality and serves as wearable art, with designs inspired by Art Deco elegance.
According to Tolles, the name Elysian means beautiful, blissful, and ethereal. Derived from Ancient Greek, it literally means “to be deeply stirred from joy.” And with pieces including mix and match charms and floral-shaped hoops, one can indeed achieve a level of happiness by wearing a pair.
Tolles explains that when it comes to wearing statement earrings it’s all about attitude. “Just rock them, because you’ll be getting compliments on them all day,” she relayed in an interview with Etsy’s blog. “That’s one of my favorite things about wearing fun earrings: Whenever I go out, people are like ‘Oh, those are so interesting.’ It’s a conversation piece.”
In terms of styling, Tolles recommends a combination of structured and unstructured: pairing a flowy dress made of a silky material or a long, pleated skirt with a more structured top or jacket. “All the earrings I make work really well with that sort of combination, I think,” she says. Indeed, part of her designs’ appeal is the juxtaposition of contemporary design paired with the unpresumptuous material of polymer clay alongside its old-world femininity appeal.
“My own personal style is very feminine, and I wanted to bring that into the brand as much as possible, but in a way that’s fresh and contemporary,” says Tolles. “I also wanted everything to feel elevated and not look overly sweet.”
Head to her online shop.
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Vintage Royalty’s jewelry pieces are quite literally – a conversation starter. “My customers tell me that people stop them on the street to ask what they’re wearing,” shared founder and designer Meena Osei-Kuffour in a recent interview with the Etsy blog. Known for their funky statement earrings, pieces include metal-shaped flowers, plastic chain links, and […]
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]]>Vintage Royalty’s jewelry pieces are quite literally – a conversation starter. “My customers tell me that people stop them on the street to ask what they’re wearing,” shared founder and designer Meena Osei-Kuffour in a recent interview with the Etsy blog. Known for their funky statement earrings, pieces include metal-shaped flowers, plastic chain links, and lots of tassels.
According to Osei-Kuffour, she launched her brand with one goal in mind: to create pieces of wearable art that are inspired by the past and made for the future. 12 years later, the goal is still the same.
“When I design earrings, I give each piece a personality,” says Osei-Kuffour. According to the designer, adding a story to a piece of jewelry stems from her background as a stylist. “For example, growing up, my sisters and I were obsessed with The Baby-Sitter’s Club. In one episode of the original show, Claudia is making polymer clay earrings. I created these pink iridescent earrings in homage to her character.”
Indeed, the brand’s pieces might just spark a feeling of nostalgia in you, with designs evoking that wonderful vintage, bigger-than-life spirit. Amongst her sources of inspiration Osei-Kuffour counts her childhood experience as a girl scout – a time when she could dream, explore, and create without limitations. She believes it was the scouts who taught her about friendship, running a business, reaching attainable goals, and using her imagination.
Another source of inspiration is—naturally—vintage aesthetic, with emphasis on bold, ’80s jewelry. “I’m still really in tune with that era. I think it’s great when people tell me, ‘This looks like something I had 20 years ago!’ or say it reminds them of something they saw their mother or grandmother wear. But I make it a point to have something for everyone. I want everyone who visits my shop to be able to find something they love.”
Most of Vintage Royalty’s products are made of acrylic material, with detailing of other mediums. Those other mediums include paper, vintage findings, African and Italian beads, and brass. All earring posts are stainless steel, but 14k gold posts and earring hooks can be included upon request. Clip-on earrings can also be made upon request.
You can purchase a piece here or here.
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Here’s a reminder: staying on fleek doesn’t mean compromising your ethics. Case in point: Scandinazn—a jewelry brand that promotes sustainable statement earrings. Founded in 2012 by Jamie Carlson, the brand uses discarded leather as its main material component. Each piece is crafted by Carlson, by hand, in Vancouver, Canada. Carlson traces her love for creating pretty […]
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]]>Here’s a reminder: staying on fleek doesn’t mean compromising your ethics. Case in point: Scandinazn—a jewelry brand that promotes sustainable statement earrings. Founded in 2012 by Jamie Carlson, the brand uses discarded leather as its main material component. Each piece is crafted by Carlson, by hand, in Vancouver, Canada.
Carlson traces her love for creating pretty things out of repurposed materials to her preteen years. She recalls an instance when she wanted to look freshen up her outfit for her first concert. Lacking the budget for the look she desired, and armed with a sewing machine and a pair of scissors, she proceeded to pick apart her existing wardrobe. This hobby quickly evolved into a passion, which eventually led her to pursue an education in design.
With sustainability a driving force behind her work, Carlson treats the material itself as the starting point of her creative process. “Sometimes I’ll get an old leather jacket that just really speaks to me, or come across a collection of scraps that are just the right thickness to make a certain piece,” she shared in an interview with the Etsy blog, where she talked through her sources of inspiration.
Other sources of inspiration stem from her multicultural background, a fact that comes across through her brand’s name – Scandinazn being a combination of the words Scandinavian and Asian. Carlson explains her brand was in fact created with the intention of exploring elements of her Japanese and Swedish heritage through experimentation with color, pattern, shape, and texture,
“I’m keenly aware of colors that inspire me,” she shared with Etsy. “Whether I’m out and about in nature, looking at art, or surfing the internet, I try to keep a record of good color combinations. I think color is what makes my work stand out.”
Favorite pieces of ours include her rainbow confetti earrings and petal hoops. “You can match them with just about anything in your wardrobe, from jeans and a white T-shirt to a cute summer dress,” says Carlson.
Statement jewelry with a conscious? Sign us up!
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“I’ve always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman’s outfit,” says Michael Kors, and we couldn’t agree more. A unique jewelry piece can upgrade the most simple of looks. Most recently we’ve taken to the embroidered jewelry trend. A combination of kitsch and romance, a hand-stitched piece of jewelry can add a […]
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]]>“I’ve always thought of accessories as the exclamation point of a woman’s outfit,” says Michael Kors, and we couldn’t agree more. A unique jewelry piece can upgrade the most simple of looks. Most recently we’ve taken to the embroidered jewelry trend. A combination of kitsch and romance, a hand-stitched piece of jewelry can add a nostalgic flair to that floral summer dress of yours.
Ruby Thursday More of Thursday Craftlove will show you how it’s done. Based in the Philippines, her hand-embroidered floral necklaces and abstract earrings are very much inspired by her life on the island. “My whitework embroidery pieces, for example, like the Rosa necklaces were inspired by the Barong Tagalog—an embroidered top traditionally worn by men especially during special occasions like weddings—and as how I remembered certain flowers from my childhood, which I rarely see these days like the Rosal (similar to Gardenias, I think),” shared Thursday More in an interview with My Modern Met.
Other sources of inspiration include color, light, and memories. But ultimately, says Thursday More, her creativity stems from her upbringing and artistic family members. Her maternal grandmother, for instance, used to make quilts and sell them to farmers during the harvest season. She also embroidered blankets, tablecloths, and tea towels. Additionally, her mother used to sew pencil cases and throw pillow cases. Thursday More recalls sitting under her sewing machine, cutting away the excess threads from the things she has made.
The creative seeds were planted back then but it was only after becoming a mother that she turned her attention to embroidery, turning it from a side hobby to a full-time job. “I think what I love most about embroidery is its portability,” she explained in the interview. “At that time when my daughter was a toddler and very active, and I was trying to figure out what craft to focus on, I wanted something I can easily take with me and hand embroidery fits that criteria so I guess that’s one of the reasons I was drawn to it.”
Another benefit of embroidery, as a practice, says Thursday More, is its tactile quality. “I love embroidery and working with thread as it is a very tactile experience—something I used to do a lot when I was young (versus these days when we do a lot of swiping and tapping) and the physicality of it really gets me thinking and stimulates my creativity.”
With each piece carefully and lovingly hand stitched – no two pieces is exactly be the same, making her jewelry pieces very personal and thus, an ideal gift for loved ones.
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Sydney Ziems launched her brand Serendipitous in 2019 with the goal to create eco-friendly jewelry and accessories. A celebration of art, nature, and the past, the brand’s stated mission is to build a community of intentful and conscious shoppers who enjoy fashion and making the world a better place. “Sustainability is so important to me,” […]
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]]>Sydney Ziems launched her brand Serendipitous in 2019 with the goal to create eco-friendly jewelry and accessories. A celebration of art, nature, and the past, the brand’s stated mission is to build a community of intentful and conscious shoppers who enjoy fashion and making the world a better place.
“Sustainability is so important to me,” Ziems stressed in an interview with The Particulars. “I find it outrageous the human rights violations that take place in the fast fashion industry and the environmental impact that comes with mass production. I didn’t want to contribute to that.”
Ziems puts her money where her mouth is. Each seasonal collection the brand selects one item where a percent of the proceeds go to a charity/organization that aligns with their mission.
Since launching, Ziems has created and sold countless pieces made with materials from the earth, such as sea glass, as well as vintage items from brands like Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera. Her products often have a playful edge to them, and Ziems admits she is curating for “a modern-day Jane Eyre with a dash of Fran Drescher.”
Describing her style as a “sophisticated and ethereal vibe with a splash of loud,” Ziems’ collections often juxtapose unconventional materials, creating pieces that are truly one-of-a-kind. “I love remixing classical elements like pearls and giving them a modern twist like asymmetrical designs or funky colors!” says Ziems.
Indeed, some of her out-there pieces incorporate pearls and seashells, adding a nautical twist to otherwise classic jewelry pieces. “I just love the ocean so much!” admits the designer. “Not to mention it is a big source of inspiration for me and I miss it so much! I hope we can start traveling soon.”
Scroll down to see some recent pieces, and head to Serendipitous’ online store.
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As an artistic movement, Art Deco has come to be associated with both luxury and modernity, combining fine craftsmanship with rich materials. Prominent in the 1920s, Art Deco fashion was characterized by geometric patterns and abstract designs. In jewelry, the use of exuberant materials like diamonds and gems in contrasting colors was prominent. Symbolizing wealth […]
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]]>As an artistic movement, Art Deco has come to be associated with both luxury and modernity, combining fine craftsmanship with rich materials. Prominent in the 1920s, Art Deco fashion was characterized by geometric patterns and abstract designs. In jewelry, the use of exuberant materials like diamonds and gems in contrasting colors was prominent.
Symbolizing wealth and sophistication, Art Deco’s legacy has carried well into our modern times and is very much present in contemporary fashion. Most recently, we were delighted to come across the Art-deco inspired jewelry brand Leda Madera. Run by Italian fashionista, Giulia Tordini, the brand is named after Tordini’s grandmother and is an homage to her glamourous style.
More specifically, Tordini remembers her grandmother wearing stacked, statement rings, which undoubtedly shaped her jewelry collection.
“My collection references Art Deco architecture from Paris and New York, and the whole Italian end-of-the-’80’s, beginning-of-the-’90s contained opulence,” Tordini further explained in an interview with Moda Operandi. “At the time, Art Deco was a symbol of modernity and luxury, and my brand has the same characteristics: eternal, it starts from the past and looks to the future, and can be passed on from one generation to another.”
Cast in Italy, many of her statement pieces are crafted with the label’s signature pleated detail that gives the impression of movement. “The ‘pleated element’—movement is at the core of my designs”, says Tordini. “You will find it in all three families within the collection.”
Made from gold-plated brass, her jewelry pieces have an edgy twist to them, making them the perfect statement piece that can upgrade your more casual outfits. “My designs come from profound research,” says Tordini, “mostly vintage pieces that I’ve seen and collected through the years. Timelessness is at the core, so I don’t particularly follow any trend.”
If you’re looking to inspire and be inspired, you should definitely check the brand out:
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Designer Anna Sheffield makes jewelry that is uniquely meaningful. “Jewelry carries so much meaning and over time collects energy like we collect our memories,” she explained in a recent interview with The Particulars. “I think of heirlooms and talismans as pieces that become markers of those memories.” More than ornamental, each piece of jewelry is treated […]
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]]>Designer Anna Sheffield makes jewelry that is uniquely meaningful. “Jewelry carries so much meaning and over time collects energy like we collect our memories,” she explained in a recent interview with The Particulars. “I think of heirlooms and talismans as pieces that become markers of those memories.”
More than ornamental, each piece of jewelry is treated by Sheffield as a precious talisman, imbued with history, alive with meaning, and destined to be passed down for generations. Her brand offers non-traditional fine jewelry and has come to be known for its one-of-a-kind engagement rings.
“One-of-a-kind” means that Sheffield enjoys bringing together extraordinary materials in unexpected combinations — diamonds in rare forms, extraordinary gems from emeralds to faceted quartz, and a custom range of gold colors. “Our designs offer a study in juxtaposition,” reads the brand’s website. “Feminine yet unconventional. Contemporary yet timeless. Each piece an invitation to layer and style together, and to define beauty on your own terms.”
According to Sheffield, her use of unexpected combinations and unconventional stones for engagement rings (gone are the traditional white diamonds), wasn’t based on market research but rather on her own inclination. “I was seeing people enjoying the unconventional jewelry I was making, and I thought why not take that ethos and apply it to ceremonial jewelry,” she notes. “I love the beauty in natural materials and those colored and included diamonds are part of what makes the gems special to me. I also just love breaking rules.”
Born in New Mexico, Sheffield’s childhood in the Southwest has had an enduring influence on her work, setting the stage for a lifelong interest in natural beauty, spirituality, and all forms of art and design—from architecture to indigenous crafts. “I feel like things have a resonant quality to them, sometimes even a sacredness,” says the designer. “I think of these as influences from New Mexico.”
Rendering the ephemeral and capturing the alchemy and energy that bring people together, her jewelry is ideal for wedding season. Ask any blushing bride.
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Bold, fashionable, fun jewelry is a summer staple that will help you create the best outfits and look elegant all the time. Here are some of the best jewelry trends that you’ll see everywhere this summer. Charms From bracelets to necklaces to creative piercings, charms are going to be everywhere this summer and it’s definitely […]
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]]>Bold, fashionable, fun jewelry is a summer staple that will help you create the best outfits and look elegant all the time. Here are some of the best jewelry trends that you’ll see everywhere this summer.
Charms
From bracelets to necklaces to creative piercings, charms are going to be everywhere this summer and it’s definitely one of the cutest trends to buy right now.
Pearls
Pearl jewelry is one of those timeless trends that you can’t go wrong with if you’re looking for something simple but effortlessly elegant.
Beaded
Beaded jewelry is a fun and wonderful trend that’s making a comeback this year and it’ll definitely bring back some childhood memories. These simple colorful pieces are perfect for elevating your summer outfits.
Neon
Vibrant colors are all the rage this year and that’s why neon jewelry is the perfect choice if you want to add more color to your outfits.
Chainlink Necklace
Bold statement jewelry, like this wonderful oversize chainlink necklace, has been trending for a few years now and it’s still one of the best ways for elevating nearly any look.
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