Mother’s Day Jewelry Trends for Maternal Figures of All Kinds

By Karen Dybis | May 06, 2024

Jewelry will be the biggest Mother’s Day gift category by total spending, says the National Retail Federation (NRF), and some of the most popular jewelry for gifts features symbols of protection and other maternal attributes.

“The sapphire and diamond evil eye bracelet [pictured] is an Angara best seller,” says Aditi Daga, cofounder of the jewelry brand. “It’s a chic, modern take on the traditional symbol that’s know to bring protection to the wearer. I think evil eye jewelry is a great way to wish your mom good vibes only.”

Angara also offers jewels that have a hamsa or a horseshoe, which are both symbols of protection—and Daga says they could be thoughtful tokens of love for Mom or any important woman in your life.

Mother’s Day spending is expected to reach $33.5 billion this year, with about $7 billion spent on jewelry, according to the NRF’s annual consumer survey. The overall spending figure is the second-highest in the history of the survey, following last year’s record $35.7 billion.

The holiday will be extra special this year for EF Collection designer Emily Faith Strauss, as she just gave birth in December to her daughter, Olivia. Strauss lost her infant son in 2021 to polycystic kidney disease.

“After the loss of my son, Austin, I was followed by a baby hummingbird. I immediately made a diamond-encrusted hummingbird necklace to wear daily, and when I shared it with my EF community, they loved it,” Strauss says. “After learning that the hummingbird is a special symbol for so many, I launched a capsule collection with this beautiful, meaningful bird that is part of our core collection.”

EF Hummingbird — EF Collection’s hummingbird pendant (from $2,350) is covered with 0.36 cts. pavé diamonds and available in 14k yellow, white, or rose gold; the customer chooses from a selection of gemstones for the eye and can have initials engraved on the back. (Photo courtesy of EF Collection)

Strauss says many of her jewelry collections have reflected personal life events, from her wedding day to her honeymoon to the birth of both of her children. She says she makes jewelry to honor new moms as well as to create special ways for moms to honor the children they hold in the hearts.

“My entry into motherhood hasn’t been conventional, but sharing my story with others and connecting with so many other women who intimately understand my experience has been so helping and healing,” says Strauss.

In another type of protective Mother’s Day gift, accessories company Wolf has a wide array of jewelry boxes that protect a woman’s jewels in high style. Among its other product lines, Wolf recently introduced the Evie capsule collection of handbags ($189–$199), created by Fiona Howard, a British designer known for her luxury wallpaper. Each bag features a Howard print. matching cross-body strap, and bamboo handle.