Cheery Blossoms
Just in time for spring, the Henderson Collection in Charlotte, N.C., is planting a fresh crop of floral-inspired 18k gold designs in its Italian Gardens collection. Manufactured in Italy, a proprietary cross-beam structure gives the lightweight jewels—full of negative space and airy, cagelike structures to keep the weight down, but strong enough to retain their shape through daily wear—a luxury look at a quarter of the cost of similar heavier pieces made with conventional casting, says the company.
“In light of the economy, many designers have turned to creating their karat gold designs in sterling or other materials,” says owner Lecil Henderson. Still, consumer demand for gold jewelry remains high; so this line is one way to offer a karat gold product at a price point.
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| Henderson Collection Italian Gardens necklace in 18k gold with black and yellow filigree elements and a rose pattern; $5,150 | Henderson Collection Italian Gardens ring in 18k gold with round filigree face and black with yellow rose pattern; $720 |
Meet Karma El Khalil
A mistake that a London university made cost it a student, but gave Karma El Khalil a new career. The present-day, New York City–based jewelry designer and force behind the 5-year-old eponymous line was set to pursue a master’s degree in psychology until an error on the part of the admission’s department delayed her entry into the program and set her on a path to design. To kill time, she started sketching jewels for fun, and a friend and jewelry store owner at home in Beirut encouraged her to have the pieces manufactured for sale. She did, and after quickly selling out—and having repeat customers coming back for more—she moved to the United States, took design classes, and got her graduate gemology degree. In 2007, she launched her line, embracing a pyramid motif signature style. “I love expressing sharp edges,” she explains. “They have a flow and elegance to them.”
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| Versatile Pyramid necklace in 18k yellow gold with 0.96 ct. t.w. diamonds; $4,375; Karma El Khalil, Beverly Hills, Calif.; 310-550-7200; karma@karmaelkhalil.com | Karma El Khalil’s Rose earrings in 18k rose gold with 1.05 cts. t.w. diamonds; $4,500 |