Bijoux Talks with Becky Stone of ‘Diamonds in the library’
As you all are aware, we at Bijouxpedia love decoding the luxury industry and have decided to come up with an Interview Section of our blog called — ‘Bijoux Talks — Luxury Voices Amplified’ which will invite the big names in the luxury industry so that we, our clients and our audience can understand the luxury market more, learn from their experiences of working in the luxury industry, know about their favorite brands which are setting great examples today and learn from them about their forecasts and suggestions to help brands wanting to succeed in the luxury world.
This interview is a part of ‘Top Jewelry Social Media Influencers Series’ of ‘Bijoux Talks — Luxury Voices Amplified’.
We are so proud to have with us, Becky Stone of ‘Diamonds in the Library’.
She started her blog with a love for both book and jewelry as a Jewelry Social Media influencer in 2015 after being 7 years into the writing industry working for the Federal Government. Since then she has traveled all over the country and the world seeing extraordinary jewelry, visiting some of the finest stores and designers in the world, from New York City to Paris Fashion Week to the legendary industry-only trade shows of Las Vegas jewelry week. She has around 95,000 instagram followers who love what she posts and her engagement with her audience is very friendly and approachable.
She believes that jewelry should be sustainable and created using responsible practices whenever possible. She is an enthusiastic supporter of diversity in the jewelry industry and she has always been interested in ways to support Black & BIPOC creators and showcase brands and stores who feature diverse models in their editorial photography and we are so proud to promote diversity on our platform too with her collaboration.
We would love to thank her for her time and for collaborating with us. We have enjoyed speaking with her and knowing from her, the real deal to succeed in the industry. We have asked her questions which we have gathered from the clients we consult and we are sure, it will help not just our clients, but the jewelry industry worldwide.
How have you been spending your time during the virus?
I’ve been sticking close to home. I’ve always worked from home, so I didn’t have to move my office, but I’ve stopped all travel and in-person store visits. I’m determined to do whatever I can to protect myself and others and help stop the spread of the virus.
I’ve been focusing on doing the things that I love to do that I can do from home: learning, writing, and spending time connecting with the people in my life who I love. It’s so hard to keep a balance between staying informed with the news and feeling overwhelmed by the news. I’ve tried to balance that out with lots of reading, quiet contemplation, and lovely relaxed time sitting on my back porch.
How has Coronavirus affected the jewelry industry according to you?
In times of trouble, people are drawn to jewelry with meaning, pieces that comfort them and help them feel closer to the people they love and the ideas that give them comfort. In 2020, especially since so many people are having financial strain because of the pandemic, jewelry consumers crave a strong connection to jewelry in order to feel like it’s worth the money. Now is a good time to focus on the ideas behind jewelry rather than the designs themselves. People like to know who they’re supporting with their money, in addition to what they’re getting for their money.
Speaking as a consumer myself, the only jewelry I’ve bought this year has been pieces that made me feel a strong emotional connection.
What is your suggestion to brands wanting to grow their business through instagram during the pandemic?
I have two suggestions, one simple and one complicated. Here’s the tricky one first: let your heart show through your social. 2020 has been such a hard year for so many people and it’s not over yet. I’m hearing from more and more people how turned off they are by social media accounts that relentlessly pretend everything is fine and normal and happy and pretty when that’s not genuine. It’ okay to let people know there’s a human behind the brand. Revealing a bit of your own truth on social media is a way to bond even more deeply with your audience, even if your reality is messy or unpolished. Forced perfection is off-putting. People want to know what you care about if they’re going to be interested in caring about you.
The easy suggestion is just this: post consistently.
What are your top 5 emerging jewelry brands or designers people should look out for?
I find this question difficult, because I am drawn to so many different styles of jewelry and taste is so individual. Instead, here are five independent jewelry designers that I’m excited about today:
1. Anna Maccirei Rossi : Maccieri Rossi is a jewelery brand that pays tribute to the concept of time through the savoir faire and expertise of the world of fine watchmaking. The jewels are handmade in Switzerland and Italy and tell an intimate and authentic story. The predominant concept, common thread among the collections, is the theme of Time, which Anna considers the greatest and most precious luxury. The lines are soft, feminine, essential. Timeless. Her professional background includes important projects and collaborations designing for the most prestigious luxury brands, such as Cartier, Jaeger-Le Coultre, Bulgari, Tiffany & Co. and Ferragamo as Senior Watch Manager and Designer.
2. Grainne Morton : Her individuality, and the expression of that — primarily through clothes, style and the considered presentation of [her]self — is engrained in each piece of jewelry she makes. Each piece, carefully choreographed, the arranging and re-arranging of little objects, and precious things, moved and re-placed until they establish a relationship to each other. And tell a story to the viewer. This use of unexpected, and delightfully juxtaposed, materials is where it all started, and over 20 years later, is now firmly her trademark.
Grainne’s work has been exhibited internationally and, in 2007, she was shortlisted for the Jerwood Applied Arts Prize.
3. Octave Jewelry : Octave Jewelry is inspired by the balance between sharp geometry and soft organic form. Her work provides a modern frame for earth’s ancient works of art. Every raw stone tells a story, and she cuts each one by hand to suit its independent character. In sterling silver and gold, she hand-fabricates comfortable, wearable, and bold pieces that bring a sense of elegance to the everyday.
4. Cindy Liebel : Cindy Liebel is jewelry for the individual, the ever-curious woman, man or non-binary who actively engages with the world and thrives on exploration. We strive to empower our customers by making style easy and timeless, offering them a special treat that aligns with their worldview.
5. Hannah Blount : Hannah has been creating jewelry since she was a young child. The daughter of a fisherman and a seamstress, Hannah was raised in the tradition of hand skills, hard work, and dedication. Over the following years she has created a body of work that encompasses an organic and refined aesthetic. She is currently working out of her studio in Brooklyn, NY, and selling her jewelry in various boutiques and galleries across the world.
What is your favorite jewelry piece you own and why?
I could never pick just one favorite! It changes every day and sometimes every hour. Here are two charms I’ve been wearing a lot lately: my “excuse me” love token from Heavenly Vices and a vintage gold switchblade charm from The Eden Collective. The Heavenly Vices charm was cast from an antique love token; a little charm that someone would have had carved into a real coin as a memento for their sweetheart. I have no idea why this particular love token was made to say “excuse me” but I love its attitude and weirdness.
These charms remind me to stand up for myself and to fight for what I believe in, they help give me strength when I’m facing something challenging. They’re my own little talismans.
