Some good jewelry brands to know if you're looking for good jewelry brands to know
Welcome to an assembly of self-portraits, words and links
Welcome to the first, and potentially last, guide to jewelry — here by popular demand.
The best way to approach this seems to be by separating the precious metals from the colors (which can be precious too; rave beads and colored opals will fall into this category). Let’s start with the metals.
Some good brands to know for white, gold and pink metal:
For a good chain:
Dorka S. Jewelry on Instagram, particularly for this bracelet. It is great as an everyday-er, paired with a signet pinky ring.
If you like something daintier and two tone, this bracelet from Otiumberg is good too.
For a good plain ring:
Brua, from Ukraine. This is their signet ring; I wear these two.
Daphine makes more elaborate ring finger knockers, but the brushed dome styles are pretty basic.
These hoops are cool too.
Hoops!
For earrings:
The one pictured above is by Ragbag Studios, from out of Denmark.
Mejuri’s gold hoops, which are 14k gold and $30 each, are the ones I wear most often — three in one ear, two in the other.
They’re great with a plain gold neck chain (like a dainty one that hits a bit above the collar bone, that you’d wear with a pendant, but without the pendant) or a diamond tennis necklace (don’t be scared of the description; the link is for a $45 approximation from Etsy).
I like a ~fancy earring,~ like these vintage-looking studs from Jenny Walton’s brand with a beaded necklace. This would have been a perfect segue to colors but I’m not ready to make it because I just forgot there’s also All Blues.
Discovered them while doing a project for Matches, got Covid shortly after.
Now I’m ready! But first: how to mix finishes?
The I.D.s are: a two-tone hand bracelet (Charlotte Chesnais - have yet to find an adequate comp, but her stuff does make it to The Real Real) that’s paired with a white gold donut ring (Ana Khouri; here’s a link to the brand, this is the closest comp I’ve found) on one arm. On the other, an elaborate yellow gold chain bracelet (Lauren Rubinski) and yellow gold cuff (Dior) with diamonds (any white crystal renders the same effect). The rings on that hand are pink gold and white gold (Pomellato), a smooth classic finish that doesn’t interfere with the business of the yellow bracelets, leaving enough room to mix all three without losing the continuity.
How do you know when there’s continuity?
When you look down at the chaos and think, enchanting! Another example:
Enchanting is different from overwhelming. Usually, the enchantment comes from a place of recognition that I can’t exactly pinpoint why but it looks pretty good. The overwhelm is what happens when it doesn’t make sense. The intention is there but the outcome is meh.
I create groups — finishes (that is: yellow, pink, white) together first. An assessment of how they are different or how they’re the same. Which are the most ornate? Which are the simplest? My ratio goes: two simples (single finish [color] and treatment [brushed, smooth, shiny, matte, hammered]), to one ornate (multiple finishes or treatments on one piece).
Or not! Ultimately, you are the judge of what makes you feel overwhelmed or enchanted.
On to the next thing, it’s color!
Oops, wrong selfie.
Hello!
It’s helpful to separate your “fun” jewelry from your “serious” jewelry and then figure out how to mix them together. I tend to over-index first, then figure out how I plan ~the mix.~
Some good brands to know for color:
It’s not as simple to break these down by jewelry category, because each does a number of things pretty well, so instead, they’re broken down by beads vs. enamel
Beads:
Hola Amor Estudios — with a price range of about $30 to $100. Also where this dolphin is from:
Studio Love Letter, which are mostly like $30.
And this new one I found, Joso, or Joso Joy. I’m nuts for these beaded flowers.
Julia Aeran (this one is fine and the price point is higher)
Enamel:
Wilhemina Garcia — with a price range from like $50 to $600. But the sweet spot is like, $178.
Solange Azaguray Partridge (for her Hot Lips and Scripts)
(If you’re going to wear multiple color things on the same hand, I might recommend you either not wear any bracelets or stick to one neutral chain.)
Fry Powers (for plain bands and hoops)
How to integrate what’s less serious with more serious? Imagine the ratio of two serious expressions to one jest.
The serious stuff is never as loud as the other stuff is. You keep it coming in steady flow together but balance the respective noises by upping the dosage of the quieter one, 2:1.
Shit, it’s happening again, this e-mail has reached its length limit. But I’ve only just scratched the surface! Do you concur? Write back if there’s more you’d like to see addressed, and as a reminder, the open thread is on Thursday (it’s the first one from behind the paywall). Get them q’s ready!
Signing off yours truly,
Leandra