A female entrepreneur and leader of an all-woman team, Sarah Ortega says her latest fine jewelry collection, Legacy, was inspired by two other groups of women—her favorite authors and the clients who will wear her pieces.
The made-to-order Legacy solitaire rings from Ortega’s brand Sarah O could serve as engagement rings, for sure, but they also might represent a woman’s journey toward empowerment on her own. Whether it has a classic four-prong setting, like the Maeve, or the half-bezel east-west setting of the Austen, each ring tells a story of love and devotion, Ortega says.
Those rings, like the rest in the Legacy line, get their names from women of literature. Maeve is a main character in Ann Patchett’s novel The Dutch House, and Austen refers, of course, to the iconic early-19th-century British writer Jane Austen. Other pieces are named in honor of White Teeth author Zadie Smith, the late sci-fi legend Octavia E. Butler, and My Brilliant Friend creator Elena Ferrante.
“These authors’ works are filled with stories of nuanced relationships, courtships, feminism, politics, and the complexities of love, much like how jewelry represents layers of meaning—each piece telling a story of its own,” Ortega says.
“The Legacy collection is inspired by our clients, who want jewelry that represents their love story, whether that’s classic or something totally nontraditional,” she explains. “I felt the diverse collection of stories by these authors were the perfect representation of unique and personal love stories.”
Ortega says that when she is not designing jewelry, working in her garden, or hanging out with her family, she loves to spend time reading books. She especially enjoys memoirs, with Michelle Obama’s Becoming one of her favorites.
She chose the name Legacy for its significance when thinking about women writers throughout history—and about jewelry as well.
“There are authors who lived hundreds of years ago when they were often forced to write under a man’s pen name to publish their work, and then there are modern women who are speaking on today’s women’s issues,” Ortega says. “One of my favorite things about jewelry is that it tells a story. When I design a piece I’m telling my own story, but once someone buys it, it becomes a piece that commemorates their own special moments and memories.
Both classic literature and good jewelry stand the test of time, Ortega says. She made engagement rings the foundation of the Legacy collection because they symbolize love and commitment. All the Legacy rings can be made with either natural or lab-grown diamonds, depending on the customer’s preference.
“People who appreciate jewelry often find beauty not just in its appearance but in the emotional significance it can carry, just like the cherished moments and emotions in a well-crafted romantic story,” says Ortega.
“The traditional solitaire setting is a popular choice for diamond rings because its timeless design will be cherished forever. We named each ring after a female author because their work has become part of their legacy, just like an engagement ring becomes the beautiful token of our client’s love story.”
Top: Sarah O’s new Legacy collection includes the Austen oval east-west solitaire ring, priced for 1 ct. at $8,040 natural or $2,503 lab-grown. (Photos courtesy of Sarah O)
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