7 Jewelry Brands to Build Your Collection Around

Curation is crucial to the jewelry box, where space is necessarily limited. Of the many, many jewelry brands that have crossed our desks over the years, these are the ones worth every precious square inch of real estate (and the standout pieces we’d love to own from each).

A note to holiday shoppers: While most of these pieces are available to ship right away, some are made to order and may come with lead times. Please check each product page for specifics and plan accordingly.

1Sophie Bille Brahe

Given that Danish designer Sophie Bille Brahe exclusively uses 18-karat yellow gold, diamonds, and freshwater pearls, you might expect her creations to feel somewhat conventional. But whimsical—or delightful, or enchanting—would be a more apt descriptor: You’ll find sparkly ear climbers fashioned out of diamond “flowers,” drop earrings shaped like bows, swirly diamond-studded rings, and asymmetrical strands of pearls that are anything but stodgy.

Photo courtesy of Sophie Bille Brahe

2Catherine Michiels

Both an artist and a Reiki master, Catherine Michiels makes handcrafted gris-gris. Each exquisitely wrought talisman is imbued with symbolic meaning: The Wild 1 pendant represents the balance between mind, heart, and soul. The blooming magnolia necklace stands for strength. And the Padrès cross, designed to hang over the heart chakra, honors the love and knowledge passed down by fathers.

Photo courtesy of Lié Studio

3Lié Studio

While this brand has only been around since 2021, it has quickly become our go-to for sleek pieces that scratch that need-something-new itch. Founders Amalie and Cecilie—who are also twin sisters, models, and founts of minimalist style inspiration—have an eye for what’s chic, be it a hefty bangle or a shiny statement ring.

4Jenna Blake

A self-proclaimed vintage lover, Jenna Blake draws inspiration from all different eras: the 1970s, the Art Deco period, the Victorian age. While the LA-based designer is known for her bold use of color and more-is-more aesthetic, we find ourselves gravitating toward her simpler pieces, like the mini mariner link necklace crafted from 18-karat gold.

5Lizzie Mandler

For dainty pieces with a bit of edge, Lizzie Mandler is your girl. The Los Angeles native seems to have a preternatural sense of what the city’s women want to wear (including the famous ones—she counts Rihanna and Beyoncé as clients), which is: knife-edge huggies, diamond-dotted chains, and slim rings that work well in a stack.

Photo courtesy of Lizzie Mandler

6Sarah Chloe

After a career that included stints at two major diamond houses, Zahava Reismin began her jewelry line—named for her first-born daughter—with a one-of-a-kind bangle bearing her daughter’s name. Personalized pieces soon became her calling card (and our favorite things to gift new moms).

7Tabayer

Modern and minimal, Tabayer designs feel like wearable works of art—which makes sense, given that founder Nigora Tokhtabayeva cites sculptors like Alexander Archipenko, Isamu Noguchi, and Barbara Hepworth as major influences. What’s even cooler is Tokhtabayeva’s commitment to only using ethically sourced materials, like Fairmined gold and diamonds certified by the Kimberly Process.

Photo courtesy of Tabayer