If you visited the Design Center at JCK Las Vegas, you probably stopped to moon over moonstones, sigh over sapphires, and gaze lovingly at labradorites at ­Margery Hirschey’s booth. (And don’t get us started on the opals!) In just five years, Hirschey has cultivated quite a following with her organic, one-of-a-kind designs and her wonderfully imperfect stones—set in blackened silver and recycled 18k and 22k gold. The Denver-based designer describes her newest ­collection as “a little bohème.” To which we reply: Viva la vie bohème!

Hirschey’s sapphire, tourmaline, and vessonite earrings

Age: Old enough to appreciate life, young enough to live it

Number of years in the biz: 5

Number of employees you oversee: 1

Family and pets: My husband, Steven; two ­beautiful daughters, Rachel and Paige; and my other baby, a 12-year-old bichon frise, Harley

Describe your personal style: Super simple, clean lines…pretty much anything in black, white or gray. I like to switch out accessories but keep the clothes simple.

Harley the bichon

First piece you ever designed: A long, elegant pair of cage earrings with tiny sapphire briolettes on the bottom

The single piece of jewelry you’re most proud of: That very same pair of earrings I first designed…­timeless and they go with everything.

Best piece of advice you ever received: “Just do it.”

Worst piece of advice: I can’t remember—I don’t pay much attention to bad advice.

Cage earrings with sapphire briolettes

First job ever: I was the very first waitress at a little family-owned Greek restaurant. Restaurant is still there—I moved on.

How did you get started designing jewelry? I’ve been designing jewelry for as long as I can remember. I painted rocks, collected shells, and took apart ­vintage ­jewelry and incorporated the parts to make my own designs. More recently, I took a class at a Denver ­­jewelry school and I was hooked.

If you weren’t designing jewelry, what would you be doing? I would either be designing interiors or designing clothes. I love doing both.

“Super-long” opal,
tourmaline, and apatite earrings

Favorite gemstone(s)? I love opals, moonstones, and labradorites right now. Anything with fire and play of color.

Jewelry you’re wearing right now: My wedding rings, and a big gold unpolished boulder opal ring, and some mixed stone, super-long earrings

Five items on your desk right now: My computer, my printer, camera, zip drive, and assorted writing utensils

Five songs on your playlist: I don’t know the names of any songs. I do have a lot of Michael Franti, Corinne Bailey Rae, and the American Songbook by Rod Stewart. Usually I just listen to the radio.

Douglas Mason/Getty Images
Michael Franti

Exercise regimen: I love martial arts and did it for years. Most recently I did Krav Maga, which is a system of self-defense developed by the Israeli military, but I suffered so many injuries, the last of which was a back injury, that I had to stop. I really miss it. Now I do TapouT XT.

What did you have for breakfast? Greek yogurt and honey

Guilty pleasure: Ice cream

Drink (daytime/evening): Coffee/water/red wine

Wireimage/Getty Images
Maggie Gyllenhaal

First website you check every day (not your own!): Facebook

Scent: None

How do you unwind? Go out for a lovely dinner and enjoy a glass of wine.

How does Colorado influence/inspire your work? I would love to say the mountains and nature, but ­honestly, I’m a city girl at heart and I love ­watching ­people and their street style, which in Colorado is pretty laid-back but still chic, which I guess is reflected a bit in my jewelry.

Superstitious? Not much

Preferred news source: CNN

Main means of transportation: A big ol’ Toyota van. I was thinking of downsizing, but you never know when you might find some treasure at a garage sale or the side of the road and you have to haul it home.

Favorite movie: A quirky old (1992) movie called Strictly Ballroom directed by Baz Luhrmann

Who would play you in your life story? Oh, I don’t know…Maggie Gyllenhaal, maybe.

Personal motto: “Don’t worry, be happy!”