It’s not that we haven’t always been obsessed with animals in jewelry – butterflies, for example, have long appealed to jewelry wearers with their beauty and meaningful messages. Of course, there are also snakes.
Our other insects, birds, reptiles, sea creatures and quadrupeds are less iconic but still beloved. Some have seen their needs come and go as pop culture or astrological signs become more popular.
Jewelers often dabble in whimsical animal jewelry, creating one-of-a-kind pieces for collectors, from horse brooches to tiger bracelets. But none of them are considered basic or particularly affordable.
But lately, it seems like more and more jewelers (and their clients) want to have some fun. Designers play with animals in their designs, some subtly, some crazy (pun intended) with unique animal creations. For example, Le Vian recently launched a series entirely dedicated to the animal world, as our editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelskaya reported at JCK. Harwell Godfrey also recently released an animal-themed collection in which designer Lauren Harwell Godfrey brought some of our favorite creatures to life in glory (her superb mandrill is pictured above).
Give credit to the Y2K craze, call it the desire for effortless style, the desire to get out of trouble, to connect with nature – just don’t call it fashion. If this is the case, then it would not make sense for many brands to produce such products in high-quality materials, the retail prices of which do not necessarily justify an impulsive purchase. We may be in the midst of a gem of a wildlife craze, but styles like these can endure from generation to generation.
Top: Turquoise-set pendant in 18k yellow gold, 1.98kt. two sapphires, 0.75 carats. two champagne and 0.32 carat diamonds. Two diamonds, $58,000; Harwell Godfrey
Post time: Sep-09-2022