Amarilo
Known for the minimalist lines and architectural angles that make up her delicate, modern jewelry, Los Angeles-based designer Ali Heiss' Amarilo is the stuff stacking dreams are made of. Our favorite pieces include the newly minted Bardot Anklet (so 90s, so good) and the staple (sorry) Staple Post Earrings. Give Amarilo's affordable(!), clean feed a follow for styling inspiration and the first word on sales. You won't regret it.
Image: @amarilo
Jennie Kwon
Los Angeles native Jennie Kwon's delicate, balanced pieces "reflect the art, natural beauty and style that surrounds her daily." Understated yet breathtaking, her pieces have us rethinking our current go-to earpiece assortment.
Image: @jenniekwondesigns
Martine Ali
Featured in the pages of Teen Vogue, Interview and Nylon (among others), Martine Ali got her start in fashion at DKNY, where her colleagues' interest in her (self-made) intriguing necklaces and wrist candy eventually landed her the job of creating custom jewelry for the DKNY runway. Ali describes her pieces as "hard and edgy, but sometimes soft and tongue-in-cheek" and "always sophisticated." Unfortunately, she's one of those gifted indie artists whose work is so good that it's been ripped off by large retailers. With her unique eye and a client list that includes Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga, however, we're sure she'll come out on top.
Image: @martineali
Mociun
As far as Instagram goes, Brooklyn-based Mociun is basically the Selena Gomez of jewelry retailers. Read: It's probably already made several appearances on your feed. A contributing factor in Mociun's success is its devotion to sustainable fashion — many of its pieces are made using scrap metal and antique diamonds and gemstones. It also doesn't hurt that the results are fabulous.
Image: @mociun
New Top Jewelry
Hailed as a "haven for downtown It girls" by Vogue, for New York natives, Chinatown's New Top Jewelry is the place to go for custom ID bracelets, nameplate necklaces, signet rings and charms. Shopkeeper Jane Shuai showcases the outpost's freshest pieces on her Instagram @janes8103, which one of her social media-savvy, heavily tatted model regulars created for her, naturally. Even if you don't live in New York, the feed is a veritable mine of inspiration. Source it when you hit up your local dealer.
Image: @janes8103
Erica Weiner
Meet Erica Weiner and her friend Lindsay, queens of the throwback. Whether it's a spot-on Deco embellishment, an early Victorian cut or Edwardian detailing you seek, the designers have got you covered. The jewelry mavens' downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn storefronts brim with pieces both vintage and vintage-inspired. While you'll have a hard time distinguishing between the two, each piece is so brilliant that where it came from is really a nonissue.
Image: @ericaweiner
J. Hannah
Are you one of those people who eats, sleeps, showers and breathes in their accessories? If so, this one's for you. "I believe jewelry should be designed to make you feel connected to it. So I aspire to create jewelry for how it should be worn, never taken off," says Los Angeles-based jewelry designer Jess Hannah. Her eponymous line of delicate, timeless, customizable pieces really does go with everything.
Image: @j.hannah
Vrai & Oro
"Fine jewelry essentials without the retail markups" is a motto we can really get behind. Vrai & Oro is the place to go for high-quality essentials like stacking rings and black diamond infinity bands for a quarter of the price you'd pay anywhere else — and not because there's plating or vermeil involved. The company's Instagram page keeps it equally classy. Stay (true and) gold, Ponyboy.
Image: @vraiandoro
One Six Five
Ohio-based designers Kaleigh Shrigley and Claire Lowe specialize in offbeat classics, like the clever ear jackets and winding rings. In addition to designing One Six Five, the girls also run a lifestyle shop in Columbus that showcases not only their jewelry, but their favorite ceramics, apothecary goods and more.
Image: @onesixfivejewelry
Inez Stodel
Amsterdam-based Inez Stodel and her daughter Leonore van der Waals have amassed a global cult following thanks to their impeccable taste. Their penchant for tracking down rare and wearable antique jewelry (you'll find vintage Cartier and Tiffany & Co. as well as pieces dating back to antiquity among their elegant collection) is the key to their 50-odd years of success in the business of wearable art.
Image: @inezstodel_jewelry
Satomi Kawakita
New York City-based, Japan-bred jewelry designer and diamond setter Satomi Kawakita didn't become a Catbird mainstay by sitting on her hands. Her work combines a unique, organic sense of beauty with impeccable craftsmanship. And P.S. — don't wait for someone to pop the question to treat yourself to one of her drool-worthy hexagon rings.
Image: @satomi_kawakita_jewelry
WWAKE
A former sculptor and performance artist, Wing Yau founded her jewelry line WWAKE back in 2012. Yau's art background is evident in her inventive takes on heirloom jewelry. The light, airy pieces have captured the hearts of celebrities and fashion editors alike. Stay woke — give Yau's opal-filled feed a follow.
Image: @wwake
Amarilo Bardot Anklet, $150 at Amarilo
J. Hannah Signet Bracelet, $310 and up at J. Hannah
Martine Ali 925 Boxer Chain Bracelet, $295 at Martine Ali
Jennie Kwon White Diamond Deco Point Triangle Stud, $300 at Jennie Kwon Designs
Satomi Kawakita Hexagon Sapphire Ring, $585 at Satomi Kawakita
Mociun Peak Band With Single Diamond, $525 at Mociun
We’ll forever hold our aspirational breakfast dates with Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, but when it comes to sprucing up our limbs — and our Instagram feeds — it’s the indie artisans who keep us in gold, chains, gemstones and stacking inspiration. These smaller brands make it easier (and oftentimes more economically feasible) to liven up our wall-mounted manzanita jewelry holders or score antique rings we never would’ve tracked down on our own. Plus, for those in search of a deal, any made-with-love piece will last a heck of a lot longer than the costume jewelry sold at fast-fashion outlets.
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As for finding these up-and-coming talents and fashion set favorites, Instagram is the way to go. A quick look at who the It girls and high-profile editors are following will yield several repeat handles: @mociun, @janes8103, @inezstodel_jewelry, to name just a few. What makes a jewelry company generate organic buzz? Above all, we credit talent, taste and a strong aesthetic — all of which our increasingly ad-heavy, algorithm-ruled feeds could use a little more of. On that note, click through the slideshow above to get the lowdown on 12 follow-worthy jewelry designers and shop a few shining examples of their work.
The post 12 Jewelry Designers That’ll Make Your Instagram Feed Shine Bright Like a Diamond appeared first on theFashionSpot.