The winter jewellery roundup is the post we always look forward to writing the most, and 2018 was the year the independent fine-jewellery category reached a level of competitive depth that genuinely competes with the big prestige houses. Where 2017 winter introduced a new wave of makers (Wwake, Loren Stewart, Mociun, Anna Sheffield), 2018 has been the year a third generation of independent fine-jewellery names emerged into editorial visibility. The six lines below are makers whose work we have spent the year watching and whose pieces have earned a place on our holiday wish lists. The category continues to deliver real value relative to the equivalent prestige-house pieces, and the design intelligence at this tier remains higher than at any other point in the past decade.
Polly Wales — irregular diamonds, set with abandon
LA-based Polly Wales has built one of the most distinctive contemporary fine-jewellery languages in the country — irregular and rough-cut diamonds in unusual colors set into thick gold settings using a casting-not-setting technique that produces pieces that read as genuinely one-of-a-kind. The aesthetic is closer to molten metal than to polished jewellery; the pieces have an alchemical quality that has earned the brand serious editorial respect. Prices range from a few hundred dollars for the smallest pieces into the low five figures for the major rings. Stocked at Net-a-Porter and the Polly Wales studio in LA. We are saving for one ring.
Ana Khouri — sculptural fine jewellery
Brazilian-born, NYC-based Ana Khouri has built a reputation for sculptural fine jewellery — delicate ear cuffs, asymmetric ear-climbers, and sculptural rings that read as both contemporary art and wearable jewellery. Her pieces have been featured in major museum exhibitions and stocked at Bergdorf, Net-a-Porter, and a small list of independent retailers. The aesthetic is restrained, deliberate, and architectural; the pricing is firmly in the upper-tier independent fine-jewellery range. We are watching this brand carefully as the contemporary-art-meets-jewellery conversation continues to mature through the next year.
Communion by Joy — quiet New York gold
NYC-based Communion by Joy, founded by Joy Onasch, has built a quiet but committed following with a line of solid 14k gold pieces — geometric studs, layered chains, signet rings — that earn their place in the everyday rotation. The brand is at the lower end of the fine-jewellery price tier (most pieces under $1,000) and the value for the design and craftsmanship is real. The line is stocked through direct e-commerce and at a small list of independent retailers. We bought a small horseshoe pendant on a thin chain in November and have not taken it off.
Cathy Waterman — the Old World fine-jewellery anchor
LA-based Cathy Waterman has been quietly making vintage-style fine jewellery for over twenty years and is the elder statesman of the contemporary American fine-jewellery scene. Her pieces — Old Mine and Rose-cut diamonds set in milgrain platinum settings, hand-carved gold leaves, the signature alphabet pendants — read as timeless rather than seasonal. The price point is firmly in the upper tier of independent fine jewellery, but the workmanship is unmatched and the pieces are genuinely heirloom-quality. Stocked at Bergdorf and at a small list of independent retailers. We have nothing of hers yet but the alphabet pendant is permanently on the wish list.
Irene Neuwirth — the LA color jeweller
LA-based Irene Neuwirth has built one of the most recognizable contemporary fine-jewellery silhouettes — colored stones (turquoise, opal, pink tourmaline) set into thick yellow-gold settings, in shapes that read as both vintage and contemporary. The brand has been a consistent celebrity favorite for the better part of a decade and the line has matured into one of the most distinctive American color-jewellery practices we know of. The Beverly Hills boutique remains the brand’s flagship retail experience. Pieces are stocked at Net-a-Porter and Bergdorf. We bought a small turquoise stud in October and have worn it almost daily since.
Khiry and the modern African heritage line
NYC-based Khiry, founded by Jameel Mohammed, has built one of the most distinctive contemporary fine-jewellery practices anchored in modern African heritage. The pieces — sculptural brass-and-gold cuffs, geometric earrings, signature talisman pendants — read as both contemporary and rooted in a specific design vocabulary. The brand has been gaining serious editorial momentum through 2018 and the price point is genuinely accessible relative to the design quality. We bought one small gold pendant in November as a gift and have been trying to figure out how to justify a piece for ourselves. The brand is going to be one of the breakout independent jewellery names of 2019. We are committed to watching.
Closing
The Winter 2018 jewellery list, distilled: a Polly Wales rough-diamond ring, an Ana Khouri ear cuff, a Communion by Joy chain, a Cathy Waterman alphabet pendant, an Irene Neuwirth colored-stone stud, a Khiry sculptural piece. Six lines we are continuing to track through 2019 and beyond. The independent fine-jewellery category in America has continued to mature into one of the most competitive small-creator markets we know, and the value for the buyer remains real. We will see you on the first Tuesday of January.