CollectionsApr 29, 2022
Piece of the Week: Karma El Khalil’s ‘Nebula’ EarringsCollectionsMay 11, 2022
Karma El Khalil Has a Luminous New Fine Jewelry Collection
Filled with custom-cut gemstones, it’s inspired by the moon.
The “Aquamarine Diamond Crest Ring” featuring an aquamarine and diamonds in 18-karat yellow gold ($21,000) is part of Karma El Khalil’s latest collection.
New York—Like a lot of designers, pandemic lockdown had a major impact on Karma El Khalil’s creative process.
The world’s collective pause led to contemplation of the bigger picture.
“My sleepless nights were met by a view of the moon traversing the muted New York skyline as the still hours passed by,” she said.
“At a time of great isolation, I found much comfort in the fact that this celestial body connects every being on our planet, and as such reminded me of something we too often tend to forget—our oneness.”
El Khalil began dreaming up her latest collection, “Conversations with the Moon,” but she didn’t begin work on it straightaway.
Her atelier in her family's native Lebanon was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, and El Khalil took the opportunity to put her energy into various charitable initiatives.
After the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, in August 2020 that killed more than 200 people and devastated the city, she organized a fundraiser alongside fellow artists and creatives with ties to the country.
“The hiatus was important,” she said in reflection. “It was a time for being present with others in the face of adversity and also with oneself in the face of uncertainty.”
The world’s collective pause led to contemplation of the bigger picture.
“My sleepless nights were met by a view of the moon traversing the muted New York skyline as the still hours passed by,” she said.
“At a time of great isolation, I found much comfort in the fact that this celestial body connects every being on our planet, and as such reminded me of something we too often tend to forget—our oneness.”
El Khalil began dreaming up her latest collection, “Conversations with the Moon,” but she didn’t begin work on it straightaway.
Her atelier in her family's native Lebanon was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, and El Khalil took the opportunity to put her energy into various charitable initiatives.
After the massive explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, in August 2020 that killed more than 200 people and devastated the city, she organized a fundraiser alongside fellow artists and creatives with ties to the country.
“The hiatus was important,” she said in reflection. “It was a time for being present with others in the face of adversity and also with oneself in the face of uncertainty.”
“Dew Earrings” with 40.22 carats of apatite in 18-karat white gold with diamonds ($15,000)
“Canyon Ring” with 8.99-carat morganite in 18-karat white gold with diamonds ($13,000)
“Teardrop Earrings” with 16.7 carats of morganite in 18-karat rose gold ($6,000)
“Dew Pendant” with 8.05 carats of apatite in 18-karat gold with diamonds ($6,800)
“Hexagon” earrings with moonstone, chalcedony, and diamond in 18-karat white gold ($8,800)
“Raw Opal Pendant” with opal in 18-karat yellow gold ($2,800)
“Jade Ice Earrings” in 18-karat white gold with 69.51 carats of jade and diamonds ($4,700)
“Spring Moonlight Earrings” in 18-karat white gold with tourmaline and apatite ($12,000)
“Raw Dioptaste Ring” with dioptase in 18-karat yellow gold ($4,300)
As restrictions waned in El Khalil’s New York City, she began forming “Conversations with the Moon” into a tangible reality.
She calls it the “culmination” of the unpredictable last two years, filled with “love and inspiration I gathered along the way.”
The collection is at turns ethereal, edgy, and celebratory. Geometric shapes and sharp angles are signature El Khalil, while chandelier earrings are an exuberant and festive addition to the designer’s key motifs.
If cocktail-ready jewels are representative of returning to one’s life, then simplistic pendants and rings showcasing rough gemstone specimens like dioptase, spinel, and opal are representative of turning inward and connecting with one’s universal essence, just as El Khalil did at the beginning of the pandemic.
“Conversations with the Moon” is a collection centered on exquisite gemstones, which El Khalil chose to mirror “the moon’s colors, textures, and luminosity.”
It stars apatite, which El Khalil described as the moon’s reflection on water in the night; morganite, a reference to the color of rare “pink moons;” chalcedony, similar to the dark side of the moon; matte gray jade, similar to the moon’s surface in shadow; tourmaline akin to “moonlight mirroring off New York’s glass buildings;” and topaz faceted to represent the moon when it is at its most brilliant and bright.
The “Topaz Crest Ring” was a particular design feat in the collection.
El Khalil designed the stone’s cut to optimize its light reflection, she explained. It is faceted to have two major planes, “mimicking a flat briolette.” The facets are long and diamond-shaped, and the stone is set in rose gold, without prongs.
“Topaz Crest Ring” with a 30.96-carat topaz and diamonds in 18-karat rose gold ($17,000)
“The idea was for the topaz, representative of the moonlight, to float above the diamonds in the way that the moonlight reflects off and illuminates the sea crest. The gold was meticulously and skillfully carved out by hand to create this effect.”
Pieces are set in repurposed 18-karat gold with diamond accents throughout.
“Conversations with the Moon” is newly launched at Moda Operandi, Roseark, and June Simmons.
The collection retails for $1,200-$21,000.
More on Collections
The Latest
IndependentsDec 07, 2022
How Daniel’s Jewelers Has Lasted 70+ Holiday SeasonsIn a Q&A, CEO David Sherwood shares some company history, the secret to success during the busiest time of year, and more.
TrendsDec 07, 2022
Amanda’s Style File: December BluesJewelers of America’s Amanda Gizzi spotlights her favorite turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon December birthstone jewelry.
IndependentsDec 07, 2022
The Radiance Lands at Marissa CollectionsThe retailer is now selling the 13 diamond jewelry capsule collections created by BIPOC designers on its website.
Brought to you by
How To Buy Colored GemstonesGive your customers the full gemstone buying experience by using the 6C's.
AuctionsDec 07, 2022
Christie’s Magnificent Jewels Auction Totals Nearly $59M in New YorkAfter a 13-carat pink diamond was pulled ahead of the sale, blue and colorless diamonds reigned supreme.
Weekly QuizDec 01, 2022
This Week’s QuizTest your knowledge of the latest jewelry news with this quick test.
FinancialsDec 06, 2022
Signet Anticipates Solid Holiday Season, Raises GuidanceThe jewelry giant posted a decline in same-store sales in the third quarter but is gearing up for a season of growth.
TrendsDec 06, 2022
Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year Is A Lot Like Rubellite, Spinel, Ruby“Viva Magenta” easily finds its colored gemstone counterparts.
Brought to you by
Knowledge and Skills for Today’s Hot TopicsFrom laboratory-grown diamonds to design to country-of-origin, GIA's Alumni Collective™ has a seminar to suite your needs.
AuctionsDec 06, 2022
Jewels from the Sunken ‘Ship of Gold’ Smash Auction EstimatesHolabird Western Americana Collections offered hundreds of treasures recovered from the S.S. Central America in its Dec. 3 sale.
ColumnistsDec 06, 2022
The Smart Lab: 6 Holiday Email Marketing Strategies To Boost SalesFrom creating catchy subject lines to retargeting abandoned carts, Emmanuel Raheb has a half-dozen pieces of email marketing advice.
IndependentsDec 06, 2022
CD Peacock Names VP of Client Engagement, ExperienceQi Holtzman is a member of the second generation to run the family-owned Chicago area jeweler.
IndependentsDec 05, 2022
Holocaust Survivor and Jeffrey Mann Jewelers Matriarch Rena Mann Dies Mann, who opened the Ohio jewelry store with her husband and son in 1984, was 95.
TechnologyDec 05, 2022
Timex Ticks into the Metaverse with Bored Ape Yacht ClubThe watch brand will create 500 custom timepieces for holders of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs.
EditorsDec 05, 2022
Meet Jewelry’s First TikTok StarWhen it comes to translating luxury into the social media platform’s approachable style, JewelsWithJules has cracked the code.
Events & AwardsDec 05, 2022
WJA Foundation Awards Nearly $60K in Scholarships for 2022-2023Scholarship winners received awards in six different categories.
SourcingDec 02, 2022
Alrosa CEO Sergey Ivanov to Step Down, Report SaysAccording to Russian news sources, the sanctioned head of the diamond company is leaving to take a job with an investment group.
SourcingDec 02, 2022
Lucapa Sells 170-Carat Pink Diamond Unearthed This SummerSaid to be the largest pink diamond found in hundreds of years, “The Lulo Rose” was sold for an undisclosed sum.
AuctionsDec 02, 2022
Here’s How 2 Royal Jewels Performed at Auction in DenmarkA princess’s tiara fell within its pre-sale estimate while an Art Deco bracelet from a queen doubled it.
Supplier BulletinDec 01, 2022
Take Your Jewelry Design Process Digital with the GIA Alumni Collective™Sponsored by GIA Alumni Collective™
WatchesDec 01, 2022
Rolex to Certify Pre-Owned WatchesRetailers within its official distribution network will be able to sell the authenticated timepieces.
AuctionsDec 01, 2022
13-Carat Pink Diamond Withdrawn From Christie’s Auction The auction house is not offering any details on why the fancy vivid pink stone was pulled from its upcoming “Magnificent Jewels” sale.
SourcingDec 01, 2022
Nomad’s Is Selling Its Stones to Raise Money for Ukraine AgainIn the spirit of an advent calendar, “Gems to Help Ukraine” will sell a stone a day through Dec. 24 on the Nomad’s Instagram account.
GradingDec 01, 2022
PhotoScribe Granted Patent for Method that Verifies a Stone’s IdentificationThe secure mark combines an overt mark with a covert data set to provide assurance on a gem.
SurveysNov 30, 2022
5 Things Retailers Should Know About the Start to the Holiday SeasonPlus, what a potential rail strike would mean for retailers.
WatchesNov 30, 2022
Watchfinder & Co. Will Launch a Marketplace Next Year It will provide a place for select luxury watch retailers to sell their stock.
MajorsNov 30, 2022
Pomellato Buys Into Italian GoldsmithThe brand has purchased a minority stake in Costanzo & Rizzetto.
SourcingNov 30, 2022
Firestone Restarts Operations of Lesotho Diamond MineLiqhobong has been in a care-and-maintenance period since the start of the pandemic.
