What comes to mind when you think ‘luxury jewelry?’ If you’re a jewelry lover like us, chances are you have the names of the most iconic luxury jewelry brands memorized. Although we always love a classic piece, sometimes we want our luxury jewelry to say contemporary, young, and dare we say it – a little more fun. Agreed?
That said, in 2021, contemporary luxury jewelry brands aren’t afraid to stray from traditional designs. They’re dishing out everything from delicious hot pink sapphire ear crawlers, to modern pearls, to diamond-dipped Cuban chains.
At Nomade & Mode, we love when fashion inspires wanderlust. As luck would have it, these 15 international designers are vicariously transporting us to different countries through their designs. Their jewels take inspiration from travel to fairytales, to fossils and ancient texts, but they’re adding a modern twist. While they’re at it, they’re proving that luxury jewelry doesn’t need to be stiff or staunch. Nonetheless, we’ll always love grandma’s pearls, but these jewels are making a different kind of statement.
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The Nomade Edit of 15 must-know international contemporary luxury jewelry brands in 2021.
1. Annoushka
Created by Links of London founder Annoushka Ducas, this London-based eponymous luxury jewelry label tells a story with each of its designs. From collections such as, “The Vampire’s Wife,” to talismanic charms incorporating scarab beetles, butterflies, and the evil eye, Annoushka jewelry taps into your imagination and incorporates meaning in every piece with its nostalgic forms.
2. SHAY
Founded by Los Angeles-based mother-daughter team Ladan and Tania Shayan, SHAY jewelry mixes feminine elegance with an edge. From rainbow-coloured diamond-decked Cuban chains to dainty tennis bracelets, to chokers fitted with pear dropped jewels, this brand is the epitome of elegance with a twist.
3. Aisha Baker
Based in Dubai, Aisha Baker jewelry pushes the envelope by combining sophisticated architectural shapes with whimsical colours, taking reference from fairytales to create playful yet elevated designs. Mixing brightly coloured enamel with precious gemstones, Aisha Baker is the jewelry of your childhood dreams, now all grown up.
4. Alighieri
Based in London, UK, Aligheri jewelry takes inspired reference from Dante’s Comedy, an essence that feels palpable throughout its collection of gold jewelry, linked chains, relief coins, and freshwater pearls.
5. Xiao Wang
Founded by NYC-based actress and model Xiao Wang, this namesake label combines a dainty and feminine look and feel, with modern geometrical designs. The result? Elevated pieces that complement the natural, untreated gemstones used in their collections, truly making each piece shine.
6. Kimai
Based in Antwerp, Belgium, Kimai is a luxury jewelry brand that’s putting social and environmental consciousness at the forefront of its design ethos. The brand uses lab-grown diamonds and recycled gold in all of its designs. The result is a collection of elegant pieces sure to upgrade any outfit. If you’re looking for an ethical ring option to mark that special day, Kimai offers both engagement rings and wedding bands.
7. Marlo Laz
This NYC-based brand crafts luxurious jewels inspired by travels from around the world. Founded by Creative Director Jesse Marlo Lazowski, Marlo Laz is at once sophisticated and fun, opulent, and free-spirited. With a bohemian feel, Marlo Laz inspires you to become a globetrotter in your own right.
8. Hueb
This Brazilian-born luxury jewelry brand stands out for its unique use of colourful gemstones. From hot pink ear crawlers to spikey ear jackets, Hueb’s jewelry designs are the peak of modern, trend-setting luxury.
Italian jewelry designer Netali Nissim incorporates a sense of spirituality in her designs, looking to symbols like the evil eye and Chamsa to inspire her designs. The collections feature bold colours throughout all of its materials, from gemstones to enamel. Netali Nissim designs are at once playful, feminine, and sophisticated.
10. Tasaki
This Japanese luxury jewelry brand is known for its innovative pairing of pearls with architectural shapes, creating contemporary designs with classic material. This juxtaposition references the design principles Japan is famous for, from perfectly balanced pieces to abstract design.
11. Natalie Perry
Inspired by time spent in India, this London-born namesake label effortlessly pairs symbols evoking ancient times with modern design. One example of this is the brand’s use of fossilized ammonite seashells. Set in 18ct yellow gold vermeil, a fossil instantly becomes a modern charm.
12. CompletedWorks
This London-based contemporary jewelry brand incorporates an organic quality to its structural pieces, using looping and weaving techniques to shape and mold jewelry. It creates unexpected designs, pairing the likes of a stacked pearl earring on one ear, with a luxuriously crumpled gold vermeil earring on another.
13. Area
Born in New York City, AREA jewelry is innovative, bold, and playful. The opposite of minimalistic, one wears AREA when they want to be seen, heard, and to make a statement. AREA jewelry has an insider sense of humour, and defiantly turns the most unexpected shapes into luxury.
14. Ileana Makri
If described in one word, this namesake brand, founded by Greek designer Illeana Makri, is opulent. Inspired by travels around the world, Ileana Makri frequently incorporates symbolism and the use of deeply hued gemstones, yellow, and rose gold to complement the intricate structures throughout its collections.
New York City-based designer Effy Hematian takes particular inspiration from the symbol of the panther, a longstanding element showcased in the brand’s collections. In addition to this signature symbol, EFFY incorporates other motifs from the animal kingdom and is equally informed by the precious gems it uses, showcased in collections from Safari to Brasilica.
These 15 contemporary luxury jewelry brands have us dreaming of visiting their ateliers around the world. Let us know, which designs have you wanderlusting?
