Jewelry is, first and foremost, an aesthetic pursuit. That’s why we devote so much coverage to style and design—because we know it matters to our readers. In 2021, they bore out that truism by clicking on stories spotlighting unsung gems, historically underrepresented jewelers, auction house darlings, and anything featuring the intersection of jewelry and pop culture.
Below, we list the year’s most-read style and design stories, culminating with a piece on a certain pop star that drew thousands (upon thousands) of page views. Drumroll, please!
DESIGNERS
10. Jewelry Designers Share Their Favorite Piece They Produced In 2020
By Emili Vesilind
Before we threw a lit match onto the trash heap that was 2020, we celebrated the deluge of creative—and occasionally downright innovative—work that flowed from the benches of designers all over the world. Read the story.
DESIGNERS
9. Pioneering Black American Jewelry Designers In History
By Emili Vesilind
Despite the challenges (many of which still persist today), a handful of Black American designers attained both critical and commercial success in their careers. Here are three who belong in the canon of all-time greats. Read the story.
FASHION
8. Swarovski’s First Collection Under New Creative Director Is Crazy Beautiful
By Emili Vesilind
How Giovanna Battaglia Engelbert, Swarovski’s first company-wide creative director, pushed the brand into more high-fashion realms—spaces filled with flamboyant color, grandeur, and good humor. Read the story.
COLORED STONES
7. Moonstone Is Marvelous: Rediscovering June’s Birthstone
By Brittany Siminitz
It’s easy to get distracted in a world of emeralds, opals, sapphires, and spinel, but moonstone is the sleeper stone of the year. Read the story.
PEARLS
6. What’s So Great About The Conch Pearl?
By Brittany Siminitz
While most pearls are easily recognizable, there are varieties that might easily be confused for something else. One of those varieties is the rare and coveted conch pearl. Read the story.
COLORED STONES
5. Maggi Simpkins Has a Million-Dollar Ring in That Sotheby’s Sale
By Amy Elliott
The In Bloom ring by Los Angeles–based designer Maggi Simpkins was among the headline acts at the critically acclaimed Brilliant and Black: A Jewelry Renaissance selling exhibition at Sotheby’s New York in September. Read the story.
WATCHES
4. A Closer Look at That Bulova Watch in ‘The Queen’s Gambit’
By Amy Elliott
Why the dainty gold wristwatch gifted to chess prodigy Beth Harmon, as portrayed by actress Anya Taylor-Joy in Netflix’s hugely popular miniseries, was a pitch-perfect period detail. Read the story.
DESIGNERS
3. You’ve Never Seen A Squash Blossom Necklace Like This
By Amy Elliott
How the Scottish American jewelry designer Maeve Gillies adapted the classic design, adding details that honor her homeland’s natural resources while celebrating Native American traditions. Read the story.
ANTIQUE & ESTATE JEWELRY
2. At Sotheby’s, Everything’s Riding On This Tiffany Necklace
By Amy Elliott
It’s easy to see why Sotheby’s had such high hopes for Louis Comfort Tiffany’s famed Medusa pendant. At its Magnificent Jewels sale in New York City earlier this month, the pendant sold for $3.65 million—more than 18 times its high estimate. Read the story.
BRIDAL
1. New York Jeweler: Designing Britney Spears’ Engagement Ring Was A Wild Ride
By Karen Dybis
When master jeweler Roman Malayev created a ring for mega celebrity Britney Spears with her fiancé, Sam Asghari, he had to ask even his wife to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Read the story.
Top: The Lioness engagement ring, price on request; Forever Diamonds NY (photo courtesy of Forever Diamonds NY)
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