Essential Jewelry Collective Provides One Stop Shopping at 16 Online Designer Jewelry Stores
Imagine if you could find an IG account with 16 online designer stores from some of the most talented independent, established and emerging jewelers in the market today. How much simpler, alluring and fun it would be to shop while sheltering at home.
Well, designer Samantha Jackson of Heavenly Vices and I brainstormed about how small independent designers were going to stay afloat during the pandemic and in these shaky and uncertain times as well as how you were going to shop for gifts for loved ones while you quarantined. While we were throwing ideas around that could be put into action quickly, one began to take hold.
But before I talk more about the project, an aside: Every now and then I use this forum to promote projects with which I am involved from an insider’s point of view. I have focused on what it was like co-curating the store at MAD (Museum of Art & Design) with 30 up and coming designers and the tours I have given for four years now through seven centuries of jewelry at the Emerald Expo Antique Shows. When I start the story in this way, it’s usually in the context of providing information such as introductions to today’s emerging jewelers or advice and tips on how to shop and collect antique jewelry at a show. I have also been a jewelry journalist for 22 years and have tried to nurture and support budding talent throughout my career. It continues to be a passion of mine to root for small companies to grow, evolve and thrive.
It’s also always exciting to start new ventures and to find new ways for designers to sell and consumers to buy. So back to the regularly scheduled programming.
Samantha Jackson and I recently launched The Essential Jewelry Collective, which offers an eclectic curation of intriguing jewelry that signals the new way we need to shop. EJC has united designers in a collaborative effort to support each other in posts on IG and working together to promote the initiative throughout social media. “We have created a separate page on IG for EJC to post different designer’s collection to drive traffic to each of their websites where they have designated a special space for this gift-giving season: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Graduation (even if the kids don’t get the diploma in person, a celebration – accompanied by a present – is still in order). We also include bridal parties who’ve worked hard on bridal showers and planning. Just because the wedding has been postponed, doesn’t mean the gift has to be.” Samantha explains.
Samantha is solution-oriented. Once we had the goal, she was already putting a plan into action. Prior to her design career launch in 2017, she was a management consultant for almost 20 years, which trained her to develop creative solutions for tactical issues in service of a long-term strategic vision. “That mindset continues to serve me well; once I buy into an idea it is easy for me to formulate a plan to execute,” she explains.
Most importantly these different stores provide options for Mother’s Day, which is fast approaching. Each online shop has direct to consumer shipping – there is no drop shipping. The purchases will ship from each designer to the customer who purchased it or it can be sent in beautiful packaging to a designated recipient.
The designers who joined Essential Jewelry Collective understand that this is an important time of year for showing your loved ones how much you care—especially now when so many people can’t be with their families. Moreover, we see this type of direct to consumer retailing as something that signals the wave of the future.
Samantha explains, “The collective provides a forum where consumers can choose from different looks, offering a variety of gifts at multiple price points – one stop shopping. Many of our designers are contributing proceeds of their sales to organizations impacted by COVID-19 – rather than imposing one cause on all designers, each one can decide what is important to them and impact their local communities – we have designers everywhere from Ojai California to London. All of this gives consumers the opportunity to discover something new, and buy from small businesses who are providing support to their jewelry community as well as the world at large.”
Here are some of the gifts that we recommend for Mother’s Day from the designers of EJC:
From Left to right, top to bottom:
HANNAH G’S champagne and white diamond and gold medallion on ball chain, Borgioni’s ear climbers in 18K white and 18K rose gold with diamonds, Dana Bronfman diamond crown ring with hammered texture, Alberian & Aulde’s ‘lacet’ earrings in blackened silver and yellow gold with white sapphires
From left to right, top to bottom: KATKIM’s pearl hoop earrings, Michelle Fantaci’s chain with enamel heart and gold sphere with baguette diamonds, Talon’s Sagittarius Charm (all zodiacs available), Jade Trau’s creative update on the diamond tennis bracelet
From left to right, top to bottom: Moritz Glik’s 18K gold butterfly with diamond shank, Seal & Scribe’s 18K Gold “In Hope” intaglio necklace, Orly Marcel’s 18K gold lotus earrings with emerald center stones, Karen Karch’s turquoise, gold and diamond horn.
From left to right, top to bottom: Robinson Pelham’s 18K gold and multi sapphire rainbow hoops, Heavenly Vices 14K gold Health & Prosperity ring, Grace Lee’s pearl and wire bracelets, Linda Hoj’s garnet and high karat gold cross with ancient inspired detailing.
