Like many jewelry designers, Jillian Sassone collects gemstones in her travels, typically with the intent of using them in one of her creations. She sat with a blue and yellow parti sapphire for a few years, not sure she could give up the 3.02 ct. beauty.
To the Sea, the newest collection from Sassone’s Marrow Fine brand, felt like the right place to share it, in a simple bezel design called the Tessa ring that highlights the stone’s perfection.
To the Sea is a tribute to the waterways that have stayed in Sassone’s memory and in her soul, she says. The collection’s Helene ring holds a 2.48 ct. icy blue unheated Burmese sapphire that reminds her of the grays, greens, and blues you’d see in the ocean.
Organically shaped opals also brought back thoughts and feelings of the water, Sassone says. She combined one with a diamonds and a Montana sapphire, hoping to make the opal’s flash-fire pattern stand out against the diamond’s sparkle and the sapphire’s strong blue and green hues.
“I grew up on the waters of the Puget Sound. My grandfather was a sailor, and my dad was a fishing-boat captain,” Sassone says. “Most of my favorite memories both as a child and as an adult have happened on or near the water.
“I have been collecting stones over the past five years that remind me of different waters that I have been lucky enough to explore,” Sassone adds. “From stormy seas to teal lakes to icy rivers, these stones invoke these feelings and memories, and I hope they resonate with others who also feel called to the sea.”
Marrow Fine has had a monumental year with store openings and new collections. One more is coming out in May, tentatively called the Shape of Things. Sassone says she is working with sculptural forms in these designs, for a freestyle look that shows off the way she is feeling and living.
“Untraditional jewelry silhouettes are starting to gain momentum, and sculptural jewelry will definitely have a big moment this year in spring and beyond,” Sassone says. “The shift from clean, structured lines to more organic and free-formed shaped jewelry is exciting—the visual interest and movement these pieces can create feels really modern and whimsical.”
Marrow Fine already offers piece like this, including Floating stud earrings and white diamond wavy bands—the Quinn and the bolder Lucy—and Sassone recommends them to clients who want to add some movement to their ring stacks.
Sassone expects chunky jewels to stay on trend in 2024, and says they elevate everyday outfits, no matter what the season. For spring, she suggests chunky rings and earrings with a floral sundress or a statement necklace like Marrow Fine’s gold- dipped baroque pearl choker with a tank top and jeans.
She also notes that black gemstone jewelry is gaining momentum for engagement rings and wedding bands. Her signature black enamel Til Death band is among her bestselling pieces for couples leaning into an edgier look.
“What I’m loving about this shift is that it still lets you make a statement but in a more subtle way without being loud,” Sassone says.
Another trend she loves is nature-inspired jewelry, such as her symbolic Inamorata serpent ring and Serpent Swing earrings with white or black diamonds.
“Nature has always been such a strong source of inspiration in the jewelry industry, and wildlife-inspired design are definitely something we’re seeing a lot of heading into the spring season,” she says.
Top: Marrow Fine’s new To the Sea collection includes this bezel ring ($7,300) with a 2.75 ct. Australian opal, 0.54 ct. Montana sapphire, and 0.19 ct. white diamond baguette. (Photos courtesy of Marrow Fine)
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