The JCK Rising Star is branching out

I first met Martha Seely—digitally, at least—in late 2014 and instantly took a liking to her celestial-inspired designs. I especially loved her Shooting Stars necklace (a previous Britt’s Pick), for its simple yet storied design—a mass-produced bar necklace this was not. So when Martha was selected to be a 2016 JCK Rising Star, I thought it a well-deserved—and obvious—choice. And then I had the pleasure of finally meeting her in person this year at JCK Las Vegas, and my admiration grew. I saw (and tried on!) some brilliant new designs, and we talked about her future plans for new styles, one of them being the addition of more color. Well, say hello to the future, because this is the best look (and splash of color) I’ve seen from Martha yet—and I know it won’t be the last time I write those words. Her mesmerizing Inspiro collection has only become more dazzling with these Ceres earrings, their concentric circles inspired by the universe. The pair is available in the pictured combination of white gold and sapphire as well as in yellow gold with diamonds, and is of course offered with Martha’s signature stone—the pearl—at its center. Wanting to offer something with a more unique stone, Martha told me, she did this pair up with hammer-faceted aquamarines—and I am like, oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Her varied offerings mean there’s something for everyone, and for me, it’s all about this blue. The aquamarines are like candied ice (wouldn’t it be awesome if that was a thing?) that play off the dreamy blue sapphire rows just beautifully. And the long, threader-like style of this pair gives it a modern twist that I’ll be contentedly coveting until the next time Martha delights—which is inevitable, obviously.

Inspiro collection Ceres earrings in 14k palladium white gold with aquamarine and blue sapphires, $4,510

Brittany Siminitz

JCK Contributing Editor