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Interior designer Athena Calderone looked to decor from the 1920s and 1930s when crafting her first fine jewelry collection.
Athena Calderone, who is pictured here modeling pieces from her John Hardy collaboration, is an interior designer, lifestyle blogger, podcaster, entrepreneur, and author of two books.
New York—John Hardy has partnered with interior designer and Eyeswoon founder Athena Calderone on a limited-edition capsule collection.
The “Athena Calderone x John Hardy” (AC x JH) collection transforms Calderone’s interior design style into fine jewelry. She worked alongside John Hardy’s designer and creative chairman Reed Krakoff to create each piece.
For Calderone’s jewelry debut, she chose to highlight the interplay of contrasting volumes. The pieces strike a balance between their bold, sculptural shapes and accenting delicate lines of diamonds.
She looked to 1930s decor—which was often practical and simplistic rather than ornamental—as inspiration, pulling forms, finishes, and materials from the Art Deco period.
The textured surfaces seen on the interior of the “AC x JH” cuffs, collar, and ring are a nod to French artists Jean Després and Jean Dunand’s hammered metalwork from the 1930s.
Their size is a callback to the voluminous forms of the 1970s, and the joinery and chain patterns seen throughout the collection are a nod to Art Deco designs.
“If there is one constant source of inspiration in my work, it is the home. It may seem counterintuitive to credit home as the foundation for a jewelry collection, but for me, it is the most natural springboard for ideas—what I know best and where I feel most creative,” said Calderone.
“Designing timeless pieces that make a visual statement while employing discretion was an intentional goal … Across fashion, jewelry, and interiors, my eye is usually drawn to pieces that are subtly bold and under-the-radar all at once. I find that juxtaposition will always leave you engaged.”
The “Athena Calderone x John Hardy” (AC x JH) collection transforms Calderone’s interior design style into fine jewelry. She worked alongside John Hardy’s designer and creative chairman Reed Krakoff to create each piece.
For Calderone’s jewelry debut, she chose to highlight the interplay of contrasting volumes. The pieces strike a balance between their bold, sculptural shapes and accenting delicate lines of diamonds.
She looked to 1930s decor—which was often practical and simplistic rather than ornamental—as inspiration, pulling forms, finishes, and materials from the Art Deco period.
The textured surfaces seen on the interior of the “AC x JH” cuffs, collar, and ring are a nod to French artists Jean Després and Jean Dunand’s hammered metalwork from the 1930s.
Their size is a callback to the voluminous forms of the 1970s, and the joinery and chain patterns seen throughout the collection are a nod to Art Deco designs.
“If there is one constant source of inspiration in my work, it is the home. It may seem counterintuitive to credit home as the foundation for a jewelry collection, but for me, it is the most natural springboard for ideas—what I know best and where I feel most creative,” said Calderone.
“Designing timeless pieces that make a visual statement while employing discretion was an intentional goal … Across fashion, jewelry, and interiors, my eye is usually drawn to pieces that are subtly bold and under-the-radar all at once. I find that juxtaposition will always leave you engaged.”
From top to bottom, the “AC x JH” cuff in sterling silver with 0.06 carats of diamonds ($1,395) and the “AC x JH” collar in sterling silver with 0.37 carats of diamonds ($3,500)
The “AC x JH” choker features a temple stone with 0.11 carats of diamonds set in sterling silver that sits on a silk black cord ($995)
This “AC x JH” lariat is crafted in 14-karat yellow gold with 0.17 carats of pavé diamonds on the toggle closure ($6,200)
From left to right, the “AC x JH” drop earrings with temple stones ($1,895) or rock crystal quartz ($2,300) with sterling silver and 0.30 carats of diamonds
An “AC x JH” necklace in 14-karat yellow gold ($6,000)
AC x JH is comprised of 17 pieces, from drop earrings and collar necklaces to lariats and cuffs.
Many pieces use sterling silver as a reference to framed pewter mirrors from the 1920s, while select pieces are in 14-karat yellow gold.
Reclaimed temple stone is also seen throughout the collection, adding a touch from John Hardy as the material is native to Bali, which is where the brand was founded.
The “AC x JH” chokers feature the brand’s signature black silk rope, rather than metal chains, holding rock crystal quartz, as a nod to the late 1980s.
Krakoff said he chose to work with Calderone for this capsule because of her reach to consumers who are greatly interested in style, fashion, travel, and everything in between.
Aside from founding her lifestyle blog Eyeswoon, Calderone has designed an interior decor collection for Crate & Barrel and rug collections for Beni Rugs.
However, what Calderone is most known for is the interior design of her many homes. She flipped houses in Brooklyn, New York, until landing in her current home in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City in 2023, according to a New York Times profile on the designer.
Calderone also made an appearance at this year’s Gem Awards. She presented the Gem Award for High Jewelry Excellence to Chanel at the annual event last month.
On working with Calderone, Krakoff said, “The process was fluid and highly collaborative, taking our passion for design to the next level to create a collection that is a modern reflection of John Hardy and the brand’s next chapter.”
Krakoff continued that the two both gravitated towards the 1920s and 1930s “in our collaborative efforts to design a collection that would be definitive in the brand’s evolution going forward.”
The Athena Calderone x John Hardy capsule collection retails for $995 to $6,200.
It debuted on April 15 and is available exclusively on the John Hardy website.
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