5 Under $500: Crushed Gemstone & Silver Mosaic Pendants from Samuel Behnam

At the recently held summer edition of the Jewelers of America show in New York City, silver jewelry manufacturer, Samuel Behnam of Samuel B., showed a new line of crushed gemstone mosaic jewels. Made in his factory in Thailand, each piece features a rendering of an animal or artful image made by artists who “skillfully arrange fragments of natural gemstones—both precious and semi-precious—bonded to the surface of clear glass and sapphire quartz,” explains Samuel Behnam, company owner and namesake, who’s headquartered in Great Neck, N.Y. “Each artisan follows a special line drawing of our original designs, and I personally take extra care in selecting the gemstones because size and color combinations are important in expressing my creation as an artist. In many of our creations, the golden color is made out of actual gold leaf fragments.”

All pieces are handmade, and no two are exactly alike. Gemstones typically used are rubies, sapphires, amethyst, carnelian, agate, and mother of pearl.

Gemstone mosaic keepsake box from Samuel Behnam Jewelry