Ready for its close-up at JCK Tucson
If you’re looking for some seriously cool designs, you’ll find them at Audrius Krulis. The Lithuania-born, New York–based jewelry designer is a genius with detail, taking already-gorgeous gemstones and crafting them into visually arresting finished pieces the likes of which you don’t see every day. So it’s thrilling that a creator such as this would put that same enthusiasm for design into a new range of bridal pieces: engagement rings and wedding bands not as a single bridal collection, but each as an addition to other existing collections from the brand. If you’ve been paying attention to the alternative bridal arena, here is a contender: not too far out of the realm of traditional, but certainly not your typical solitaire or halo design, either.
Oasis bridal collection in 18k yellow gold with kunzite, $900–$2,800
Moonlight Reflections bridal collection in 18k white gold with diamonds, $2,700–$3,700
Bubbling Brooks wedding bands in 18k rose and yellow gold with 0.15 ct. t.w. diamonds (on the smaller band), $1,500–$1,900
“I am very pleased to see that bridal jewelry is stepping away from traditional design and materials,” says Krulis. “It is finally being respected as art and allowing designers to explore new creative ideas while giving buyers more options. I think there will always be a place for traditional design, but I strongly welcome and encourage ‘alternative’ bridal, not just as a trend, but [as] an evolving direction for the industry.”
Sunset engagement ring and wedding band in 18k yellow gold with tourmaline, $800–$1,220
Tide Lines wedding bands in 18k yellow gold, $600–$1,200
Mountain Stream bridal collection in 18k yellow gold with diamonds, from $1,800 (for mounting only) to $2,000
You will find a number of diamond-centric styles, but you’ll also find colored gemstones and rough-cut diamonds, where the only thing classic about them is their pairing of engagement ring with matching wedding band. Names for each design lean toward the nature-inspired, and the inspiration for their names is quite obvious: Spring Pool, for example, spotlights a green tourmaline that calls to mind its namesake. Swirling Brook, a peridot design, features meandering detail on the matching band akin to that of, well, a swirling brook.
Swirling Brook engagement set in 18k yellow gold with 2.17 ct. peridot and diamonds, $800–$4,200
Spring Pool bridal collection in 18k yellow gold with 3.61 ct. green tourmaline and diamonds, $2,000–$3,800
Dunes wedding bands in 18k yellow gold, $800–$1,500
Desert Flowers engagement ring and band in 18k yellow gold with diamonds, $2,700–$2,800
Wildflower bridal collection in 18k yellow gold with 1 ct. green tourmaline and 0.16 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,800–$1,900
Tide Lines wedding bands in 18k yellow gold, $800–$1,600
Breakwater engagement set in 18k rose gold and yellow gold with 0.95 ct. rough-cut diamond center and 0.18 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,400–$2,600
Prices are a plus, too, with pieces ranging from $600 for the smaller Tide Lines wedding band to $4,200 for the aforementioned Swirling Brook engagement ring, which features a 2.17 ct. peridot center. If your New Year’s resolution was to try new things, add this to your list of 2017 accomplishments. Better yet, if you’re Tucson-bound for the upcoming JCK show, put a visit to Audrius Krulis on your must list. You’ll get to check these out up close and personal, and my bet is you’ll come away with some orders for your store.
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