CAN’T-MISS COLLECTION
Love for Scale
Gold mania in the fine jewelry industry has a downside: “It has narrowed the offerings to pieces that are very diminutive and delicate,” says Austin, Texas–based jewelry designer Nak Armstrong. “I craved designing in larger-scale silhouettes again.” Armstrong’s latest collection, Nakard, showcases of-the-moment stones (think pink opal, black spinel, and chrysoprase) in sterling silver settings plated in deep blue and inky black rhodium. The looks were inspired by Roman mosaics, and many recall the colorful mobiles of artist Alexander Calder. Styles are large in format, but priced for the impulse buyer—a niche in the jewelry market Armstrong aptly calls “underserved.”
(Top) Reptile earrings in blue rhodium–plated sterling silver with blue sapphires, $1,175; Triple Line earrings in black rhodium–plated sterling silver with black spinel and Ethiopian opals, $1,875; (right) Mezzaluna stud earrings in black rhodium–plated sterling silver with chrysoprase, green onyx, and Ethiopian opals, $875; Nak Armstrong; sales@nakarmstrong.com; nakarmstrong.com
HOT STOCK TIP
Chromatic Collar
Royal Chain’s new Rainbow collection was inspired by the #rainbowtrail hashtag used on Instagram photos that showed rainbow artwork (mainly created by kids) tacked to house windows during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The sterling silver Rainbow choker features an array of candy-colored cubic zirconia and is the kind of feel-good style shoppers will be eager to snap up this holiday season.
