In Hardware, Both Things Can Be True
Revisiting some of my favorite metals on a quest for a decent jewelry box.
I promised this newsletter pre-maturely. I did. I can admit that much. Still I won’t go back on my word, cause if we don’t have our word then what do we have in this world?
Actually, I’ll tell you what a lot of people don’t have: the fortunate fate of being blessed with the undertone and complexion needed to pull off gold and silver jewelry. And look, I don’t subscribe to the myth that you can’t mix metals. But I do pay a subscription to the idea that there are people who can’t (shouldn’t) do both. One or the other kind of folks. Something about the sickly shade they take on when they do is endorsing this self-made assertion.
I, however, am one of the lucky ones. I cannot relate to the masses here. Or I’ve deeply deluded myself into thinking so anyway, because my metals collection, both silver and gold are delightfully unique and vast. [Vastly different]
My silver pieces, as one might deduce after a cursory inspection, make up my edgier bits. They feed my inner teenage dirtbag-pop punk-scene-grungey girl who’s at the heart of who I am.
My gold pieces take on a more heritage-forward role. For me, they have a potential generational story. Maybe it’s the inherent nature of gold as something that holds and maintains monetary merit, but maybe I’m just attributing that value. A lot of my gold pieces have been passed down or bought for me when I was super young (and the engagement rings I’m eyeing and maybe will one day pass down are all very very gold too – see, generational).
Below I spotlighted some of my favorite pieces from my personal collection:
a) This vintage sterling silver mariner puff bracelet from Italy, with distinctive links that feed into one another, in a way that I haven’t seen with a mariner bracelet before. She’s lightweight and trendy but timeless all the same; truly one of a kind.
b) I’m 400 pages deep into Tolstoy’s War & Peace, and the more I read, the more I confirm that war is nothing more than a silly dick swinging competition. I kind of loathe a military man… which means I’ll never have a set of dog tags. This chain is probably my version. A ceramic circle in one of my favorite colors, my birthday stamped in, found at a Lisbon flea , along with this sick Harley Davidson ring that I love but can’t wear because it’s just too big.
c) A most honorable jewelry mention goes to my newest piece, from the newly minted (and effortlessly cool) brand Remeinz. The experimental brand lies at the intersection of jewelry, art, and music and is created by my dear friend and celestial sister, Madeleine. This collection featured one-of-a-kind pieces combining silver and obsidian stone— for tranquility and protection of course— which if you have the pleasure of knowing Maddi, then you know this is very on brand. | www.remeinz.com
d) This bracelet haunted me for months. I saw it fleetingly in the Assembly NY store, and never stopped thinking about it. A constant tab on my phone, refreshed weekly to see if someone else bit the bullet and bought it first. She was expensive. Their vintage buyer also didn’t have any other facts on the piece and I searched relentlessly online for any details, but only found a couple of far-off dupes. I finally went back to the shop, and tried it on, and that was that. Now here he is, in all his boyish glory.
e) My sweet sweet Chiomato cherub ring created by my even sweeter friend Suki is another one-of-a-kind piece, with this hammered sterling silver, and a yellow inlaid stone with a harp strumming cherub. A happy accident since I was originally inquiring about a version with a black stone, but this one feels truly meant to be. Timeless, but also punk, and I can’t get over the size and attention to detail in the fabrication. O mükemmel | www.chiomato.com/
f) A recent addition to my collection– I thrifted this beautiful Gucci wristwatch with a thin band and a black face. Post Apple-watch-frenzy era, It’s really important to me that my watches serve as both functional pieces and are beautiful like bracelets. Now this is a fitting marriage.
g) My gold ring collection is robust, but a lot of it falls into the “costume” category (no less meaningful though!!) This piece, by a Brooklyn based designer who of which I am currently forgetting, is a resin coated iridescent scarab, set into the most beautiful, organically hammered ring. She’s got a lot of use and wear & tear, but I love her all the more for it. Nicole, if you’re reading this and remember this artist, please drop a line ♡
h — i forget to include a snap, whoops) If you’re like me you love a good Mondo Mondo piece. Now this isn’t one, but it satisfied that same coy and playfulness while still being a sophisticated piece of jewelry. Shout out to Venmo going back far enough into 2022, when I bought this from one Suna Bonometti. I have an amethyst stone version of this which really compliments the gold so well. | www.sunabonometti.com
i) Last but certainly not least: My D nameplate necklace. This is the single most important piece of jewelry in my life. Like, gun-to-head give up the rest to keep it. My parents got it for me when I was a baby, and so if we do the math together, we’re looking at nearly 30 years of love and sweat, yet not a tarnish in sight. Through all the eras she remained a steadfast piece, and I don’t think there’s a lot of jewelry that can stand the test of time. I laugh to think that this piece of jewelry can bring me so much dopamine and sentimentality.
Other jewelry brands that have piqued my interests (in no particular order):
Agmes Jewelry
Old Jewelry (vintage)
Ariel Kellogg
Flora Zhai Jeweler
Aeri Go
BIIS
Pupil Casket
FRAGILLE
PUNCH Jewelry & Oddities
A.M. Thorne
BY NYE
Seb Brown
Leigh Miller
NUMBERING (contemporary)
Wodd Bangkok Co.
Simuero
That’s all from me this week! Happy dressing, and don’t forget to polish your jewels.
D xx