7 Dazzling Brands To Add To Your Fine-Jewelry Collection
From creators of Art Deco silhouettes to makers of modern heirlooms, these are the jewelry brands worth adding to your NET-A-PORTER Wish List this season, says COLLEEN ROSS
Juju Vera
“Juju was my childhood name, and Vera is my grandmother, whose elegance and strength continue to guide everything I create,” says Juju Vera founder Julia Ferentinos, explaining the inspiration behind her brand’s name. Based in New York, Ferentinos creates jewelry inspired by everything from Ancient Egyptian art and Art Deco design to film and architecture. “My goal is to create pieces that feel both fresh and nostalgic, where the past and present coexist in harmony,” she adds. Ferentinos carves and shapes each piece herself, paying close attention to proportion and curvature to ensure it sits comfortably on the body, before handing it over to a skilled team of craftspeople who bring the designs to life.
Sophie Bille Brahe
“I’ve always felt a magnetic pull toward the night sky. There’s something deeply mysterious and enchanting about looking into that endless universe and feeling both small and connected at the same time,” says Sophie Bille Brahe. The Copenhagen-based designer, a descendant of 16th-century astronomer Tycho Brahe, works exclusively with diamonds and freshwater pearls – which she compares to the stars and moon – to create glittering constellations of her own. “I am especially drawn to the moment where the sky meets the ocean on the horizon – a fleeting line where the universe seems to hold its breath. There is something very magical in that quiet symmetry, a reminder that beauty often lies in the delicate balance between movement and stillness,” she explains. Blending Scandinavian minimalism with effortless elegance, each piece in Bille Brahe’s collection is designed to be an extension of the woman wearing it. “I adore seeing my pieces worn in ways I never imagined, because that is when they truly exist – when they are loved, lived with and given meaning.”
Foundrae
Foundrae’s designs are rooted in symbolism, with each piece representing one of 10 tenets developed by founder Beth Hutchens as a means of self-expression and connection. “Every day I have the incredible opportunity to meet people in our stores, to hear their stories, to see which pieces resonate with them, and to be inspired by the way they personally style their jewelry. These meetings are the biggest inspiration for me,” says Hutchens. Based in New York, the brand’s chunky chain necklaces, bracelets and signet rings all feature spiritual and mythological symbols decorated with colorful enamel and an array of precious and semi-precious gems.
Marie Lichtenberg
Marie Lichtenberg is redefining heirloom jewelry for a new generation of collectors. While honoring traditional craftsmanship and timeless design, the former fashion editor turned jeweler imbues all her pieces with playfulness and irreverence – it’s impossible not to be charmed by a scapular-inspired pendant detailed with enameled toadstools or the diamond-encrusted dice dangling from a single hoop earring. “[I find inspiration] in everything that moves me – childhood relics, antique jewelry, street style, sacred symbols. I collect emotions and turn them into gold,” Lichtenberg says. With such an eclectic mix of references, it makes perfect sense for each piece to be layered, mixed, and mismatched. It’s Lichtenberg’s belief that jewelry should be “lived in, not locked away. They’re meant to carry stories, not sit in boxes.”
L’Atelier Nawbar
Fourth-generation jewelers Dima and Tania Nawbar are committed to celebrating the time-honored craftsmanship and storied heritage of l’Atelier Nawbar – the Lebanese brand founded by their great-great-grandfather more than a century ago. “Lebanon has been known for its jewelry-making heritage for generations, and jewelry remains one of our country’s most important exports,” the pair say. “Wearing jewelry is deeply rooted in our culture. Lebanese women are famously glamorous and adorn themselves with pieces for every occasion.” Inspired by the spirit of Beirut, as well as their own childhood memories, the duo’s collections feature an eclectic mix of colorful gems, meaningful talismans and unique, vintage-inspired shapes. “We draw from dreams, emotions, cultures, eras, travels and symbolism, then bring it all together in refined designs, rich with layers of storytelling.”
Suzanne Kalan
Suzanne Kalan rewrote the rules of fine jewelry when she launched her award-winning Fireworks collection 12 years ago. “Baguette diamonds were never popular – they were seen as old-fashioned, traditional and difficult to work with,” Kalan explains. “But when I was unpacking a parcel of baguettes, I saw this incredible arrangement of sparkling forms scattered across a table. The idea of setting them like that seemed so exciting to me – so unique, still classic and timeless, but with an edge – and honestly, it ended up changing everything.” What began with diamonds now includes an array of kaleidoscopic gems, from pretty pink sapphires to verdant emeralds, sprinkled across stackable bracelets, necklaces and rings that are handmade in Kalan’s native LA. “Jewelry is timeless and lasts forever,” Kalan continues. “I want women to pass my jewelry down, but in the meantime, I want them to love it and wear it every day – not put it away.”
Marlo Laz
Marlo Laz founder Jesse Marlo Lazowski has been fascinated with jewelry from a young age, thanks to her great aunt, an antiques dealer, and her grandmother, who gifted her a brooch she transformed into a necklace when she was just 13 years old. It’s a love story that has continued ever since. “I was captivated by the way a jewel could become a memento of a person, a moment or a place – how it could transcend time and evolve into a family heirloom,” says Lazowski. Working from her studio in New York, the designer draws on a breadth of design periods, as well as personal memories and travels around the globe, to create meaningful pieces bedecked with charms, symbols and colorful gems that she hopes will become cherished keepsakes. “I imagine my designs being worn by the Marlo Laz woman as she moves through her beautifully cultivated life… always accompanying her on her journey, gathering her stories and illuminating her path wherever the day may take her.”