Concrete Fruit Jewelry

Fruit and concrete probably sit at opposite ends of the contextual spectrum, which is why pairing them together makes so much sense. Take the sweet, soft and colorful and marry it with something durable, creating a vibrant new form filled with depth and longevity, rather than spoiling under the weight of time. If only all perishable goods could be rid of their pesky expiration dates, staying fresh and tasty forever and ever.

Designer Sue Urquhart’s fruit collection flaunts brushed silver pendants inlaid with tinted concrete, and dangled from 16” inch sterling drawn chains. Red strawberries, green pears, orange slices, lemon wedges, a pair of dangling cherries…no matter what your taste buds crave, each selection is juicy good and perfect for summer picnic days.

Visit the designer’s blog for recent work and purchasing information.

Hot Pick: Bonbon Oiseau Woods & Fields Collection

Bonbon Oiseau's Autumn collection, entitled Woods and Fields, was inspired by Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, and is overflowing with exquisite elements, such as 1920s mold-pressed, reverse-painted and foil-inlaid glass.

Flaunting antique etched glass and vintage brass leaves, the Feuilles de Rubis Rouge earrings, one of favorite pieces from the collection, sweetly marries a 24k gold pear charm and a freshwater pearl at the bottom.

Available at the designer's Web site.

Hot Pick: Danielle Gori-Montanelli Felt Necklaces

Marrying the frothy coziness of a wrapped scarf with the delicate beauty of a jewelry piece, Danielle Gori-Montanelli’s felt flower train necklace is a terrific change of pace. Tossed over a jacket or a cocktail dress, it’s whimsical, but elegant, and deliciously different. Hand-cut black and grey wool felt flowers are sewn together in a link arrangement, and falls at a long length.

Available at Artful Home. Additional color and shape selections available on the designer’s Web site.

Farrah Dragon Jewelry

You've always been insanely picky about your wardrobe, prioritizing longevity, yet never dismissing the importance of personality. Channeling the essence of you, after all, has nothing to do with being ahead of trends or on point with them, but more in line with assembling a thoughtful grouping of beautiful, quality items to lovingly be worn again and again. But that’s part of growing up, understanding that fads come and go, and arrive again, but timeless pieces always look relevant.

Which is why Farrah Dragon's designs are so appealing, a collection of fine jewelry with a relaxed spirit, but still striking a heady chord in terms of visual enchantment. Flaunting organic shapes, such as fern leaves, lotus petals and exotic flowers, the precious metal pieces are crafted from recycled materials or gathered from environmentally friendly sources, so you feel good about wearing them. The insect rings, moths and beetles, are easy everyday pieces, but we also favor the pendant necklaces dangling fluid orchids in an array of compositions, such as the slipper necklace (above).

To browse designs and view store list, visit the designer’s Web site.

Hot Pick: Alkemie Jewelry

Online shopping powerhouse ShopBop recently upped their game in the jewelry category with the addition of St. Kilda (a longtime indie favorite) and Tuleste Market (who features some great pieces on their own Web site). But the Alkemie Jewelry line is the true standout collection, serving up arty pieces with a green stamp of approval (selections are forged with reclaimed metal). Their large flower ring has an intricate forest flavor, and we think earns wow status.

Available at ShopBop.com.

Emily Amey

Beauty, truly spectacular beauty, often can go criminally unnoticed…because it does take a certain type of person to look outside the confines of traditional attractiveness, and appreciate the splendor of an everyday miracle.

Designer Emily Amey positions the spotlight on many of nature’s overlooked treasures, from seaweed to amoebas to swirling vines. Working primarily with sterling silver and 14k gold, Amey’s designs flaunt single silhouettes with intricate detail, such as a crescent-shaped sea fan necklace with a sprawling pattern, and squid hoop earrings that twist and curve in unexpected directions. There are many stand-out pieces from her collection, especially her bracelets, notably the sea fan cuff (above), which exquisitely translates the complexity of the organic form.

To view styles and purchase, visit the designer’s Web site.

Best of Etsy: Elizabeth Scott Jewelry

This post is part of an ongoing series highlighting noteworthy jewelry selections available on Etsy, the mammoth online marketplace for handmade goods.

Many jewelry pieces have a daring flavor geared for nightlife dressing, but the truth is that your social life is just as active when the sun is shining -- lunch dates, museum trips, matinée movies, strolling through flea markets. Elizabeth Scott's jewelry is exactly what you want for your daytime adventures, boasting botanical prints and shapes, some with soft-hued enamel detail. Her pool series has a wonderful relaxed summer flavor, but we adore the petal collection (earrings above) that features hand-cast hydrangea petals with an oxidized finish.

To view styles and purchase visit Elizabeth Scott's Etsy Shop.

Pade Vavra

For some, it's a cathartic experience...toes dipped in sand, salty air kissing your face, and the soothing sound of lapping waves. For others, it's a lifestyle filled with indulgent freedoms, from tossing your shoes aside to letting your work become a distant memory. And then there are those who see it as a reminder of what's pure and essential, and commit themselves wholly to the power of nature. But that's the beauty of the beach, there's always a staunch personal connection, and a level of unwavering devotion that can never be matched by any urban structure.

Los Angeles designer Pade Vavra has indeed created a passionate homage to the beach with her collection filled with sparkling seahorse locket necklaces, and bangles inset with coral. Vavra's gold vermeil jewelry flaunts precious and colorful elements, such as turquoise, pearls, and gemstones such as Peridot and Iolite. Her serpent necklace, a pendant adorned with opals and sapphires is a decadent piece, but it's her shark tooth necklace that makes the most majestic statement, dangling a hefty fossilized tooth from a double chain with tiny pearls (her Prehistoric Mako Shark Tooth in her fine jewelry collection is even more dazzling).

To view styles and purchase, visit the designer’s Web site.

Yayoi Forest

Flowers, of course, get all the glory, but they come and go too quickly. Which is why all women know that good looks only take you so far, and that it is better to have unwavering strength that can carry you through absolutely anything and everything. Like a tree branch weathering the heat of summer, the cold of winter, the rains of spring. Like a tree branch that remains standing after the colorful leaves and scented flowers have all fallen to the ground.

Jewelry line Yayoi Forest understands the unparalleled beauty of the tree branch, using its meandering form throughout its collection. A blackened silver twig necklace, spiral vine earrings, a gold branch pendant brandishing the word “love”. Naturally, other earthly creatures find their way into the designs, from owls etched into silver pendants to tiny gold birds dangling within a birdcage comprised of twisted silver branches.

To view styles visit the designer’s Web site. To purchase, visit YLANG 23.

Lauren Wolf

A living, breathing embodiment of Mary MacGregor’s 1977 hit song Torn Between Two Lovers, your soul craves the tranquil comforts of a calm beach and soothing sea, while your heart aches for the pulsating city filled with grittiness and adventure. But there is room in your life for two great love affairs, even if they are geographically and contextually divergent.

Lauren Wolf, who studied jewelry design in coastal Mexico and now calls Brooklyn home, presents the best of both worlds with her sea collection, an urban-spiced tribute to nature’s most breathtaking compositions. A blackened silver nautilus pendant is paired with a green gold centerpiece textured with a sting ray pattern. Silver Amazona bones dangle from yellow gold chains. A spiked green gold bracelet, textured with a sting ray pattern, is studded with sparkling diamonds. Indeed, the beach has never looked so high-end and refined, yet equally edgy.

To view styles and a store list, visit the Lauren Wolf Web site.