Okay, so you didn’t exactly finish your holiday shopping on Cyber Monday. Perhaps you haven’t even started yet! To help you get in the mood, here are five original jewelry gifts, priced at $150 and under. We’ll bring you more in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, happy shopping!
For the Literary Type: Love Conquers All Cuff, $110
This sterling silver bracelet is inspired by a ring in the British Museum and is engraved with the Latin phrase “Amor vincit omnia” (love conquers all), attributed to the Roman poet Virgil in 38 BCE. Suitable for men or women, the cuff would make a wonderful declaration of your love this holiday season. Available at The New York Review of Books online store, shop.nybooks.com.
For the Dog Lover: Estée Lauder Bejeweled Compact, $150
Popular jewelry designer and storyteller Monica Rich Kosann has created a gorgeous collection of compacts exclusively for Estée Lauder. This one celebrates The Year of the Dog (2018) on the lunar calendar. (Look for more Year of the Dog jewelry in February, when OBJ celebrates Chinese New Year.)
Beautifully designed and crafted, this one-of-a-kind compact comes filled with Estée Lauder Perfecting Pressed Powder. It is wrapped in an elegant presentation box and includes a velvety pouch to keep it safe in your handbag. Refillable. Available at Macys.com and better department stores.
Right: Kenneth Jay Lane photo courtesy of kennethjaylane.com
For the Collector: Kenneth Jay Lane: Faking It, Hardcover Coffee Table Book, $15
Earlier this year we lost the world’s most beloved and successful designer of costume jewelry, Kenneth Jay Lane. In Kenneth Jay Lane: Faking It, the designer chronicles, in his own words, his remarkable career and star-studded life.
Starting in the early 1960s as a shoe designer for Christian Dior, KJL soon transitioned to designing jewelry for Hattie Carnegie. There he learned that knowing celebrities was the best way to build a career, and in time his costume pieces would be worn by the likes of Diana Vreeland, the Duchess of Windsor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Audrey Hepburn and Claudette Colbert.
More than 300 Kenneth Jay Lane designs are currently available on 1stdibs.com, some at very affordable price points. Click here to see them, ranked lowest to highest price, and consider giving a highly-collectible KJL piece along with our featured coffee table book.
We love this KJL Amethyst and Yellow Enamel Ring for $145, at 1stdibs.com. Kenneth Jay Lane: Faking It is available at Amazon.com.
For the Boho Girl: Bead and Tassel Earrings, $12.99
There are hundreds of tassel earrings to choose from this season, but we think this style delivers the most dazzle for your dollar. Available in six colors, they’re made of plastic and polyester, lightweight on the ears and flattering to the face.
At this price you can afford one or more colors for yourself…as well as stocking stuffers for all your loved ones and BFFs. At H&M stores and hm.com.
OBJ Jewelry Cleaning Tip
When you’re giving jewelry this holiday season, do what the editors of OBJ love to do. Slip the appropriate jewelry cleaning product into your gift bag, so your giftee can keep the piece sparkling all year.
For sterling silver we recommend Connoisseurs Dazzle Drops Silver Jewelry Cleaner, the only one that cleans, polishes and protects from tarnish buildup.
And for the travelers on your list, try Connoisseurs Jewelry Wipes, the disposable wipes that shine in a flash!.
