Britt’s Pick: Mindi Mond’s Amethyst Sautoir

By Brittany Siminitz | June 23, 2026

On my first job in jewelry retail, I saw a lot of vintage pieces come and go, and I’d imagine stories as to where they came from and where they might end up next. One style we always seemed to have in abundance was the bar pin.

I admired these jewels’ intricacies: delicate metalwork, expert craftsmanship, and glimmering gemstones—most often sapphires and diamonds—that carried the spirit of another era. What I lamented, though, was that they were pins. While I love a good brooch, the bar pin just isn’t the type of piece purchased by younger shoppers looking for a stylish addition to their wardrobes, or by gift givers searching for something special. Bar pins appeal to collectors, customers with the means to own every category of jewelry, and those who appreciate the niche. I’ve often wished there were another way to wear a bar pin, another way to help customers see its possibilities.

Which is why my visit to Mindi Mond’s booth at Couture was so enthralling. The designer had a special display of vintage bar pins reimagined as pendants. Their gemstones included sapphire and emerald, but it was the amethyst version that immediately caught my eye.

As I told Mond, I’m not usually one for amethyst, though I can be persuaded. And this piece easily persuaded me. Its richly hued gemstones seem to glow from within their deco-era setting, which Mond adapted to hang from a double-wrap sautoir complete with a custom clasp.

“I’m always drawn to extraordinary antique elements with a story to tell,” Mond says. “I never approach an antique as something to preserve behind glass—I see it as the beginning of a new story, reimagined while keeping its original character intact.”

A designer whose passion for jewelry and her craft is obvious, Mond has transformed what might otherwise be considered a special-occasion piece into something wearable at any time. This necklace feels timeless and effortless.

It’s also cool, covetable, and elevated—perfectly suited to modern jewelry wardrobes even as it retains all of its historic charm. For retailers with showcases full of vintage bar pins, consider this a compelling reminder that sometimes a fresh perspective is all it takes to breathe new life into a classic.

Top: Double-wrap sautoir, made with circa 1920s bar pin, in platinum and 18k white gold with 10.9 cts. t.w. modified brilliant amethysts and 4.7 cts. t.w. old European–cut diamonds, $54,300; Mindi Mond