When it comes to jewelry, do you go for costume or fine? Or perhaps mix it up? I’d say a majority like to keep it mixed, which is exactly why designers are starting to dabble in both categories. So now if you want a $150 bracelet or a $1,500 bracelet…you can get it from the same designer! HALLELUJAH!
I first took notice just over a year ago when Alexis Bittar launched fine jewelry. It didn’t cross my mind again until more recently when I started to see other designers get into 18k gold and real diamonds. DANNIJO is perhaps the most popular one (I mean, how can you not follow them on Instagram?) but also Shay (just found out at space519, who carries Shay, they’re now getting into the fine stuff…exhibit A: this sweet diamond bone necklace), Maria Black and Margiela to name a few.
What’s interesting about these moves is that it’s easier for a designer to start high end and then make more affordable items (think: Marc Jacobs / Marc by Marc Jacobs, Thakoon / Thakoon Addition, Derek Lam / 10 Crosby, etc.) You see the high end piece, you wish you could get your hands on it (they have you hooked!), then the designer’s “line for less” makes something and you finally can afford it. When you reverse the process (like these jewelry designers), the customer’s mentality can go one of two ways — 1) finally, DANNIJO diamonds! or 2) why would I pay $2,000 for something by a designer that makes $200 earrings? Many of these fine jewelry launches are too new to tell BUT I’m not opposed. I think what they’re all doing is super cool (especially Maria Black…although her regular stuff is pretty fantastic too).
But it’s not just myself noticing the move into fine jewelry. What officially inspired this post (and confirmed my thoughts) was this story on WWD the other day about how well the jewelry market is doing (specifically, the fine category). When WWD says it’s happening, it’s indeed happening. So what’s the upside of this? Fine jewelry is no longer your mother’s tennis bracelet — it really has come a long way. And it’s designers like those mentioned in this post who have established themselves as being unique and fashion-forward and they’re taking that aesthetic to create pieces using luxe materials for their fine jewelry collections. Before I discovered Dana Rebecca, I never even liked fine jewelry. In fact, I hated it! Now, DRD only does fine jewelry but it’s because of her I pretty much made the switch to investing in my jewelry as opposed to buying trendy pieces that will turn my skin green. It’s always good to mix in both, don’t get me wrong (we do live in a high/low society after all…where H&M and Celine worn at the same time is encouraged) but I am a little more team fine than I am team costume. However, the downside is that it’s not cheap so you really have to save up for some of these pieces. Am I buying $3k diamond necklaces? Absolutely not. Actually many of these designers are creating pieces using 14k or 18k gold and real diamonds that are still in the three digits.
Whether you love these designers for their original pieces or you want to enjoy the finer things in life, here’s a mix of both you should check out.
What do you think of these types of designers dabbling in fine jewelry? Do you like that they’re doing this or should they stick to costume? And which do you prefer to wear? Any other designers I missed that redeFINE the jewelry game?
Images via Facebook (in order from the top: Alexis Bittar, DANNIJO, Shay, DANNIJO)
Lately I’ve been really getting into fine jewelry as well – Dana Rebecca, as you mentioned, is great of course. I also really love the playful fine jewelry we’ve been seeing more of lately – namely, Alison Lou and Khai Khai. I love the idea that expensive jewelry made with real gemstones doesn’t need to be serious and precious – it can still be fun. I just recently pre-ordered my first piece of Alison Lou from Moda Operandi and can’t wait for it to come!
Joanna, you’re right. I’ve never thought about fine jewelry as a daily thing until the past couple of years. Always thought of it as a special occasion kinda thing. But so many folks are doing cool things with precious metals and diamonds, and they’re making them so reasonable. Hirotaka is a great line–they mostly use 10 and 14K, which keeps the price low, but the pieces are amazing. Zoe Chicco is cool, too, and Plukka is FANTASTIC for finding high end fine jewelry for ridic prices–they’ve even gotten into the collab game, so you can have a real, authentic Yeprem or AS29 piece, which are lines mostly sold on Net-a-porter and M’O, for next to nothing! LOVE it!