My Favorite Jewelry Collections of 2023 Kept It Coastal

By Brittany Siminitz | December 22, 2023

Like most years, 2023 brought us a gorgeous assortment of jewelry collections, introducing consumers to new gemstones, aesthetics, and categories.

The rise of men’s jewelry continued, with many designers and brands offering a line catering to men for the first time. Walters Faith was one example, the brand putting its luxurious mark on a range of men’s—but really, genderless—pieces made for wearing forever.

Walters Faith Saxon bracelet — *Saxon bracelet in 18k rose gold with 3.26 cts. t.w. black diamonds, $13,950; Walters Faith*

Jewelers showed plenty of whimsy this year, too, most notably the joyful travel-inspired collection from NeverNoT—tiny suitcases inspired by faraway locales and done up in enamel and diamonds. And Jane Taylor, a brand known for its world of color, put out a happy flower collection that I still find myself smiling to think about.

NeverNoT Beach Escape travel suitcase — *Beach Escape suitcase necklace in yellow gold with opal and diamonds, $8,859*; *NeverNoT*

While many companies were responding to consumer demands (e.g., with men’s jewelry), from time to time we found common themes pulling together many product lines. Beginning in the pandemic era, designers looked to the skies for inspiration—the moon a source of comfort for many, a unifying icon during our times of isolation. And thus celestial inspirations drove the past several years—I loved Martha Seely’s latest additions to her Starburst collection and Jen Volkodav‘s sun and moon jewels this year. Celestial-themed jewels are always wildly popular with consumers, so we should be seeing more of them.

Martha Seely Starbust single earrings — *Starburst stud earrings in 18k yellow gold with 3.2 cts. t.w. multicolor sapphires and tsavorite and 0.08 ct. t.w. diamonds, $4,165; Martha Seely*

In 2023, the perspective seemed to have shifted south—to the sea. Some designers dove right in, as with Bibi van der Velden’s Waves, which took inspiration from the ocean and its regenerative properties. U.K. jeweler Alison Macleod commemorated 20 years of Memoried, a collection designed using her signature Catkin technique, which results in a tactile scale-like pattern (perfect for this year’s mermaidcore mania). And Minka Jewels’ beautiful blue baubles of its Atlantis collection were a sight to behold.

Bibi Van Der Velden Crashing Waves necklace — *Crashing Waves necklace in 18k white and rose gold with South Sea baroque pearl, olive green enamel, and diamonds, $90,000; Bibi van der Velden*

Riding the waves of seaworthy style, a number of new collections took a nautical approach inspired by New England’s maritime culture—it actually surprised me, looking back, to see how many lines I had the privilege of featuring with this theme.

They weren’t all the same, obviously. Hannah Blount’s Scrimshaw jewelry, created meticulously by hand, relies on an old engraving pastime of sailors. Blount’s designs included sea creatures, real and imagined, hand-etched in India ink on mother-of-pearl and turquoise—memorable and amazing.

Hannah Blount mermaid scrimshaw necklace — *Nude Study #21 mermaid necklace in turquoise, sterling silver, and 14k yellow gold, $3,560; Hannah Blount*

Katey Walker’s Prism collection (pictured at top), an ode to the shipbuilding heritage of the Connecticut River Valley, was inspired by deck prisms—tools with faceted glass that catches the light on ships and reflects it down to levels below. The white topaz, diamond, and pearl jewels might not have been swimming with fishy friends, but their backstory is fascinating and the pieces felt positively on-point for style.

And then there was the Nantucket-inspired line from Paris & Lily, Golden Summer. While not especially designed with the water in mind, this collection paid homage to the lightship baskets famous on the Massachusetts island, and I loved it for its use of cane and rattan mixed with diamonds. At the start of summer, these felt like just the right jewels to carry me through the season.

Paris Lily Monomoy Sunrise cuff — *Monomoy Sunrise natural rattan and cane cuff bracelet in 14k yellow gold with 10k yellow gold caps and diamonds, $5,000; Paris & Lily*

My absolute favorite collection of the year, though, was Polly Wales’ ClusterF@&$—which marked the first time Wales went big with pearls. The name seems an apt description of my mind when I first caught sight of the jewels, as it was blown to smithereens with an immense desire to comprehend their existence. The answer: It’s down to the incomparable design prowess of Polly Wales.