Jewelry is such a personal hathing. It’s often hard to find pieces that fit within your own individual style. The ideal jewels are simple and elegant, without looking too bland or boring. Simultaneously, the perfect piece has a unique, one-of-a-kind feel but doesn’t veer too far into a crazy or eccentric territory (and at a reasonable price point).
Finding pieces that check all those boxes can be tough, but we’ve done the leg work to find five of the coolest under the radar jewelry brands making super stylish, unique and affordable baubles you need in your life.
Check all five brands out below and happy shopping!
1. Knobbly Studio
Started in 2010 by Gittat Szarc, Knobbly Studio’s designs are focused on the human form and the way adornment interacts with it. Szarc is self-taught with a background in martial arts, mathematics and psychology. Each piece is handmade in their studio in the Noga district of Jaffa Israel using locally sourced materials. They also collaborate with other artists who share their love for the human form including Tel Aviv-based artist Klone and photographer and handpoke tattoo artist Laurie Franck.
2. Open House Projects
Everything in Open House Project’s line of chunky but delicate jewelry is designed and produced in New York between the Catskills and Brooklyn. Each piece is created using hand carved wax, used to cast various types of metals, with slight irregularities that add to their beauty. Monika Wyndham’s designs begin on paper, and move to wax and finally metal creating a completely unique feminine and strong aesthetic.
3. Faris
Faris Du Graf began producing her eponymous line of edgy, sleek and contemporary jewelry back in 2012. Designed and handmade in Seattle, Washington her collection features both statement pieces to more subtle everyday essentials. Regardless of its boldness, each piece aims to “distill complexity into a wearable statement.” Before starting the brand Du Graf worked in architecture and design, influences that remain evident in the modern, almost abstract aesthetic of her pieces. Think cool girl meets modern elegance.
4. Leigh Miller
Produced and designed in Los Angeles, Leigh Miller started her line in 2014 after studying fashion design and working in the industry for over a decade. Inspired by nature, her pieces aim to translate the beauty of natural elements into metal with a variety of materials like metals, semi-precious stones, and Japanese silk cording.
5. Olivia Kane
Inspired by the concept of high quality grown-up mood rings, Olivia Kane launched her New Zealand based brand in 2015. Since relocated to New York, Olivia Fleming designs sophisticated mood rings for the modern cool girl as well as necklaces that feature precious and semi-precious conflict-free stones. The brand is committed to sustainability and produces each piece by hand in Brooklyn using recycled 14K gold and sterling silver.