It’s been one of those weeks. Normally, I would devote most of an entire day to covering the NY Now show’s nexus of talented jewelry designers and artisans, but as it happened, I had only an hour to spare. One hour.
Which required blitzing through aisles 1000-1300 like it was an episode of Supermarket Sweep, talking even faster than I normally do and honing in on just a handful of designers I hadn’t connected with in a while. (Except for Judi Powers, whom I saw at JA New York in March, but JCK’s Melissa Bernardo’s Instagram posts drew me in with pics of green tourmalines and delicately flickering gemstone stackers, and I couldn’t stay away.)
Here’s how I used my time, with photos and a few notes.
Clean, delicate, appealingly minimalist goldwork and the prettiest, subtle-shimmer diamondsMitchell has an eye for the nuances of cut and color—the stones she chooses have become an important part of her signature look. This cognac beauty is just one example.These new baguette studs are begging to be mixed and matched.
Plenty of her signature thorn and claw motifs were available, but, holy cow, these purple opals with Kazakhstan turquoise were everything.No coincidence that the Australian opals kind of look like butterfly wingsCompletely enchanted by these guava quartz and mother-of-pearl earrings, which are larger and more dramatic than they appear here.
Piles and piles of these made-for-layering beaded bracelets strung with every imaginable gemstone compelled me to cherry-pick a stack featuring opal, amazonite, moonstone, iolite, lapis, garnet, and Herkimer diamonds. Addicting and so well-priced.
A selection of Solow’s signature pendants, all perfect for fall. I’ll fight you for the kyanite one.
Statement cuffs were the movers at this show, according to Shapiro. (This one has aquamarine, emerald, and tanzanite.)Ditto dangle earrings (not studs)That Meghan Markle aquamarine cocktail ring again. But I love that this one is so mystical and bohemian, celebrating the mineral in its raw form.
After attending the 2018 AGTA Spectrum Awards, I mentioned zircon as a stone to watch. And here we are: a yellow one, beautifully set in a green gold stud.I love how these silver and ruby (might be pink sapphire) necklaces layer just so. Great wear-now pieces, but also good for fall or holiday gifts.Anchors aweigh! Do you like the sapphire or gray diamond one?
Top: New earrings from Los Angeles–based designer Elisabeth Bell featuring custom-cut chrysoprase and the mintiest Zambian emeralds
