With 15 years of experience designing luxury accessories, Jamie Books is no stranger to creating beauty. But she’s getting to do it on her own terms since debuting her brand, Mason and Books, in 2021.
To glimpse the selection presented by Mason and Books is to experience love at first sight. From a mesmerizing opal cocktail ring to charming bow earrings, from a geometric pendant to a bejeweled little bug—each piece is personal to the designer, and it shows.
The New York–based brand is sold through Net-a-Porter and Goop, among other retailers, and after it makes its first appearance at the Couture show in Las Vegas this June, it will surely pop up at additional shops. It’s positively irresistible.
Below, JCK has a few questions for Jamie Books.
How did you go from working in luxury accessories design to starting your own company?
It was a very organic process. I made three pieces for myself—a Love Bug, a bow ring, and a bow pendant. I posted them on social media, they sold, and I made more. Upon seeing such an interest in these incredibly personal jewels, it really inspired me to keep designing. When I think of the statement “It’s business, it isn’t personal,” I couldn’t disagree more. There is nothing more personal to me than my creations. I already had close manufacturing contacts and relationships. I’ve known my stone dealers—my lapidary, for example—for 15 years. When I said to them, “I think I’m going to do my own thing,” they all pulled up a chair and said, “Sit here, it’s your time, we got you,” and made space for me in their factories. They have been really loving and supportive. I owe it all to them, and I would never pretend otherwise. Designers are nothing if they can’t get their designs made—made well, made with love, and made in a timely manner. I’m so grateful to all of them. They really are like family to me. Creating Mason and Books has also been very organic in terms of my next designs, what pieces are launching, and the overall evolution of the brand. There wasn’t a lot of conscious thought behind it. I made a piece, and then somehow I made a company.
Your designs are rich with an instant heirloom vibe. What inspires you?
My feelings come to me in the form of images. I interpret these images into designs that are relatable, enticing to wear, and visually stimulating. I love to dream up unconventional ways to interpret common designs—for example, incorporating unique colors with customized and uniquely cut gemstones.
Which pieces are your best-sellers? Which are your favorites?
Our best-sellers are our Love Bugs, Evie Bow rings, and Sugar and Spice rings. I wear all three every day—one ring on each pinkie and a Love Bug around my neck. My favorites are always our bugs and bows. They are inspired by my kiddos and are what launched the brand. I feel so lucky to work with CNW Group, and they never would have considered me without feeling the love and and energy our pieces exude. It is something that can’t be captured in a photo. You have to feel it.
What’s the best part about designing for your own brand?
OMG, the best part is everything! I can get lost in the feelings in my own head while still feeling productive. I have been trying to get into other people’s heads for so many years. To finally quiet the noise and just create is the greatest gift. It is made even sweeter by the feeling that I have earned this. I put in the time and paid my dues. I couldn’t be more grateful to the designers and brands I worked with who gave me those opportunities. I truly feel that everything happens for a reason and this brand is my next chapter, while at the same time it has always been the moral of the story. I’m also so proud that I finally never have to ask if I can make something. I want something, I make it. I never have to tweak a design or change it to someone else’s aesthetic or brand. Whether it be an unexpected colorway or a very simplistic mixed-media piece, I just do exactly what I want. It’s been a whirlwind year and a half, with 15 years of experience behind it.
How about the hardest part?
I would say the hardest part is designing within price points. I love to design big, but then have to reel myself in and design in price points that are everyday luxury. There are aspirational pieces within the collection, too, but I want to keep it at a price point that is accessible to jewelry collectors of all levels and also encourage them not to be afraid of it. There are big pendants, but I want people to wear them and enjoy them. They look great with white T-shirts—don’t put it away for the black-tie dress you only wear once. Throw it on, wear it, enjoy it!
Can you give us a preview of what you’ll be bringing to Couture in June?
I don’t know if I can. All I will say is we are expanding on what is becoming our signature mixed-media. Also adding in some classics with our own special “twist.”
Top: Designer Jamie Books of Mason and Books (photo by Andrew Werner)
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