Meet 3 High-Jewelry Designers Shaking Up the Craft

Vram Minassian. Photo: Courtesy of VRAM Inc

1. VRAM

After three decades working behind the scenes for major jewelry brands, the Los Angeles–based Vram Minassian is now causing a stir with his wildly expressive sculptural pieces.

Inspiration: Constantin Brancusi, Henry Moore, and midcentury-modern Californian design. “It’s all about the form. I am working in gold and silver, but sometimes I think, This could be amazing in five-foot-tall wood!”

Big break: The Echo ring, crafted in recycled 18K yellow gold and sterling silver with green demantoid garnets and diamonds, won Best in Debuting at this year’s Las Vegas Couture Show.

Fans: Halle Berry, Hilary Swank.

Vram Chrona Necklace. Photo: Courtesy of VRAM Inc

Vram’s Echo ring. Photo: Courtesy of VRAM Inc

Lauren Adriana. Photo: Alun Callender

2. Lauren Adriana

The graduate of Central Saint Martins in London produces no more than 30 one-of-a-kind pieces per year.

Signature style: A luscious use of color and rare precious stones—think Ethiopian opals, tanzanite, and sapphires—in a futuristic style.

Inspiration: “I’ve been looking at the American Color Field movement of the 1950s, but I also enjoy playing with nostalgia—it could be Slinkys to the memory of the lights on a Ferris wheel at night.”

Big break: Earlier this year, Phillips hosted Adriana’s first major solo exhibition, “Jewels Now,” with 50 pieces showcased at its London and New York locations. 

Process: For every piece she works on, Adriana paints a complete to-scale illustration in watercolor. “It is a very time-consuming process, but it helps to strengthen the ideas behind the jewel.”

Recommended: Galerie Hosts a Private Viewing of The Metropolitan Museum’s Blockbuster Jewelry Exhibition

Adriana’s Emerald Slinky Cuff. Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Adriana

XO Cuffs by Lauren Adriana. Photo: Courtesy of Lauren Adriana

Fernando Jorge. Photo: Mariana Bassani

3. Fernando Jorge

Known for his effortless, sensual style, the London-based talent uses brilliant gemstones and minerals from his native Brazil and imbues them with bold energy and movement.

Signature style: “My designs have a continuity like the body itself—they ebb and flow in size or movement, which is what makes them recognizable.”

Inspiration: Brazil’s unique history of design. “I’m inspired by the curvy and sensual lines by architect Oscar Niemeyer and the playful volumes of the works of artists Tunga and Ernesto Neto, as well as the furniture designer Sergio Rodrigues.”

Latest collection: Surround, an unexpected combination of materials such as diamonds with tagua nut or mother-of-pearl.

Fans: Saoirse Ronan, Reese Witherspoon, Tracee Ellis Ross.

Jorge’s Stream Drop Earrings. Photo: Courtesy of Fernando Jorge

Satellite earrings. Photo: Mariana Bassani

A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2018 Fall Issue under the headline Rock Stars. Subscribe to the magazine.