If the emails I receive daily from retailers hawking the latest fall fashions have anything to say about this season’s trends, it’s that we’re not done talking about quiet luxury. Many of those emails literally use the term “quiet luxury” to describe what’s being sold.
And I’m okay with that. Sure, I want an article of clothing or jewelry that’s loud in color and style and features interesting silhouettes and patterns. But at the end of the day, quiet luxury, while a trending term, just means it’s timeless, good-quality stuff—a reliable wardrobe at its core. And there’s no better exemplar of this concept than a piece of well-made jewelry.
There’s an interesting theme going on in jewelry lately—or perhaps it’s always been there (likely), and in the moment we’re eager to devour it. It’s a skillful combination of quiet luxury and statement piece, taking a bit of both concepts to please the most discerning consumers. It proves jewelry can be refined while also standing out. It can be loud without being colorful, eye-catching but classic. It straddles a delicate line between over-the-top and everyday, trending but not trendy, of interest yet never tiresome.
Like the current oversize chain links in luxurious gold, these pieces feel rich, but they don’t scream “Look at me!” in a way that’s so obviously asking for attention. Still, they’ll certainly be noticed.
Liv Luttrell’s latest additions to her lineup—an autumn series called Rock Garden—demonstrate this quality well. The jewels are classic enough to transcend whatever trends come next, but they get their aura of something special from the designer’s penchant for sculptural beauty, which is clear to see at every angle.
“I decided to work with natural diamonds and mix white and yellow gold for this series, finding the right level of detail in each design while creating a series of really wearable pieces,” Luttrell tells JCK. “I start all my designs by creating pieces that I would love to wear myself: simple, bold, and essentially comfortable to wear. It is by being true to the shapes and textures that I love and using the best-quality materials and stones that I have created designs like the Spear Tip ring and Twist hoop earrings, which have become my classic Signature Edition designs.
“Reflecting on natural organic details, like a smooth, pointed seed-like shape for the Awn earrings and the layered marquise diamonds that frost my Ciele earrings, I have worked to capture the feeling of the light of changing seasons,” Luttrell says.
For the upcoming holiday season, the designer predicts earrings will be the big ticket. “They make great surprise gifts, as no sizing is required and they pack a visual punch,” she says. “I am told that the streamlined shape of the Awn earrings, part of my new design series, are becoming a holiday favorite.
“I love the commitment to large-scale pieces, particularly earrings,” she adds. “These large statement pieces feel very joyful.”
Top: Awn earrings in 18k white gold with diamonds, $11,000; Liv Luttrell
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