When I met with U.K.-based designer Robinson Pelham during Las Vegas Jewelry Week, I desperately needed coffee. And after I saw and tried on several pieces from its newest collections? No caffeine required—staring into the kaleidoscopic array of pavé-set colored gemstone creations amply provided the jolt of energy I craved. I walked away with an absurd twinkle in my eye and a pep in my step (despite several days of basically hobbling around the shows in shoes that were flat but not comfortable).
I also walked away without being aware of Robinson Pelham’s royal associations—the last time JCK covered the company, it was back in 2011 on the occasion of the Prince William and Kate Middleton’s storybook wedding. Remember the Duchess of Cambridge’s diamond drop earrings? They were a Robinson Pelham bespoke design, commissioned for the bride by her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton.
Lovely and memorable as these earrings were, the company now swings in a comparatively radical direction, with jewels that embrace an electrifying palette, a completely fun and whimsical mix-and-match hoop-and-charm program (hoops are called “orbs” and the charms are called “earwishes”), and a general vibe of 1970s glamour with a welcome touch of 1980s camp. I’m digging it.
Central to the 2019 collections is a bouquet of big, bold cocktail rings that are about as far from classic as you can get (but still princess-worthy, I’d say). Every editor you follow on Instagram probably shot them (including me). Can’t decide if I like the chaos of the Vault ring (pictured at top) or the more clean-lined but equally supersized and explosively colorful Asteroid rings (pictured below) more. I sampled three on one hand and it was like a fireworks display popping across my knuckles. Breathtaking.
Also noteworthy were the hoop earrings, gemstone encrusted (dazzling as a disco ball) or geometric (knife-edged and sleek).
Beyond the ring party, versatility is key to Robinson Pelham’s DNA, and there were a number of chunky link bracelets with reversible ID plates or gemstone clips that can act as a clasp or be attached to any spot on the bracelet for an asymmetrical look (there are necklaces that function in similar fashion as well).
And my favorite necklaces were alternately graphic and modern (with interchangeable gemstone embellishments available) or fairylike in feel.
Top: Vault ring with turquoise on a bed of diamonds and emeralds in 18k yellow gold, $13,200
Follow me on Instagram: @aelliott718
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazineFollow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
