Crossover jewelry combines vintage charm with fine jewels
Collection, which is ‘striking, youthful and energetically disruptive,’ is centred around ’70s-inspired rainbow of enameled steel chains
I’m not all that enticed by superserious jewelry. Maybe if I had the bank balance of a 21st-century oligarch, or ever had the occasion to be somewhere where 21st century oligarchs frolic in jewels and couture, I might feel otherwise. But there is something sort of humourless, even, dare I say, lacking in true style, about those honking sparklers that leaves me perfectly content to accessorize with good costume, fabulous ethnic finds and vintage.
Plus, the hunt for cool, cheap stuff is always bound to be more amusing than just strolling into Harry Winston and dropping a fat wad of cash on the real thing — no matter how much fun money laundering might be to those who practice it.
Where I start to waver, however, is in this wonderful new crossover area, wherein fine jewellers are embracing the offhand charm and whimsy of a personal collection of talismans that have the look and feel of . . . good costume, fabulous ethnic finds and vintage.
Consider the new DY Bel Aire collec- tion by renowned designer David Yurman.
As described by Yurman’s press materials, the DY Bel Aire collection is “striking, youthful and energetically disruptive.”
Whether or not it truly qualifies as a disruption of the entire fine jewelry industry, it’s so fresh and wonderfully unserious that Yurman has me giving it a serious second look.
Featuring 14K gold and semi-precious stones, this style will set you back a little bit more than the “Deals under $10” rack at the flea market
Centred around a ’70s-inspired rainbow of enamelled steel chains that are linked in a box style similar to lanyards — or those bracelets kids make at summer camp from boondoggle and old gum wrappers — the DY Bel Aire line is admirably modern. The multi-hued and multitasking chains are designed to be worn in as many ways as you can come up with — as necklaces, wrapped bracelets, in pairs, or, if you’ve got the budget, layered in colourful groupings.
Each chain comes with its own small “DY” signature charm, but you can customize your signature look with the addition of one of the collection’s beach-inspired, witchy talismans: a branch of “coral,” a mystical tusk or evil eye, or a vintage-looking, bezel-set dangling jewel that can be tossed into the pirate’s treasure-themed mix.
Such style in 14K gold and semiprecious stones is going to set you back a little bit more than the “Deals under $10” rack at the flea market, and yet, another thing that’s unconventional about the collection is that it’s priced somewhere inbetween cheap-and-cheerful and oligarch level: the enamelled steel chains start at $850, and the silver amulets at $400.
My own preference if I was in for a splurge would be for the rose gold chain and the little coral branch of black onyx, although almost every item in the line is so tempting, I might find it hard to stop at just one.
And even though it qualifies as “good” jewelry, I imagine I would wear it everywhere, layered over top of all the other fun and unserious pieces that I already own.
( At Holt Renfrew, and online at davidyurman.com)