There’s definitely a maximalist trend going on in jewelry right now—oversized, dangling earrings, mega-link chains, bold sterling silver. But even after all these years of dainty styles dominating, the (re)introduction of big pieces has the power to make petite feel new.
Such is the case with these rings by Cristina Santos Jewelry, an eponymous brand out of Guatemala. One should note that the designer does have a generous serving of gemmy statement pieces in her arsenal—in fact, they make up a majority of the offerings, as Santos specializes in one-of-a-kind pieces. But maybe that’s why these petite rings stand out the way they do. Among pages of absolutely gorgeous gemstone treasures—large flower earrings made using green chalcedony and chrysoprase; an edible-looking pendant of rose quartz surrounded by multicolor tourmaline; luminescent moonstone drop earrings—two rows of thin, stackable gemstone bands contrast with (yet still complement) the collection on tap.
The assortment of eternity rings can be whatever one wants them to be. With a small round diamond at the center, only slightly larger than the colored gemstones that surround it, it’s feasible to think that one could make a modest engagement ring.
If a customer had the means to do so, they could easily score that maximalist style by stacking multiple rings all along the finger, in multiple colors or better still in a single hue, for the most impactful monochromatic look. Yet, a band such as this is remarkable when worn solo: Picture, for instance, the smoky quartz variation (at top) on a naked hand, poised with an autumnal cocktail or flute of champagne at the Thanksgiving table. These are the things others may notice while downing their servings of turkey and stuffing.
It would be a disservice to the designer to not recommend a visit to her website, which showcases more of her work with gemstones—this particular spotlight isn’t indicative of Santos’ one-of-a-kind work, which is most certainly worth seeing. Coincidentally, as news of Pamela Huizenga’s retirement from jewelry-making was reported last week, Santos shares her appreciation for the designer.
“I just love creating statement, colorful, and beautiful jewels,” says Santos. “I just went through breast cancer treatment, which made me a survivor. When I was going to go through surgery back in late 2019, I saw Pamela Huizenga selling stones and I bought some from her to keep me motivated, and a lot of what you see in my collection is from that parcel. I also learned about Metal + Smith a lot from her Instagram.”
It brings such great joy to read about members of an industry inspiring and helping one another, especially when beautiful jewelry is the result.
Top: Eternity ring in 14k white gold with smoky quartz and 0.1 ct. diamond, $1,200; Cristina Santos
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