Piece of the Week: Jade Trau’s ‘Ladybird’ Charm
From the brand’s latest collection of lucky charms, the ladybird is seen as a bearer of good fortune and a ward against negative energy.

Ladybirds, also known as ladybugs, are often viewed as bearers of good fortune with the ability to ward off negative energy.
That is why receiving a visit from a ladybug is considered special and designer Jade Trau tends to have them pop up at just the right moments in her life.
“When my dad passed away this summer, they seemed to surround me. They landed on me while I was sitting on the beach. I kept finding the same red one with two spots in my bathroom … or at least I told myself it was the same one,” said Trau, the founder and designer of her eponymous brand.
She said she chose the British English name of the bug in honor of her father, who was born and raised in Liverpool.
“In my grieving, and even now, I’m convinced it was my dad’s spirit surrounding me. I told my sister about it and the next day, she sent me a picture of a ladybird who landed on her while she was lying in bed.”
Ladybugs have become one of Trau’s lucky symbols, so it was necessary for her to include them as one of her eight newly released large-scale charms.
The “Ladybird” charm features an 18-karat yellow gold head and wings that cover a body of pavé-set diamonds totaling 0.97 carats.
Its pavé body is Trau’s “Frankie” design, which debuted at Couture last year, featuring graduating round, pear, and marquise-cut diamonds.
“Ladybird” and the seven other new charms mix contemporary design elements like the “Frankie” with cross-cultural symbols that have provided positivity and good luck to generations, said the brand.
The other charms in the collection include a horseshoe, four-leaf clover, scarab, elephant with tusks up, heart, hamsa, and star, all in 18-karat yellow gold with diamonds.
The “Ladybird” charm retails for $10,100.
It launched to retailers at the Melee show in New York City on Saturday and will be available soon on the Jade Trau website.
The Latest

The new watch commemorates Pokémon’s 30th anniversary.

The luxury retailer is now called Exemplar Luxury Group.

The new line is included in the e-tailer’s curation of jewelry celebrating America’s 250th anniversary.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

All active members who earned their credential or designation before Dec. 1, 2025, are required to recertify.


Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry is celebrating 30 years in the Ridgeland, Mississippi community.

Sean Milliner has joined the company.

DCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.

Classes will begin in August at GIA’s new Canary Wharf location.

A ring set with “hogback” diamonds, an early stone cut dating to around the 16th century, sold for more than $20,000 at a U.K. auction.

The rainbow version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, features angel-cut, octahedral lab-grown sapphires designed to be worn as armor.

The new initiative donates a portion of the proceeds from select charms to charitable causes.

The Brooklyn-based jeweler created a limited-edition version of its “Aura” eternity band, set with gemstones in the team’s colors.

Dallow will lead the International Colored Gemstone Association, effective July 6.

Senior Editor Lenore Fedow headed to Savannah to learn more about the 10-year, $10 million partnership between JM and the art school.

Its new capsule jewelry collection features gold-finished stainless steel pieces designed for a maximalist look without a luxury price tag.

The week-long event in Geneva is slated for April 2027.

The three industry leaders bring financial, communications, and legal expertise to the nonprofit’s board of directors.

Jewelers are missing out by not offering this one key add-on at the online point of sale, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

The fourth collaborative collection from the retailer and jewelry content creator focuses on gemstone charms and strands of colorful beads.

This year’s AGTA Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards will feature two new categories.

The collection features traceable alexandrite from Brazil in calibrated sizes that is sorted by grade.

Dhaval Raja has been appointed to the role.

The capsule collection looks to vintage trunk pins that echo the spirit of speed, freedom, and the mythology of the American road trip.

SSEF issued a notice about the potential new source of the sought-after gemstone, citing “credible reports” from trade sources.

As Amazon Prime Day kicks off, Etsy is encouraging shoppers to support small businesses.

Cole Winward is the recipient of 2026 AGA Gemological Scholarship.
























