Jewels of the Deep

San Francisco is home to a community of independent jewelry designers and purveyors founded by women devoted to meaningful adornment

Collection of gold rings with a variety of ocean color stones.

Above Image: Rings like precious sea glass through Métier.

Hayes Valley jewelry boutique Métier (metiersf.com) is beloved for many reasons: its lovingly curated contemporary and one-of-a-kind antique pieces, its atmospheric interiors, and, not least, the warmth and graciousness of its cofounders, Sheri Evans and Trini Papini. Having just reopened in a larger space a block from its original location, Evans and Papini are now able to showcase a broader but still hand-selected array of jewels, including rings in deep-sea hues like (above, l to r) Marian Maurer 18k five-stone Kima rings in blue sapphire ($945) and emerald ($1,870), and Gabriella Kiss 18k and pale emerald ring ($6,400), 18k teal tourmaline ring ($3,400), and 18k aquamarine ring ($850).

In support of Ukraine, Métier’s jewelry partners Marla Aaron and Harwell Godfrey are donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of Marla Aaron’s “Take a Seat for Ukraine” chair and Harwell Godfrey’s Malachite Heart Talisman to benefit World Central Kitchen. WCK has set up a series of locations along the Ukraine Poland border to feed and aid refugees.

Gold ring with starfish shape center of diamonds and gold.

For the cofounders of Fiat Lux (fiatluxsf.com), the wife and husband team of Marie McCarthy and Alexei Angelides, philosophy is core to their practice. Fiat lux is Latin for “let there be light,” and the pair are deeply reflective about the symbolism, mythology, and history that informs their work. McCarthy and Angelides design and craft their own collection and showcase vintage pieces, engagement jewelry, and global independent designers like Belgian artist Céline d’Aoust, whose 14k and diamond North Star ring ($760) evokes the mariner’s guiding light.

Gold ring with collection of diamonds and opal.

Jeweler Lauren Wolf helped redefine the independent jewelry landscape when she debuted her Oakland space Esqueleto in 2011. Alongside her own work, Wolf showcased contemporary independent designers who spoke to a new generation seeking sophisticated but edgy pieces. California artwork and handcrafted objects for the home—from Len Carella tableware to Heather Levine wall hangings—also added soul to the space. Now with five shops across the country (the original Oakland boutique, two in L.A., and locations in New York and San Diego), Wolf is conjuring that fiercely elegant energy on both coasts. Anemone opal cluster ring by Kimberlin Brown ($3,215).

Gold earrings and necklace with deep blue and gold flecked stones.

In 2020, jeweler Pippa Small opened her petite namesake shop at Marin Country Mart, her third boutique after L.A. and her original space in her native London. Focusing on ethically-produced adornments, Small works with communities in Central and South America, Southern Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to preserve indigenous craft traditions, and notes that in the “very disrupted world we live in…things hold a lot of power and meaning.” (Above, l to r) 18k opal single-drop earrings ($850) and 18k lapis large single-drop necklace ($3,020).

Gold ring with inset blue stones, diamonds and center deep purple teardrop shaped stone in gold design.

San Francisco’s Lauren Harwell Godfrey creates spectacular, talismanic pieces for her namesake house that are “designed with healing energy in mind.” The Cleo’s Party ring mesmerizes with lapis lazuli—a stone the ancient Egyptians regarded as evocative of the Nile. Harwell Godfrey’s pieces are worn by the likes of Kamala Harris, Cynthia Erivo, and Thandiwe Newton, and have been featured in Vogue and Vanity Fair. 18k diamond, lapis, and tanzanite ring ($5,500). Available through Métier.

Jewels of the Deep

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