Not because I think everyone should wear fine jewelry. I love vintage costume jewelry and fashion jewelry and pieces made from unexpected materials.

But I hate it when jewelry is marketed as waterproof.

We wash our hands. We sweat. We get caught in the rain. We forget to take our rings off before gardening or washing dishes. Jewelry is one of the few objects we expect to live in constant contact with the human body. That feels like part of the design brief.

“Waterproof” isn’t really describing what jewelry is. It’s describing what consumers have come to expect it might not be.

For thousands of years, metals have been prized because they’re remarkably resilient. Gold, silver, and platinum aren’t precious because they’re delicate. They’re precious because they endure. They can be scratched, polished, repaired, melted down, reshaped, and worn again - lived in.

That doesn’t mean every piece of jewelry needs to be made from precious metals. There are good reasons to choose brass, steel, aluminum, resin, wood, ceramics, textiles, whatever. Different materials have different personalities, different price points, and different purposes. A pair of vintage earrings doesn’t have to become an heirloom to be successful.

But I do think it’s important to talk about materials honestly.

If a piece is gold-plated over brass, that’s useful information. If it’s sterling silver, wonderful. If it’s stainless steel with a heavy PVD coating, great. Those materials all behave differently, and that’s not a flaw— it’s simply part of understanding what you’re buying.

I get that it’s shorthand for “this won’t turn your neck green,” but I think we can do better than celebrating “waterproof” as though surviving a jump in the pool is the pinnacle of material engineering.

One of my favorite things about precious metals is that they don’t resist being worn. Gold develops a soft patina over time. Silver tarnishes and brightens again after a quick polish. Platinum accumulates tiny marks that quietly tell the story of decades of wear. They’re not deteriorating, but changing alongside the person wearing them.

I tend to wear the same necklaces almost every day. While I know that I should take them off to sleep, or at least before swimming, I rarely do. (Don’t be like me. Read our Care Guide for better advice.)

[Case in point, I recently got to swim in this beautiful lake, in all my jewelry.]

Every so often I clean them, they’re bright again, and then they go back to collecting the ordinary evidence of a life being lived.

I guess that’s what bothers me about the term waterproof jewelry. It implies that jewelry is something that will resist being worn. The best jewelry lives in concert with the person wearing it. It gets covered in sunscreen and flour and dirt. It gets cleaned, repaired, passed down, reimagined, and worn again.

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Champagne diamonds are names for their warm yellow + brown hues. With a color spectrum broad enough to evoke a fizzy champagne or a barrel-aged bourbon, the term “champagne diamond” is as much about marketing as it is about the stone’s appearance. Regardless of name, champagne diamonds are beautiful and valuable, with perks that are all their own.

Just like white diamonds or other fancy colors, champagne diamonds are 99.95% carbon. Their signature hue is the result of trace elements present during formation. As the diamonds develop deep in the earth, nitrogen atoms replace some of the carbon atoms in the crystal’s structure, creating the champagne inclusions that we know and love.

Champagne diamonds aren’t just a rebrand of the earth’s impact from flaw to asset — they possess plenty of valuable traits that set them apart from their colorless peers. For instance, the warmer hue looks great on all skin tones and pairs beautifully with any metal. Champagne diamonds have an antique feel when set in yellow gold, pretty pink undertones when paired with rose gold, and platinum offers a contrast that showcases cooler notes for a modern look. Some even find that the neutral color offers a desirable, more subtle sparkle than a white diamond.

Additionally, choosing a champagne diamond allows for you to get more carats for your money; larger sizes are more affordable than a white diamond of the same size, so no need to sacrifice budget to maximize impact. Since they’re just as tough as any other diamond, you can enjoy everyday wear without stressing about damage.

Champagne diamonds easily stand out as a centerpiece, share the spotlight with other stones, or encircle bands as an accent in their smallest “melee” size. Check out some of our effervescent champagne offerings and learn even more about these gems in our journal post, “Bario Neal Creates New Bands and Rings With Champagne Diamonds”.

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This is somewhat ironic considering that after nearly two decades at Bario Neal, we’ve made a lot of custom birthstone jewelry, and it’s all been dreamy.

But maybe you look at your birthstone and think, Really? That’s the one I got? And maybe you might be resentful of your sister who was born in April and who got a diamond. But guess what? You can just pick a gemstone that you actually like…

If I were to make something with my kids, my partners, and my birthstone, the color combo would be Christmas and Hanukkah together. Which maybe works because our family celebrates both holidays. But really I don’t want jewelry that looks like the colors we seemingly arbitrarily assign to holidays.

Birthstones as we know them today aren’t ancient traditions handed down unchanged through history like astrology for example or even zodiac stones. The modern birthstone list was largely standardized by the jewelry industry in the early 20th century and was created to make gemstone gifting more approachable and, unsurprisingly, to sell more jewelry.

Don’t get me wrong, this doesn’t make birthstones bad. It just means they’re one way to think about how to represent yourself and your loved ones.

If your birthstone happens to be a gemstone you love, wonderful. You got lucky. But if not, don’t feel stuck. You can just choose another.

My daughter’s birthstone is emerald, which happens to be one of my favorite stones. I made an emerald ring to represent her and love it.

However, my son’s birthstone just wasn’t for me. Instead, I chose a teal paraiba gemstone that felt more like him for his ring. It stacks next to the emerald, and the electric color really captures his personality far better than a gemstone selected by a marketing committee decades ago.

One day those rings will belong to my children; I tell them they can have them after they’re thirty and won’t give them away to the first person they fall in love with (hopefully thirty is old enough). For now though, they’re mine and I like wearing them to remind myself of my babies throughout the day.

Meaning and aesthetics don’t have to be in competition.

Maybe your fiery, adventurous child feels more like a ruby than an amethyst. Maybe your calming partner feels like a sapphire and not garnet. Maybe your favorite color is yellow, and that’s reason enough to choose a Topaz.

But to be clear, I understand the appeal of traditional birthstones.

My grandmother had a ring with the birthstones of all her grandchildren. The colors clashed. The stones competed with one another. But as a child, I adored it. I loved finding my stone and thought it was the most incredibly glamorous rainbow ring in existence… The emotional value is undeniable.

If birthstones speak to you, then by all means embrace them. But if you don’t love your birthstone or your kids’, choose the stone that intuitively feels right.

The meaning should be created by the person wearing the jewelry, not a marketing strategy from fifty years ago.

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The brightest and boldest addition to any ring stack? Our Arc Apricot Sapphire Halo Ring with Sun Crush Enamel, of course.

Featuring an apricot sapphire set in sunrise-hued glass enamel, this organic-shaped statement ring captures all the warmth of the upcoming summer solstice. The Solstice Enamel Collection arose from a series of watercolor paintings representing the winter and summer solstices, inspiring jewelry with enamel techniques and metal shapes that mimic the colors and amorphous qualities of the watercolors.

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Sun Crush not your hue? Our Robin’s Egg Blue enamel was inspired by the winter solstice, but is suitable for all seasons. The handcrafted Arc Diamond Halo Ring and matching Arc band effortlessly channel refreshing coolness.

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What better way to ring in the summer season than to adorn yourself with its inspiration? Visit us at our Philadelphia + Brooklyn showrooms to check out more of our signature collection pieces.

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What’s your wedding band + engagement ring pairing, and why?

I have what I’d call a primary stack, which sounds very organized and intentional, but in reality is just the combination I’ve reached after years of jewelry experimentation and an unwillingness to stop adding rings.

At the center is my wedding band—an heirloom gold version of our Milla Round Band in 3mm—and my updated engagement ring, our Nikko Marquise diamond ring. Then I rotate in supporting characters depending on mood, season, or whether I’m feeling particularly fancy while pulling weeds (or sometimes even going out).

Most often that’s our Fishtail Band in 18k unplated white gold and a whisper-thin 1mm diamond half-eternity band. Other frequent visitors include our Reticulated One Diamond Band in platinum and our Aldine Thin Band in yellow gold.

So on any given day I’m wearing somewhere between one and five rings. Not exactly minimalist but definitely committed to options.

Tips for choosing a wedding band (especially if it’s your first ring)

One thing that surprises me is how often clients come in focused entirely on engagement rings and I’m the one who starts talking about bands. The wedding band is often treated like the supporting actor, but sometimes it steals the show.

For me, life right now involves young kids, gardening, lifting things I shouldn’t be lifting, and generally treating my hands like they’re rental equipment. Because of that, I think a lot about how bands look on their own.

I’m a huge believer in the stack. If you love a diamond band, gemstone band, or curved band that perfectly hugs your engagement ring, ask yourself: Do I have a simpler companion ring I can wear for travel, sports, gardening, swimming, or the inevitable moment a toddler decides to use my hand as a jungle gym?

If you’re considering a curved band, make sure you love it independently too. You can always turn the ring so the curve is hidden, but I always ask clients, “Would you still want to wear this ring if your engagement ring were at home?” If the answer is no, it’s worth looking further.

A simple band like our Milla Thin Band can become the MVP of a jewelry collection. It layers beautifully, travels well, and happens to make an excellent future gift when anniversaries roll around.

For the one-ring people

If you’re looking for a single ring to do everything—engagement ring, wedding ring, everyday ring—I usually start by talking about width and texture.

I love our Reticulated Five Band as a standalone ring. It has presence.

If you’re after something classic, the Milla Round Comfort Band in 3–6mm is one of those rare designs that never feels wrong.

Recently a client paired our 3mm Diamond Eternity Band with a Reticulated Four Band and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. The combination felt equal parts ancient artifact and modern heirloom.

The thing nobody tells first-time ring wearers

If you’ve never worn rings before, design matters—but fit matters just as much.

Many people put on a ring for the first time and immediately think it’s too big, too small, too wide, too noticeable, or somehow all four at once. Sometimes what you’re feeling isn’t a fit issue. It’s simply that your brain has discovered there’s suddenly a piece of metal living on your hand.

One of the most counterintuitive things I tell clients is this:

Heavier rings usually fit looser.

More height, more metal, more density = more weight. And that weight gently pulls the ring away from the finger.

Meanwhile, lighter rings often feel tighter because they don’t have enough weight to move around. It’s one of those jewelry facts that sounds completely made up until you’ve tried on a hundred rings.

Think about Height vs. Width

Width is how much finger real estate the ring covers from knuckle toward hand.

When you stack rings, you increase width.

A 2mm band stacked with a 5mm band becomes 7mm of total width, which typically creates a tighter overall fit—especially for the ring sitting on top.

Height is how far the ring rises off your finger toward the sky.

More height usually means more density and weight, which often makes a ring feel slightly looser.

If you’re new to wearing rings and want something substantial that’s easy to wear: choose a comfort-fit band.

If you want something you’ll forget you’re wearing: choose a lighter-weight ring and size up just a touch.

Still need a hand figuring out the right wedding band(s) for you? Our client advisors are here to help! Or check out our blog post for first-time ring-wearers.

If you’re already wearing and evolving your stack, tell us about it!

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Bario Neal Bands

Frequently colorless, but also available in different hues, both types of diamonds have refractive brilliance that falls in the same range, and they are certified and graded by gemological institutions regardless of origin.

Differences between lab grown and natural diamonds are indistinguishable to the naked eye. Even expert eyes can’t tell them apart. Only advanced testing and specialized equipment can reveal their differences.

One key difference between lab grown and natural diamonds is internal growth patterns; an octahedral growth pattern is found in natural diamonds.

Additionally, inclusions of local minerals are often found in natural diamonds, while lab diamonds can contain metallic inclusions from their laboratory environment. Finally, most lab diamonds feature a microscopic inscription marking their lab origin.

At Bario Neal, every diamond — natural or lab grown— is reflective of our commitment to ethical sourcing. By partnering with responsible mines like Australia’s Argyle Diamond Mine and carbon-neutral labs, we ensure sustainability in every step. For us, a diamond’s beauty is not just in its sparkle, but also the integrity of its source.

For more information about our lab grown diamonds, check out our blog! Still unsure which diamond is right for you? Our team of client advisors is always here to help!

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When I got married, I had a hard time choosing a solo band. I was drawn to how different bands stacked with my engagement ring. And putting cost aside, I didn’t see why I had to pick just one. Each band brought its own vibe to the stack, and together the layered aesthetic felt more dynamic than any one band alone.

I made my own engagement ring after discovering a rough macle diamond in a parcel from one of the stone dealers we work with. The diamond felt so distinct in its paper thin triangular shape that I knew instantly when spotting it that I wanted to build a ring around it. I designed the setting to sit high enough that multiple bands could slide comfortably underneath so I could have flexibility to keep adding to my stack if I wanted.

So here’s the breakdown of the bands I choose for the initial wedding stack.

The Senna Narrow with white glass enamel. It’s one of our earliest designs and still one of my favorites; classic, playful, and kind of beachy, even though I can’t really explain why. It reminds me of a summer dress my mom wore when I was a kid but I don’t actually have any photo or evidence of her wearing such a dress. The closest reference I can conjure up is this image of Meg Ryan in Top Gun which when growing up was a movie that was always background noise at my house. I guess though I did end up getting married at the beach and in a sundress.

I also love the specialized art of glass enamel which with the onslaught of resin enamel in the marketplace, has become a shrinking craft.

Next up is our delicate narrow eternity band with diamonds in white gold. I’m not typically drawn to white gold or traditional bridal jewelry, but there’s something about the subtleness of this ring that I love. It almost looks like someone tied a diamond string around your finger (if there were such a thing as a diamond string).

The third band is our braided Aldine Thin Band. This ring has a vintage handmade quality that speaks to my love of the wabi sabi aesthetic. Most braided bands you see are made from a mold and don’t have any spacing between the weaves. Ours though, is created by actually braiding the wire and soldering it together which is a fun and tedious process. I get why other jewelers don’t want to do it.

I’m drawn to how different these rings are from one another and from the actual engagement ring rather than being perfectly matched. But with that said, if you are someone who wants your wedding band to match your engagement ring or nest perfectly alongside it, that too is a good choice. There really isn’t a right answer. The best ring is the one that keeps calling you back.

And now the question: do I wear them all stacked together everyday? Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, and sometimes I’ll throw new rings into the mix. One of the perks of owning a jewelry company is having plenty of options to play with.

I’ve now been married for nearly fourteen years, and my style continues to evolve. We have many clients who return years after purchasing their original rings to redesign them or add something new to the mix. To me, that’s a natural part of the process. Our tastes change, our lives change, and the jewelry we wear often changes along with them.

So my overarching advice for wedding band shopping is: You do you.

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Anna Bario: I have been thinking a lot about transformation, as a jeweler, we’re often remaking, redesigning, bringing together materials from different eras (vintage and new)... and how we can use objects, especially wearable objects as a sort of conduit connecting us to our past and future selves. I know you’ve been through a very transformative year, can you tell me a little about what’s been happening with Ilana Kohn?

Ilana Kohn: I started IK in 2010, and we were operating up to the very beginning of 2025. But… it was time, I decided to burn the whole thing to the ground.

AB: Can I ask how big your team was?

IK: We were a team of 10, and we whittled ourselves down to maybe 5 of us. It was a slow decline for a couple of years and then things just spiraled out. For me, I’m a creative. Before I got into fashion I was an illustrator. At some point I just turned around and, “Oh shit, I have a business.” It was a good kind of chaos.

When we opened our [brick and mortar] store, our team doubled, and I had even more to manage. The bigger it got, the best part was having more money to do cool shit. I had the resources to experiment and if it didn’t resonate, worst case we’d put it on sale.

I have to play it safer than I’d like for the moment, because I don’t have the resources of the company to experiment with.

It’s back to being just me, and myself (and my rent). I feel a lot freer now.

AB: Talking to other women who started their own design brands relatively young- it seems like, the jobs we wanted to do, we usually paid someone else to do first. And took on the next thing that no one understood or we couldn’t afford to pay someone to do.

IK: It’s funny, my husband edits a podcast for Miranda Bennet, Creativity in the Time of Capitalism, and she was just interviewing Shana Tabor from In God We Trust. As the business grew, she said the same thing, she just kept hiring for the things she actually wanted to do.

AB: Can you tell me more about Samet and what’s come through this transformation after ‘burning down’ Ilana Kohn? In the sense of, every artist spends their life painting the same painting…?

IK: Samet - yeah it’s still the same painting, it’s me testing out different constraints, not no constraints. More prints, more maximalist. Not trying to compete with basics that you can get somewhere else. I want to make something that there’s or no other version. It’s me or nothing. As much as I’d love to play with silhouettes, I don’t have the infrastructure. Initially I was patterning everything, but I am a decade away from creating my own silhouettes. My team was so good but now I’m working with an independent pattern maker who doesn’t necessarily understand my intention with, say, the subtleties of a curve. I like to break the rules. Once I handed off patternmaking, certain subtleties got lost, my earliest patterns were quirkier. Sometimes I like things a little wonky.

AB: One of the things that resonated for me with IK was that your designs really experimented with basic forms, and playfulness, but also made a wearer feel like they could be a serious person in unserious clothes. Does that seem accurate?

IK: Well like you could be serious in clown clothes, I guess. I am not a serious person. But I guess yes you could wear IK and feel “not like a joke.”

Ilana got her engagement ring from BN in 2024. It’s our Nikko Diamond Marquise ring.

AB: What jewelry do you wear every day?

IK: I have a necklace that I wear every day with a couple of charms from LA Designer Jessica Winzelberg. I wear my wedding ring and my engagement ring (from BN) and a basic gold band from Catbird.

AB: Is there a piece of jewelry (even if you rarely wear it) that feels like armour to you?

IK: I wouldn’t say it’s armour, and I’m not a huge jewelry wearer. In fact my ear piercings might be all closed up. If I did wear earrings they’d be big chunky crazy ones.

I would love to get a bigger gold chain with huge charms. I have one longer chain, and a big J Hannah locket.

AB: We’re in our 17th year of BN, and just did an exercise of writing out 17 things we’ve learned.

What have you learned about life from being a designer?

IK: I’m not cut out to work for someone else. And being a designer has toughened me up a lot.

Part of the reason I had to burn down IK is that the person I am now is so different than I was at age 28 when I started.

AB: Anything else you want to tell us about Samet?

IK: Samet is going to evolve, it’s finding it’s path and will evolve as it’s meant to, we’ll all find out together.

Thank you to Ilana for a fantastic conversation on creativity, expression, + identity.

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Bario Neal

I’ve thought about this question of jewelry to celebrate a birth or the children in your life a fair amount. It came up recently when my kids came with me to work while I finished a few things, and designed a piece of jewelry for everyone in our family (more on that later).

I hear a lot from clients about the significance of their mothers’ jewelry. The pendant with a stone representing each of the kids, holding the stone that means ‘me.’ In my own life there is a lapis lazuli necklace that my mom wore almost daily, and I have a very tactile memory of its shape and texture.

I have made jewelry pieces to commemorate the birth of each of my children. I want for myself to have something that can keep them close when I’m traveling or away from them, and for them to have something that I will wear throughout their lives and eventually pass on. These pieces have mostly evolved out of thoughts or motifs that were building through pregnancy (or that evolving time before deciding to have a child), and also my experience of each one in their first months and years.

I studied with an astrology mentor for a few years and she always advised parents to wait at least 6 months before looking too deeply at their babies’ charts. Get to know them first. I think I translated that advice to the jewelry I’ve chosen for my kids- I wanted to wait to get to know them before creating or purchasing a piece that reflected them.

I am a slow editor- ideas come fast but revisions are long for me, it’s always how I’ve worked. So each of the pieces I made for myself that honors one of my kids took some time.

These pieces are mine now, but they speak to - and will someday belong to - my children.

For Levon, I made a long station necklace. The metalwork evolved from a ceramics workshop at Haystack the summer before I got pregnant. I was playing around with direct casting porcelain slip to make these very organic forms. I knew they would become jewelry but I wasn’t sure exactly what at first. The necklace started to come together when I was about 5 months pregnant. I saw some special Australian sapphire slices and bought them almost instinctively. It was a parcel of peach, pale green, and blue sapphire flat cut slices that were light and mottled in color. It took me a couple of years to finalize the design. I decided when Levon was a few months old that I would use the sapphire slices in a piece for him. Initially I had imagined the porcelain textures would go towards something much more intricate that almost appeared woven. At some point I tried out the two textures together- the geometry of the sapphire slices was such a contrast to the porcelain textures and it worked perfectly. It also felt reminiscent of what I was learning with Levon- to be present and in the flow of experience, and also the bright pops of learning - language, movement, recognition. In the end I made the piece into really long necklace that I could layer and drape - it would be strong enough to get pulled on constantly by little hands.

I designed a custom cluster ring for Simone (she goes by her nickname, Breezy, and seems like she always will). She was born in the spring, an early pandemic baby, and somehow she changed my whole relationship with green. I started finding the color appealing in completely new ways and was drawn to emeralds in a way I hadn’t experienced before. I had always loved them and we work with them in very cool ways at BN, but after Breezy arrived I really wanted to wear them. The ring is asymmetrical and maximalist - an oval emerald, a hex white sapphire, a marquise cut andalusite, an apricot sapphire, with pavé in black, champagne, and white diamonds. It’s very me and it’s also very Breezy. For that piece, too, I spent months debating whether it would be a fantastical hoop earring or a ring. In the end I opted for a ring because I thought I’d wear it more, and I’m glad I did. But I will still make it into an earring for her if she decides it’s better that way.

For my youngest, Cass, I’m still in the design phase. I think it will be a pair of earrings or another necklace. I have a few sketches I’m working with, but I’m holding those details close for now.

I will say that I made myself a version of our Linear Emerald Cut Sapphire ring after he was born. I love the subtle shifts in the stone sizes, and the range of color in the sapphires. Sapphires are so grounding and I really love how the whole range of colors they exhibit can work together. To me, this ring is both serene and dynamic - very much the vibe of this kid.

Two last thoughts:

1. Name necklaces! These bring a lotta joy both when I wear them and when my kids do.

2. Get the kids into it. Drawing with kids is a real life enforcing activity, and drawing jewelry is a great time too. Levon asked if we could make a necklace with pieces for each of us that fit together, kind of like a Best Friends pendant. It took some finessing but we cut out paper shapes and landed on a pretty funky star shape that I think we’ll make with kite cut stones in silver.

   

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Bario Neal Jewelry

"The Lash setting grew out of a desire to move beyond the classic prong or bezel settings and to innovate with something that plays to BN's proclivity for balanced asymmetry." -Anna Bario, Designer and Co-founder.

A Bario Neal signature, the Lash setting is a wink of innovation, half-bezel and half-prong, to showcase our collection of ethically-sourced gemstones. Debuting first with our simple studs, the Lash moves beyond an ordinary setting with an unexpected asymmetry that shines as a solitaire, grouped into a linear design, or mixed with other settings for a brilliant cluster.

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Like a signature at the bottom of a painting, the Lash setting is our unique mark of handcrafted artistry. Visit us at our Philadelphia + Brooklyn showrooms to check out more of our signature collection pieces.

My daughter has been dreaming about getting her ears pierced for a while now. As a kid though I wore heavy dangly earrings since age six, and now as an adult I have stretched out piercings. So even though I own a jewelry company, I wanted her to wait as long as she could. After much begging, I agreed this year to make it her birthday present. Her actual birthday is in early summer, but we found out from one of her friends who recently underwent the ritual that she wouldn’t be able to swim for 4–6 weeks after the piercing. So on the fly the other weekend, we decided to get her ears pierced so she wouldn’t have to keep her head out of the water at all the summer pool parties. In hindsight, I should have done more research on where to go, or even considered doing it myself. We ended up at one of those places in a shopping center that advertises piercings by nurses.

When we got there, I was blown away by the pricing. Tiny stainless steel studs that were gold-plated for over $100.

Knowing the actual cost and the likely origin of the materials, I wanted to leave for a jewelry supply store, buy one of those little piercing guns, and just do it myself with Bario Neal studs. But my daughter was so committed and excited that it felt cruel to pull her away. So I agreed to $90 flower plated studs on top of the piercing fee, but then we were told by one of the Nurses that she had “fat lobes,” which required specialized and more expensive studs. In all my years of jewelry, never have I heard the term “fat lobe” nor did I know that they required their own type of studs. My daughter didn’t seem bothered by it though (actually found it funny), but I was annoyed with the term and the extra price hike that landed us with $160 14kt gold cubic zirconia studs.

The piercing process itself felt wildly imprecise. The Nurse marked her ears without much measurement, and I butted in to talk symmetry and placement. I could feel the eye rolls. It’s something though that would forever be on her body, so I was okay with being that Mom. Also I’m used to eye rolls with some of my obsessive tendencies. Again, I wanted to run out, head home, and grab my calipers, but settled on using the available tools of a pin cap and a sharpie to try to make even measurements on her ear lobes. I definitely held up the piercing line, and I don’t think I did a great job. But I’ll keep that to myself and hope she never notices or reads this.

My daughter, meanwhile, kept telling me to relax and keep it fun, a challenge for sure. And when it was all done she was so immensely proud of herself and pumped to start building her earring collection.

The piercing experience reinforced for me how fairly priced the Bario Neal work is, given the quality, traceability, and craft involved. I know that our pieces are not inexpensive, however, they reflect real value in a way that the fast fashion market simply does not.

The experience also got me thinking more broadly about gifting and ritual, especially as we enter May; the month of Mother’s Day, graduations, and milestones. I have two kids, and certainly we have stacks of pokemon cards, legos, slime, and typical kid junk scattered around our house. But they also have gifts that I’ve given them like our keepsake bangles or nametag pendants as well as handmade presents from others such as quilts, clothing, knitwear, ceramics, paintings, baby spoons, mobiles, and carved wooden toys.

My twelve year old niece has worn the same keepsake bangle I gave her when she was three, and amazingly it has changed shape so it’s now an elongated oval that fits her ever growing wrist. I didn’t realize this was even possible. The adaptation feels so personal and lasting to her.

I also recently inherited my grandmother’s baby jewelry; tiny signet rings and a pewter cup; treasures that I am so honored to hold and will some day pass down to my children.

There’s a real educational opportunity to give kids objects that are meaningful and lasting. I’ve noticed from my own children that when they receive something truly special, they recognize it and treat it differently. And as a parent, I’m thrilled when they receive a gift that isn’t destined for a landfill.

We live in a culture where many of our rituals have been eroded. And with all of my complaints about the ear piercing saga, I was happy to share the special right of passage with my daughter. And gifting is a ritual of its own. One of my life goals is to slow down how I pick gifts so I’m confident that whatever I am choosing for someone I love has a story and intention behind it.

And yes, I know my daughter will collect stacks of disposable Claire’s style earrings even if I refuse to buy them for her. It’s my hope though that she’ll be able to feel the difference between the stainless steel resin covered studs and the Bario Neal jewelry that she inherits. But most importantly, I want her to learn how to value and take care of all her precious belongings.

And maybe one day, when she has more than five dollars of her own, she’ll choose a gift for a loved one not just for its price, trend appeal, or label but for who made it, the environmental impact, and how it will travel with the recipient throughout their life.

And spoiler alert, for this Mother’s Day she already told me my present; helping me plant tomatoes. So maybe she is getting it…

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Bands

Since Carolyn Bessette Kennedy wasn't known for wearing an abundance of jewelry, the pieces she did wear made an impact. One of her most impactful items being her famous diamond and blue sapphire eternity band, inspired by mother in law, Jackie Kennedy Onassis' "Swimming Ring", which Jackie wore in place of her engagement ring when swimming. The choice of a cardinal gemstone eternity band in place of a traditional engagement ring reinforces Carolyn's truly unique take on minimal sensibility. Furthermore, CBK was usually seen donning only her understated and timeless round yellow gold wedding band. Inspired by CBK's reserved elegance, we've rounded up some Bario Neal bands that are staples in our collection, regardless of passing trends.

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Fine Jewelry

Another cornerstone aspect of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's style is that she chooses her statement pieces wisely and lets them sing, often utilizing pieces that are closet staples. Whether she paired a classic black dress with a red lip and eye catching studs, or a casual boot cut jean with a cool coat and the perfect gold hoops, CBK knew how to accessorize simply and in such a complementary way. We're including here some of our favorite staple fine jewelry pieces that can help you achieve that sleek and simple CBK aesthetic.

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Fashion trends can be cyclical, so it’s not surprising when we see fashion come back around 30 years later. However, the laid back yet incredibly refined taste of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy may just be truly timeless, with staying power beyond a passing trend. We put together this curated guide to honor CBK’s reowned taste, and to help you take a page from her fashion playbook.

Not into minimalism? Don’t worry, we love maximalism too! Visit us online or book an appointment at our Philadelphia + Brooklyn showrooms to find the jewelry that is exactly your style.

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Gold prices are soaring as central banks, investors, and jewelry lovers all rush to buy during global uncertainty. With limited new supply and rising demand—from governments seeking stability to consumers investing in wearable assets—gold’s value keeps climbing. Jewelry isn’t just beautiful; it’s a portable, durable store of wealth that can be passed down for generations and helps hedge against inflation.

The price of gold is primarily determined by supply and demand in global financial markets. Gold is expensive right now because governments, investors, and consumers are all buying more of it during this period of geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty, while supply remains relatively fixed.

Central Banks

One of the biggest drivers of gold prices recently has been central bank purchases. Countries have been increasing their gold reserves to reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar and protect against geopolitical risk. Central bank buying has more than doubled compared with previous decades.

Global Political Instability

Gold is considered a “safe-haven” asset. During times of geopolitical tension, investors move money into gold as a way to preserve value and weather uncertainty. Recent conflicts and geopolitical tensions have therefore pushed demand higher.

Inflation and Economic Uncertainty

While currencies can lose purchasing power, gold tends to hold its value over time. That makes it an effective long-term store of wealth for many investors.

Limited Supply

Unlike many commodities, gold supply grows very slowly. Mining increases global supply only slightly each year, so when demand jumps, prices increase quickly.

Jewelry

Jewelry accounts for about half of global gold demand. When jewelry demand stays strong alongside investment demand, prices climb even higher. Gold jewelry isn’t just aesthetic; it can retain material value as a wearable asset. Fine jewelry often contains gemstones with their own global markets, too. Even beyond design, all of these materials can retain worth.

Fine jewelry can remain wearable for decades or centuries. Because it does not depreciate through normal use the way many consumer goods do, it can function as a long-term asset passed down between generations.

Learn more about the materials behind your jewelry and the factors shaping their value, or experience our collections firsthand by scheduling an in-person or virtual appointment. Thank you for supporting fine jewelry that’s made with intention and meant to endure.

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That perspective — geologic, unhurried, curious — is not incidental to how Bario Neal designs. It’s foundational. In the spirit of Earth Month, we asked Anna to take us deeper into what ethical materials really mean: where they begin, what they become, and how to choose them with intention.

What early decisions shaped how you design today?

Certainly deciding to design collaboratively — our visions aren’t always the same and that tension brings forth a lot of interesting ideas.

From a sustainability perspective, we committed from the get that we would expand our concept of the quality of each material and process to include not just its beauty or durability but also how, where, and under what conditions it was extracted and formed before it came to our workshop.

What does “ethical” actually mean in practice — beyond buzzwords?

I really think the way something is made becomes part of that object — so the history of how every material, person, and place was treated in the creation of a piece becomes part of the legacy of that piece of jewelry. Ethically sourced materials and processes create future heirlooms that will be worn with pride and confidence for generations.

What does it mean to you to wear something from the earth?

Wearing something from the earth connects us to a deeper sense of time and scale. These gems and metals were formed in the earth billions of years ago. They connect us to the history of our family and also our geology. I really recommend Marcia Bjornerud’s books to anyone who loves gems and jewelry. I hope everyone starts falling in love with zircon like I have. It has nothing to do with cubic zirconia and everything to do with carbon dating the earth’s crust.

What are some of your favorite materials that you’ve worked with for a long time?

It’s easy to be upset with gold right now, given…well, its price. But there’s just nothing like it. Our precious metals are all either 100% reclaimed or certified Fairmined. The Fairmined Standard is an incredible model for responsible mining that creates real benefit for artisanal mining communities, as well as certification ensuring all participating miners meet rigorous social and ecological standards. We proudly offer Fairmined gold extracted by small-scale and artisanal miners, and we work closely with U.S. refineries that minimize environmental impacts during the production of our 100% recycled metals.

How do you evaluate new materials and partners?

Initially, the process depends on the material. What’s universal is that it starts with understanding the material — where is it mined if it’s extracted from the earth? What is the history of mining that material locally? Are local miners organized or is it very informal? What are the local or regional regulations regarding that material and mining in general? Is the material extracted by hand or machine, large or small scale? Are women employed in mining, and if so are they paid equally? Where is the material processed — cut and polished? What certifications might that facility have? What documentation can our supplier provide to support any claims made about the material?

Once we’ve identified a gemstone or other material we’d like to use, we move on to our formal evaluation process. We ensure our commitment to responsible jewelry through our eight-step Supplier Evaluation Process:

1. Suppliers review and sign our Code of Conduct, rooted in the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

2. We screen each supplier on key aspects of the Code of Conduct.

3. Suppliers are assessed on legality, anti-money laundering, management systems, sourcing practices, and environmental performance.

4. We gather supporting evidence for the claims suppliers make.

5. Suppliers are evaluated and categorized based on available information.

6. We follow up on any identified actions and schedule re-evaluations.

7. Suppliers rated Orange and Red are eliminated.

8. We share supplier performance through our annual Sustainability Report.

Why publish a sustainability report?

Our Sustainability Reports enable us to crystalize and quantify our impacts and our commitments. Working towards beneficial social and environmental practices is a continual process of learning, and the reports are a way for us to share the way we work with our customers and our jewelry community, and to document the work we do each year so that we can measure and improve on it.

The founders of Bario Neal have been thinking about hidden systems since long before Bario Neal existed — how soil remembers, how light moves through water, how materials carry the conditions of their making. The jewelry is just where that inquiry found its form. If you want to go deeper, our Sustainability Report is the most honest account we have of what this practice actually looks like in numbers. And if you haven’t read Marcia Bjornerud yet, consider this your sign.

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Whether you’re shopping for your next favorite piece or for a meaningful gift to give to those you hold closest to your heart, there are a multitude of factors to consider. Of course, everyone has their preferred (and often debated) silver or gold battle, and some people have a favorite stone they like to implement into their everyday look. For others, like Bario Neal, a lot of thought is put into where materials are coming from and what the journey from production to purchase looks like.

Page Neal has always viewed durability and sustainability as going hand-in-hand. In the spirit of Earth Day soon approaching, we asked her how she views the evolution of “sustainability” in both the context of running a small business and the jewelry industry as a whole.

How is being a small business in some ways more sustainable than a larger corporation in nature?

Because we operate on a relatively small scale and produce most of our work in-house, our overall environmental footprint is lower than that of larger jewelry companies. Unlike publicly traded corporations, we are not driven by shareholder demands and can make decisions based on our principles rather than profit alone. With our founding ethos of sustainability, we always prioritize responsible sourcing and production over the lowest-cost options.

This approach can be very different from the model at much bigger jewelry companies that have limited offerings and mass produce overseas

And because we make our jewelry to order, we don’t have excess materials or inventory that could go to waste. Oftentimes, when we are working with clients on a custom design, we are repurposing their heirloom materials. Our process with clients is very personal, creative, and collaborative and results in a very distinct and high quality final product.

How do you think sustainability has been greenwashed within the jewelry industry?

Messaging in the jewelry industry has shifted significantly over the past five years, with many major retailers promoting conflict-free diamonds, recycled metals, and lab-grown diamonds as the most sustainable options. In reality, “conflict-free” standards are loosely defined and don’t mean that much. Recycled metals have always been common in the industry because no-one throws away precious metal, but the more meaningful questions are: What percentage of the metal is actually recycled? Where and how is the metal refined? Does the refinery follow environmentally responsible practices, and is it local or an international operation that depends on shipping?

Lab-grown diamonds also vary widely in their environmental impact. Where are they produced, and how energy-intensive is the process? Are manufacturers investing in carbon offsets? Are the stones being responsibly cut and where are they being cut?

Certainly, there are some larger corporations that are committed to going deeper into these issues, however, it seems like many of them have the sustainability terms as slogans. It’s always important as a consumer to do the research.

Beyond material concerns, what do you consider to be a sustainable business approach?

How and where we make things matters. What is the environmental impact of our production? How are all the materials sourced and shipped? Is the finished jewelry being mass produced overseas? Are we supporting local jewelry economies of makers and artisans? Claims of sustainability based solely on recycled metals or lab-grown diamonds feel superficial to me if they don’t also address these questions as well as investment in communities that have historically been exploited by the jewelry industry like many South American and African countries. As jewelers, I believe that we have a responsibility to acknowledge past human and environmental harms and use our purchasing power to support regions marginalized by the jewelry industry. While we as independent jewelers may operate at a small scale, collective action like prioritizing responsibly sourced gemstones and metals can have meaningful and long lasting positive effects.

Why was it important to you to have a workshop in house?

We wanted to have control over the quality of our jewelry while ensuring that our production methods adhere to our environmental standards. It’s also empowering for us to continue learning, innovating, and working independently.

Having our workshop in-house allows for a cohesive design aesthetic that I don’t think we could fully achieve otherwise. It also allows us to have a hands-on, collaborative experience with clients as we explore custom and heirloom redesign.

How do you think making the jewelry in-house changes the value of the object?

I equate it to cooking. When you eat a home cooked meal that was made with high quality ingredients and care, it tastes better than eating a processed frozen dinner. Our jewelry feels and looks different, than if you purchased a mass produced ring. Seeing the hand of the maker in our jewelry is part of the charm and beauty of it.

Why did you start Bario Neal in Philadelphia?

We started in Philadelphia because it’s a city of makers with so many resources for artists. Before moving to Philadelphia, Anna was in San Francisco and I was in New York, two cities that are so expensive that we couldn’t feasibly start the business without outside investment or working other full time jobs. When we moved to Philly, we were able to live very affordably and work part-time. We started the business together in Anna’s basement and funded it with our free labor, and some credit card debt which, believe it or not, worked!

Tell us about other small business collaborations?

We love collaborating with other small businesses. We’ve done many different partnerships over the years from pop-ups with sculptors, vintage dealers, ceramicists, musicians, and clothing designers. I always love learning about what other artists and businesses are up to, their inspirations. It’s part of the fun of having a small business.

Tell us about the interior design of this space, and the selection of your partners / physical considerations and materials sourcing.

When we built out both the Philly and Brooklyn spaces we partnered with local designers to craft all the furniture, cases and displays. When rehabbing the Philadelphia building, we worked closely with an architect to ensure that all the materials we were using were eco-friendly and with a low carbon footprint. We want the spaces to reflect both our values and the design aesthetic.

How do you envision the evolution and importance of small business culture?

It’s my vision and hope that small business culture and local makers thrive. Small businesses took such a big hit during the pandemic, and consumers, myself included, have become more and more accustomed to an on-line business model of instant gratification which can have a high environmental footprint. Shopping with small businesses and supporting artists is often a much more sustainable choice that has an enormous impact on the local economy.

When making our purchases, I think it’s important to ask ourselves what kind of neighborhood do I want to live in? What impact do we want to have on a micro level?

Learn more about how your jewelry is impacting people and the planet with our newly published Sustainability Report, or see our work for yourself by scheduling an in person or virtual appointment. We are grateful for your support of ethically sourced fine jewelry, inclusivity, and women’s empowerment.

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Step into the stop-motion world that brings Bari to life @unpopanimation, and learn the secrets of how it all comes together, one frame at a time.

What will Bari do next? Stay tuned to find out!

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“As a designer, the idea of making something that may very well be worn hundreds of years from now is so compelling,” Anna said. “Jewelry endures- materials, value as currency / emotional currency / shared belief in value. We live in such an agnostic culture of few rituals. In the US, we get married more often than, say, our European or Canadian friends, and weddings are a big ritual. A wedding is one of the few times we get to gather all our people, and wedding jewelry is so symbolic for us all.”

In 2019, The Met held an exhibition titled “Jewelry: The Body Transformed” to contextualize women’s cultural history through an array of jewelry pieces from headdresses to brooches.

“For so many thousands of years in many cultures, jewelry was armor, it was disguise, and it was often the only available means of holding wealth for women,” Anna said as she reflected on the museum’s curation. “When we are designing, I often think back to that throughline of jewelry as the armor that women have worn and carried into new situations.”

Even in an industry primarily crafted for female consumption, the impact jewelry can have on the way in which women are perceived is too often overlooked – not to mention the incredible amount of information that can be uncovered from simply analyzing the significance of an ear ornament or a ring.

For the Bario family, the connection to jewelry began way before the inception of Bario Neal as a brand. Anna’s mother was always fascinated by jewelry, her staple look having been a lapis station necklace over a turtleneck, along with a wide hold link bracelet engraved with 3-tone yellow gold leaves.

“I would sit and look through her wooden jewelry box every few weeks,” Anna said. “Mixed in with the broken silver earrings and buttons and safety pins, she had a few pieces of jewelry that were given to her by my stepfather and his family (before my time) in Italy. She told a story of going to this town in southern Italy soon after they were married, and her new father-in-law walking her down to the jeweler to choose a gift. There’s something about that gesture that’s very laden with acceptance and tradition.”

The sentimental value of tangible things is not limited to jewelry. Anna reflected on some inherited objects that tell stories about the Bario family that words couldn’t articulate.

“I have a few that aren’t jewelry but that feel personal like jewelry does - a paring knife that was handmade and probably used for hunting,” Anna said. “My grandfather’s old pipe that seems from another world. My grandmother May had the longest white hair that I remember her brushing and I have one of her brushes, and the thick glass coke bottle she used to drip water on her ironing. These things our people touched and used.”

To Anna, objects that can be worn are inherently “intimate” and allow us “to be a little more present with the people who wore them before us.” In a time of immense disconnectivity, there is power, memory, and agency to be found in the metals and stones passed down from others.

So, whether it be a piece bought from Bario Neal or a family heirloom that you choose to have reclaimed, there are a million paths to be discovered from a single piece of jewelry, and Anna’s family is just one illustration of the layered journey.

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Thank you Bari for showing us the showstoppers from our latest launch of power rings, styled in a most enviable stack.

To us a power ring isn’t representative of a proposal or a milestone that someone else defines. It’s a piece you instinctively choose for yourself that marks how you want to move through the world.

If you’re ready to find the jewelry that holds your power, we’ve got you covered! Shop your dream stack online or visit us in Philadelphia or New York City to try them out in person.

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For most of history, jewelry has been worn by women but largely made and sold by men. When we entered the industry, it often felt like stepping into traditions that hadn’t changed in decades, especially on the production and gemstone side. Over time, though, more women have begun carving out space, not just as designers, but as makers, business owners, and gemstone dealers. Bario Neal has grown alongside that shift: learning the craft, questioning what we were told couldn’t be done, and helping move the culture of jewelry toward something more collaborative and inclusive.

Below, co-founder Page Neal reflects on learning the craft, building Bario Neal, and finding space in an industry that is still evolving.

How has the industry changed to be more inclusive towards women since you started — and where hasn’t it?

It’s hard for me to speak from a corporate perspective because when we started the business, it was just Anna and I trying to figure out how to make and source the work. We launched the business in Philadelphia which is home to the historic jewelers row that houses a lot of Mom & Pop makers shops. I am both incredibly grateful for many of the makers we worked with early on in our career that taught us so much, and I also am mad at how patronizing and sexist many of those experiences were. As we got older and became more successful, the dynamic changed with many of our male contractors and some of them just didn’t want to work with us anymore once we took more authority as designers and business owners. Good riddance, that block is for them to work through, not us. We now only work with contractors or makers where there is a level of mutual respect.

What has it meant to you to build a women-owned jewelry company?

For me, it’s important culturally to celebrate and support women-led organizations, especially given the long history of women being underrepresented in leadership.

The jewelry industry, in particular, has largely been run by men, both in management and in production, while being marketed primarily to women. This has shaped a narrow, often heteronormative view of what crafting, wearing, and gifting jewelry is meant to represent. Part of our work at Bario Neal is to question and dismantle that framework, and to put something entirely different out into the world.

One of the reasons why I originally was attracted to jewelry was because historically it has been a financial armament for women during a time when they were denied power. And in some cultures, it still very much is.

The ritual of wearing jewelry is a way for us to manifest our power, while also using it as a loving shield of protection.

We want to design and craft jewelry that honors peoples’ deepest experiences and identities. I love that our couples typically come to us to design a meaningful ring together that symbolizes their connection and commitment, rather than participating in an antiquated idea of spending 3 months salary on an untraceable diamond ring that has no back story to them.

How do you hope feminism changes the jewelry industry?

I believe feminism is intrinsically linked to inclusivity and to supporting small business culture. Empowering one another to learn how to create, build, and operate independently is one way we actively live our feminist values.

We are also living in a time of profound political and corporate corruption. It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of such visible abuse of power, but as individuals we still hold real influence in how we spend our money and where we direct our support. Choosing to invest in local economies and independent makers is one tangible way to uplift the voices and values we want to see reflected in our world.

Can you highlight any work that you think shows the transformation of BN from the early days to now?

When we first started, we had a great deal to learn. We came to jewelry making from unconventional paths and relied heavily on contractors on Jewelers’ Row to mentor us in fabrication. Many of those contractors were older men, and at the time we often accepted their word if they told us a certain technique wasn’t possible. When I was complaining about this back and forth with contractors once, a friend said to me “We flew someone out to space to walk on the moon sixty years ago, so it’s possible to make anything.” I don’t really believe it’s possible for us to make anything... but that perspective of challenging fabrication norms stuck with me.

As we’ve grown, we’ve become more confident in our technical abilities, expanded what we produce in-house, and embraced greater experimentation. We now decide for ourselves whether something is truly unfeasible or simply challenging. A good example is our Myriad Diamond Band, which is technically demanding due to its varied stone cuts and burnished setting style. I suspect that in our early years, a contractor might have just said no to making it.

How has your in-house workshop influenced your process and ethos?

As the business evolved, we intentionally expanded our in-house workshop to maintain control over quality and ensure our production methods align with our environmental standards.

Having the workshop in-house allows us to sustain a cohesive design language that would be difficult to achieve otherwise. It also supports a highly collaborative, hands-on process with clients whether developing custom designs or reimagining heirloom pieces; resulting in work that is both distinctive and meticulously crafted.

Just as importantly, it empowers us to continue learning, innovating, and working independently.

What is A Piece In Your Collection that Represents for you female empowerment?

Hmm. Good question. In 2023 we released our Cosmic Serpent Collection. A collection that was inspired by Violet Kupersmith’s brilliant debut novel, Build Your House Around My Body. When I read the book I was mesmerized by the rich imagery exploring Vietnamese folklore, colonialism, and violence against women. Kupersmith weaves a mythological two headed snake throughout the book who appears as a protective guide for women existing in a violent environment.

I’ve always been fascinated with how certain animals resonate in different cultural mythologies, symbolizing either similar or divergent ideas. The snake is one of the most ancient and ubiquitous mythological animals, representing a variety of meanings like rebirth, healing, wisdom fertility, duality and infinity.

We designed our Cosmic Serpent collection as an homage to the deep history of the snake motif within jewelry, and although the serpent is not a rare interpretation for a jeweler to take, we embraced the sacred symbol from a design perspective iconic to Bario Neal. We wanted to create a collection that would empower our community on an energetic and intuitive level during a particularly volatile time.

Our Cosmic Serpent collection is a family of snakes (some with two heads, some with one) embellished with filigree patterns, emeralds, sapphires, and diamonds. It’s our vision that the serpents are emblems of rebirth, and also armaments. At a time when women’s and LGBTQIA+ people’s rights are actively threatened, we welcome the serpent as a shield of loving support and resurgence.

Over the last seventeen years, Bario Neal has become an industry leader in ethical sourcing and progressive manufacturing, with our design sensibility and high-quality, handcrafted work at the forefront. What we’ve built isn’t just a jewelry studio. It’s a living, breathing community — one that holds inclusivity, creativity, and care at its center.

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WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO: LOVE, LATELY

What is your favorite music to listen to that has love as the subject lately?

PAGE

Two albums I’ve been especially into this past fall and winter are Cameron Winter’s Heavy Metal—the love ballads on that album blow me away, though really I find the whole album so beautiful—and then Lily Allen’s Westside Girl. What an unapologetic and empowering way to tell the world you deserve more.

ANNA

The Lily Allen Westside Girl album was really cathartic this fall. I think I forced several friends to listen to it. Billie Marten’s Dog Eared has been in pretty constant rotation, the track “Clover” in particular.

HOW LOVE EVOLVES

How has your understanding of love changed over the years, personally or professionally?

PAGE

Having been in partnership for 15 years now, I can really see how many phases we’ve moved through together and that a relationship isn’t static, but constantly evolving in ways that are both fun and challenging.

Professionally, I still find it so endearing to work with people who come into the shop to design jewelry that commemorates love. The past six years have been so politically harrowing, and it’s a real pleasure that our work centers on celebrating the good and the meaningful milestones in people’s lives.

ANNA

I think love becomes more complex the more kinds of love you experience—that every person shifts so much with time and creates different versions of themselves. Expansive love allows for that and holds all these epochs of one another.

Professionally, it’s a pretty special gift to meet our clients when they’re coming to our shops to celebrate love and each other. I really appreciate how our relationship to our jewelry can shift as our relationships change, too.

LOVE BEYOND ROMANCE

What non-romantic relationships have been most influential in your lives? And how have these relationships or partnerships expanded your definition of love?

PAGE

Just asking myself this question makes me take stock of how lucky I am to have had so many consistent and new relationships. I have friendships that have endured since my early days—my sounding boards through various life stages—and new friendships recently that have been expansive.

When it comes to family, I find there’s a bit more ease in letting relationships ebb and flow. If my sister doesn’t call me back, I don’t worry about it. With my kids, there are moments when we’re very close, then we lose connection, and later find new ways to come back together.

ANNA

I have so many friendships that have been absolutely sustaining, critical, and hilarious. Further into adulthood, I’ve come to love my friends with more—I don’t know—ease? And to appreciate them so incredibly much.

And siblings! More and more I think my siblings are hilarious and brilliant and just wonderful. They also remind us who we are and love us for (despite?) all our eccentricities.

DESIGNING WITHOUT A SCRIPT

When someone comes to you wanting to mark love—without a traditional milestone—how do you help them begin? What questions do you ask to understand meaning when there isn’t a familiar script?

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I never want to pressure anyone into purchasing something that doesn’t feel quite right to them or assume I know what kind of relationship they have and what they want to honor. I always try to let the client speak first and encourage them to follow their intuition when choosing or designing a piece.

ANNA

I like to open up the conversation with questions that clients can take in whatever direction feels right: “Tell me what you’ve been thinking about for this? What are the design inspirations from your life together that feel resonant?” It’s often artwork or furniture that they’ve chosen together. It can be a place they visited. These become the anchors for the design we create together.

WHAT MAKES A PIECE PERSONAL

What makes a piece feel deeply personal, regardless of the occasion behind it?

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Jewelry is specific to people’s personal ethos in a way that is unique to the medium. I don’t think it’s as common for people to think about other accessories—like handbags—with as much sentimentality as they do with jewelry. So when choosing a piece, pay attention to what you intuitively want and disregard ideas like “I should get a diamond ring for an engagement” or “a birthstone pendant to symbolize my children.” What is it that you actually like? What stones and metals are you naturally drawn to, and how does that help start to inform what jewelry will be the most meaningful to you?

Years ago I wanted to design a custom piece for my son that I’ll eventually give him when I know he won’t lose it or give it away to a crush. I really don’t like his birthstone, so I just picked a gemstone that I think captures his essence. Truth be told, I’m a bit anti-birthstone jewelry after seeing so many custom jobs come through that have weird stone combinations. Why go with a birthstone you don’t like just because of an industry-wide convention that assigned a gemstone for each month to help boost sales? Much better to choose what you actually want.

ANNA

Intention. Our work as designers is to find the thread of meaning that the client is carrying through—maybe it’s a date, a child’s name, a color, or a combination of many things. It has to resonate. It’s our work to tune into that and amplify it through the design.

WHEN LOVE SHIFTS HOW WE SEE JEWELRY

Was there a client story that truly shifted how you think about what love can look like?

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I can’t point to one particular story, because we’ve had the privilege of getting to know so many remarkable and diverse ones over the years. What does stand out to me, though, is just how different every relationship is—and our clients all seem to find a dynamic and jewelry that represents them.

ANNA

Recently, I’ve appreciated working with some of our clients who are at a life stage where they are collecting jewelry for themselves, yes, but with future generations in mind. There’s something both generous and curatorial about it. They are reworking heirlooms for their grandchildren while capturing stories of their grandparents—of other times in other places. Sometimes it’s done with love for the inheritors they haven’t met yet. So yes, anticipatory love—that expanded my concept of what love can look like.

LOVE STORIES WE’VE BEEN HONORED TO HOLD

Though we adore all the romantic partnerships that we get to honor with jewelry, it’s always meaningful to see clients honoring non-romantic love—or themselves—with jewelry. Two stories that stand out to us are Jess and Holden, and Kara Oldhouser.

JESS + HOLDEN’S STORY

“We are commemorating our beloved dog Rose who passed away unexpectedly last year due to a brain tumor. She was seven years old and always had a pink collar, so that’s why we chose the pink stones” Jess and Holden explained.

”We also wanted her paw print on the design and had them etch it into the ring from the ink stamp we got when she was cremated.”

A heartfelt thank you to Jessica and Holden for allowing us to create this handcrafted tribute to their beloved dog Rose. From pink rubies inspired by her collar, to her name and paw print hand-engraved in silver, this custom Clover Diamond and Pink Ruby Signet Ring captures all of the love and memories of an irreplaceable family member in every detail.

KARA’S STORY

“I'm using two heirloom stones for my piece. My grandmother gave me the round solitaire for my 30th birthday. My grandmother is a woman born in the Depression, who lived in poverty for years until she married my grandfather, where she moved to the country and led a simple life. She worked hard and saved her earnings, so she could treat herself when she wanted something special. One of those days, she went shopping with her sister and bought herself this ring. She only wore it on special occasions and I was honored to receive this representation of hard work and self love. She interacted with the world (before her dementia) with unapologetic tenacity and independence. I use her spirit to inspire me to take big leaps” Kara shares.

“The emerald cut diamond was my mom’s. This is a harder story to tell because the grief of her death and absence in my life is still palpable, daily. She had a ring designed with this stone and only a few months after she received it, she lost it. My dad had a duplicate made and gave it to her for Christmas. Wouldn’t you guess it - she found the original ring a few weeks later. My sister and I are the only siblings and when my mom was facing the end of her life, she gave an identical ring to me and my sister. My mother was a gift to the world. She was the kindest, most gentle, sincere, and thoughtful woman I’ve ever met. She approached life with integrity, gratitude, and peace. I think of her every day, and having this small token of her spirit and character near my heart reminds me that I am her daughter and that a piece of her heart lives on in me.

Since my mom passed, I’ve met the partner I never imagined I would have in my life. He is an incredible gift and this piece signifies the joy I have in this partnership and the commitment we have to each other.”

Thank you to Kara for giving us the privilege of helping you memorialize and embrace the strong women of your life. We hope your modern heirlooms continue to bring you inspiration and joy.

Jewelry has the power to symbolize significant moments throughout time, and a meaningful design should feel as powerful as the different forms of love it represents. Nothing brings our designers and client advisors more joy than helping you create a one-of-a-kind piece or reimagine a beloved heirloom for you to hold dear.

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