Successful jewelry brands do a good job of showcasing a mix of styles that are trending with more timeless-feeling designs that appeal to a wide swath of consumers.
But jewelry is a cutthroat business, so it’s rare that we’re privy to the specific designs the creative minds that helm some of the most innovative brands in the industry really love—and are most proud of.
That fact changes today! To close out a spectacular year of jewelry design, we’ve asked a handful of designers to share the single piece they conjured and that they love the most in 2019.
Grainne Morton
“The Wire Chandelier Charm earrings are my favorite. I love the scale of these and the balance of colors. I especially like the lion cabochon on the top of the right earring.”
Ariana Boussard-Reifel
“My favorite piece of the year is our Tigre earring. I wear them almost every day, and they make me feel both fierce and feminine!”
Todd Reed bracelet
“We’ve made some one-of-a-kind bracelets this year that use a combination of colorful fancy-cut diamonds and brilliant-cut diamond accents. We have been stashing away red diamonds for some time, and I love the way the size and scale of this design allowed us to explore more variation within this exciting color palette.”
Zoë Chicco
“I tell my son all the time that I love him ‘to the moon and back,’ which is a quote from one of our favorite books, so this medallion reminds me of him every time I wear it.”
Emily Hirsch, designer and founder, Talon
“My Venetian Glass raised intaglio signet rings. This ring is my current favorite because I’ve been working for a long time to find an artisan to create my meaningful symbolic designs in glass and finally found someone in Italy. To me, the Sacred Heart [above] represents devotion in all its many forms and is a powerful symbol of staying true and devoted to your own personal journey.”
Wing Yau, founder and designer, Wwake
“This Monolith ring is my favorite from this year. The design is understated maximalism—it’s all about the detailed proportions and letting the stone speak for itself. Each ring is locally made with Fairmined Gold and recycled stones, which ensures that our materials are sourced with low environmental impact and high social impact, while also contributing to our local economy in New York. Again—it’s all in the details!”
Daniela Villegas
The Samito ring is my favorite. It’s inspired by my husband with an opal he gave me as a gift. The chameleons are a symbol of adaptation and flexibility. I love how playful this piece is. The moving eyes and the smile… I wear it almost everyday.”
Lydia Courteille
“The Nuevo Mundo cuff in 18k gold is my favorite of the year.”
Jill Licata for Deirdre Featherstone
“Deirdre was obsessed with hoops in 2019 because they speak to everything we love about the collection, from the dramatic use of diamonds and color gemstones, to their engineering and convertibility…they make the perfect jewelry frames for our collection of interchangeable gemstone and pearl drops.”
Eva Bai, cofounder and codesigner, Vale
“We love the Venus ring because the shape is flattering on everybody and we wanted to turn the shape of the trillion around so that it opposed the shape of the shank. The white diamond pavé accents slicing through the stone is very eye-catching—which makes this ring stand out on the finger despite the fact that it’s not a big ring.”
Jane Winchester
“Wow, am I a Capricorn. And my daughter is so a Gemini. And my husband is the sweetest Leo. My favorite piece for the holidays has to be a coin from our new Zodiac collection—double-sided just like all our coins—you can choose your favorite for your favorite star sign. I was very challenged to design a Capricorn coin I liked, considering the symbol is a half fish, half goat! I drew a million designs and came up with my all-time favorite.”
Neha Dani
“I’ve been very inspired by the flowing spirals and curves of the nebulae in outer space. It was a fun challenge with these earrings to get the circles just right as they swirl around each other and frame the blue sapphires with grace and a sparkle of diamonds.”
Amanda Thomas, founder and designer, Luv Aj
“Our Pavé Amalfi hoops are one of our best sellers, so I always try to remix them every year. This all-black color combo turned out even more amazing than I thought. It’s sparkly and edgy, and these are truly earrings that stop people in their tracks. I’m obsessed!”
Caroline Hadjibay, vice president, Andreoli
“I like this necklace this most—it [feels like] ‘not your grandmother’s pearls.’ ”
Bouchra Ezzahraoui, cofounder and co-CEO, AUrate
“The Aurator Large Oval pendant is my favorite new design from 2019. It’s completely customizable, has my birthstone, and a special engraving for the special ones in my life. I can layer it with any necklace from our collection, and it’s here to tell my story.”
Sophie Kahn, cofounder and co-CEO, AUrate
“My favorite piece I designed this year has to be our Art Deco Fan Pearl ring. It makes me feel very festive, and I immediately want to dress up à la Daisy Buchanan (from The Great Gatsby) and hang out with my friends in a fabulous setting. Sometimes that’s just the feeling you want from your jewelry (especially when it’s also sustainable and fairly priced).”
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