New York City–based jewelry designer Russell Jones is trying to bring back a centuries-old jewelry style that some may find a touch creepy: eyeball-portrait necklaces.
On his website, Jones maintains that small-scale portraits of lovers’ eyes were “a trend that began in the late 18th century.” Jones got the idea for his own collection when a traveling tour of 100 18th-century portraits journeyed nationwide to U.S. museums as part of “The Look of Love: Eye Miniatures from the Skier Collection,” which was organized by Alabama’s Birmingham Museum of Art. (See the New York Times’ review of the exhibit here.)
Interested? Jones will custom-make one for you in silver or gold in watercolor on reclaimed piano key ivory. The painting is covered by colorless rock crystal quartz, and the process for your very own takes about two weeks. Retail prices are $800 in silver, $1,400 in silver and 18k gold, and $2,200 in 18k gold.
Lovers’ Eye necklace in silver and 14k gold with a custom watercolor painting, $1,400
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