The best contemporary jewelry brands are sometimes the hardest to discover. Many people are familiar with the biggest and most dazzling names in jewelry—Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels—and know where to look for the independent labels that do great everyday basics, but sometimes, it can be difficult to find cool contemporary jewelry brands that are making fun, fresh pieces not everyone else is going to have.
The basics—a good hoop earring and a dainty gold chain—are great starting points when starting a jewelry collection, but as you begin to build out a more robust assortment, you’ll likely find yourself looking for something unique to help round out your collection. And while the list of designers who are catching our eyes here at Vogue far exceeds this list, let me introduce you to some of the buzziest names (and their designs) in today’s contemporary jewelry world—a fresh crop of designers well deserving of a coveted spot in your jewelry box.
From Juju Vera’s sculpted treasures to Charlotte Chesnais’s winding creations and Dezso’s shell-laden necklaces, you’re sure to find something (maybe even, a few somethings) suited to your style. Juju Vera’s sculpted metal creations are great everyday statement pieces to add to your jewelry box. The debut collection paid homage to New York City based founder, Julia’s (or as she goes by, Juju), Greco-Roman heritage.
Stephanie Wenk has served as Sauer’s creative director
Stephanie Wenk has served as Sauer’s creative director since 2014 and is largely credited for modernizing the Brazilian brand through her creative, contemporary designs while still keeping its 80+ year old gemstone heritage in tact. Sophie Buhai
Based in Los Angeles, California and founded in 2015, Sophie Buhai’s modern and minimalistic pieces are made from recycled and responsibly
Deeply influenced and inspired by founder Sara Beltrán’s love of the beach and the ocean, Dezso is known for its luxurious pieces that feel like found treasures, incorporating natural materials like shells and coral. Le Sundial
With a focus on sustainable production, Le Sundial’s pieces are all hand-crafted and made to order in Italy. Founder Silpture, and shape for a modern take on jewelry with a looks-like-vintage feel
Ten Thousand Things
Designed by two self-taught jewelers, Ron Anderson and David Rees, in downtown New York City, Ten Thousand Things pieces are all hand-crafted and inspired by natural, abstract shapes. Chan Luu
Chan Luu started her brand in 1996 as a passion project, and today, Luu’s neice, Tessa Tran, is the brand’s CEO and creative director. Inspired by nature, Chan Luu’s pieces use natural gemstones, pearls, and diamonds as the basis of every collection.
Jasmin Sparrow Based in New Zealand, Jasmin Sparrow’s
Jasmin Sparrow
Based in New Zealand, Jasmin Sparrow’s assortment of statement pieces are made using all ethically-sourced stones, pearls, and recycled metals. Mysteryjoy
Inspired by founder Joy Toledano’s love of Alice in Wonderland, and handcrafted in Paris using lab-grown diamonds, enamel, metal, and even nylon, Mysterjoy pieces are fantastical and full of whimsy. Fernando Jorge
Brazillian jewelry designer, Fernando Jorge, who’s now based in London, launched his fine jewelry line in 2010 after studying design at Central Saint Martins.
His unique and elegant creations are largely based on movement and sculpture and are made using all natural stones. Presley Oldham
Presley Oldham launched his eponymous jewelry label in 2020 and is based in Hudson, New York. Just four years later, Oldham became a finalist for the 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and received a CFDA Awards nomination for the 2024 Emerging Designer of the Year.
Lié Studio
Vertigo
Taylor Sade launched Vertigo in 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona, and is now based in New York City. Best known for its stone medallions and jumbo beads, Vertigo aims to blend Southwestern style with New York City sophistication. This Parisian-based jewelry brand was founded in 2019 by gemologist Kelly Souied and antique jewelry tastemaker Kelia Toledano. With vintage and art deco influences in mind, their opulent designs make for modern, cool-girl jewelry.
Charlotte Chesnais After working as a designer
Charlotte Chesnais
After working as a designer at Balenciaga under Nicolas Ghesquière, France-based Charlotte Chesnais launched her namesake jewelry brand in 2015. Playing heavily with shape and sculpture, Chesnais crafts pieces that explore the interaction between lines, curves, and the human body. Earlier this fall, she debuted fine jewelry alongside her main vermeil creations.
Julietta
Julietta’s playful, sculptural statement pieces have gained a quick cult following since the brand’s recent launch in 2021. Agmes
Agmes explores form and sculpture in its pieces, which are designed to withstand trends and seasons. Founded by sisters Morgan Lang and Jaclyn Solomon in 2016, the brand was named in honor of a late friend. Annika Inez
Annika Inez grew up in a family of designers and is now based in New York City and Sweden, which has helped her amass a following of minimalists around the world.
Ariana Boussard-Reifel
Sculptor-turned jeweller, Ariana Boussard-Reifelment and the spirit of “small wearable sculptures.” Her collections are hand-crafted in New York with highlights including dangle earrings, statement necklaces, and sculptural hoops. Completedworks
Hailing from London, Completedworks is the brainchild of founder Anna Jewsbury and brings sculpture-inspired, tactile jewellery to life
With a cult following among fashion editors
With a cult following among fashion editors and front-row insiders, this is jewelry for the collector who values shape as much as sparkle. Sonia Boyajian
Based in Los Angeles, Sonia Boyajian creates work that marries whimsy, texture, and historic technique. Her daring, oversized pieces are playful yet wearable. Lisa Eisner
Launched in 2014 by former fashion-editor-turned-designer Lisa Eisner, this jewelry fuses wild imagination with bold materiality and heritage-rich references.
Ana Luisa
A refreshing entry point into fine jewelry, Brooklyn-based Ana Luisa brings sustainable materials, accessible pricing and modern minimalism together for everyday luxury. Tabayer
Founded by Nigora Tokhtabayeva, Tabayer is best known for its sinuous Oera knot, a modern talisman inspired by an ancient Mesopotamian symbol of protection. Crafted in Fairmined gold and often punctuated with diamonds, the pieces feel sculptural yet intimate.
Paola Sighinolfi
Colombian-born, Barcelona-based designer Paola Sighinolfi brings together the boldness of Latin American jewelry with the refinement of Spanish and European design. Her pieces feature sculptural silhouettes, colorful stones, and references to the natural landscapes of both Colombia and Spain. Déhanche
Known for its stylish belts and distinctive hardware, Déhanche has translated its signature buckles into a collection of earrings and chokers.
The pieces retain the brand’s chic, architectural sensibility. Sophie Bille Brahe
Copenhagen-based Sophie Bille Brahe gives classic jewelry an unexpectedly modern point of view. Pearls and diamonds are recurring signatures, reworked into organic, celestial forms that feel both delicate and sculptural. Jade Ruzzo
After a decade in fashion and styling, Jade Ruzzo launched her namesake line around the idea of less-is-more heirlooms, combining clean lines and classic silhouettes with chunky colored gemstones, diamonds, and pearls.
Source: www.vogue.com
