CollectionsMay 15, 2025
Jessica McCormack’s ‘Fruit Salad’ Collection Is Fresh for SummerCollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into Gold
The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
The eight 14-karat gold rings in “AU79,” a new capsule collection from designer Viviana Langhoff. The collection, which celebrates the significance and history of gold, is slated to have 20 pieces. (Photo courtesy of Viviana Langhoff)
Chicago—Earlier this spring, Viviana Langhoff introduced “AU79,” a capsule collection of chunky gold pieces that takes its name from the symbol (AU) and atomic number for gold.
The collection is a departure for the Chicago-based designer and owner of jewelry store Adornment + Theory in two ways.
First, the design is bolder—or, as she puts it on her website, more “substantial and grounded”—than Langhoff’s usual work, which often employs filigree and negative space for a light, delicate look.
Second, “AU79” goes all in on gold at a time when the high price of the metal has some designers pulling back.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of my contemporaries [and] some designers are hollowing things out, doing 9-carat, 10-karat [gold], using more gemstones and less gold, diving into two-tone,” Langhoff said in an interview with National Jeweler.
She’s not going that route with “AU79,” because it’s not what her clients want.
Related stories will be right here …
The collection is a departure for the Chicago-based designer and owner of jewelry store Adornment + Theory in two ways.
First, the design is bolder—or, as she puts it on her website, more “substantial and grounded”—than Langhoff’s usual work, which often employs filigree and negative space for a light, delicate look.
Second, “AU79” goes all in on gold at a time when the high price of the metal has some designers pulling back.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of my contemporaries [and] some designers are hollowing things out, doing 9-carat, 10-karat [gold], using more gemstones and less gold, diving into two-tone,” Langhoff said in an interview with National Jeweler.
She’s not going that route with “AU79,” because it’s not what her clients want.
Langhoff said she continually has customers asking for thicker, chunkier pieces in gold—a trend in engagement rings this year—set with lab-grown diamonds.
She said there is a lot of chatter on social media about the long-term investment value of gold, which is currently approaching $3,400/ounce.
Adornment + Theory clients, who are mainly millennial and Gen-Z consumers, see these conversations but a lot of them can’t afford a chunky gold band and a natural diamond, so they opt for a lab-grown stone instead, viewing gold as the better investment in the long run.
“They all would rather have real solid gold and lab diamonds,” Langhoff said, though she added that customers can opt to have a natural diamond if they want one.
The “Element 3” ring in the “AU79” collection is 14-karat gold and is seen here with a 1.59-carat lab-grown diamond ($6,100). The metal color and center stone in each “AU79” collection ring are customizable.
The 14-karat gold “Element 1” ring is seen here with a 1.55-carat lab-grown diamond ($4,850). The designer, Viviana Langhoff, makes her jewelry in Chicago, and recently started manufacturing in New York as well.
The “Element 6” ring retails for $5,300.
“AU79” officially was introduced May 2 at a party held at Adornment & Theory, which is located in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, an area known for its arts scene, music venues, and locally owned shops.
Langhoff said while the collection is designed to be 20 pieces in total, she started with rings, making eight different designs priced between about $2,000-$6,000.
On the Adornment + Theory website, the designer explains that the collection is “a testament to gold’s eternal allure—an exploration of its form, function, and meaning.”
“Gold is a story told in metal—a symbol of permanence, transformation, and power. In my latest collection, AU79, I explore the elemental essence of gold itself, embracing its weight, richness, and history,” Langhoff writes, adding that the rings are “meant to be felt as much as they are seen.”
Initially, she made just one of each ring, advertising them for pre-order via social media.
She said every piece sold the weekend they were launched, with initial feedback from customers praising the rings’ design and the engraving.
To coincide with the launch of “AU79,” Langhoff put together a small exhibition on the history and uses of gold. The exhibition will remain up at her store, Adornment + Theory, through the summer.
For the “AU79” launch event, Langhoff had a calligrapher who did live engraving on little jewelry trays.
She also organized what she described as a mini exhibition on gold that walks people through the metal’s history in civilization, as well what goes into the mining and extraction of gold and the tools that are used for processing it into fine jewelry.
The exhibition will be up through the summer at Adornment +Theory.
“People really loved it,” Langhoff said. “Everybody got it.”
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Collections
The Latest
SourcingJul 21, 2026
Anglo Reportedly Selects Gareth Penny’s Consortium as Top Bidder for De BeersA Botswana government official told lawmakers Anglo has selected The Global Diamond Consortium, an entity chaired by Penny, to buy De Beers.
Policies & IssuesJul 20, 2026
Tariffs on Brazil to Increase But Rough Gemstones ExemptThe new tariff, imposed after a Trump administration study, is 25 percent and will stack on top of existing tariffs.
MajorsJul 20, 2026
Krista Collins Walters Promoted to Publisher of InstoreShe will also take on the role of vice president of jewelry for SmartWork Media, a newly created position.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Events & AwardsJul 20, 2026
TJS Accepting Speaker Proposals for 2027 EventOrganizers are looking for presentations on topics like manufacturing, technology and research, bench work, gemstones, and sustainability.
Weekly QuizJul 17, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
U.K. Woman Pays £5 for £15K Diamond Ring at Car Boot SaleA WeBuyVintage jewelry expert uncovered how much the flea market find was actually worth.
SourcingJul 17, 2026
Diamond Dealer Jeff Pancis Pens MemoirThe founder of natural colored diamond wholesaler Pancis Gems shares stories from his five decades in the industry.
Brought to you by
Building the Future of Jewelry Retail: DCA Expands Education, Leadership Development, and Workforce SolutionsDCA is preparing the next generation of professionals by supporting workforce development, leadership growth, and career advancement.
Events & AwardsJul 17, 2026
Gem Awards Opens 2027 Nomination PeriodSubmissions for the milestone 25th annual Gem Awards will be accepted across three categories from now through July 31.
EditorsJul 16, 2026
Q&A: Guzema’s Co-Owners On Its US Expansion, 10-Year AnniversaryValeriya Guzema and Mariana Lenha look back on the last decade and discuss the Ukrainian brand’s first U.S. store.
SourcingJul 16, 2026
Ekati to Close, Leaving Canada With One Diamond Mine The diamond mine, which opened nearly 30 years ago in Canada’s Northwest Territories, is expected to shut down by mid-August.
FinancialsJul 16, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Sales Soar for the Seventh Quarter in a RowJewelry sales for the company, which owns Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Vhernier, and Buccellati, rose 21 percent in the first quarter.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program Certifies First Advanced Apprentice GraduateThe graduate, Grace Barden, credited the program with helping her secure a job as a bench jeweler.
Events & AwardsJul 16, 2026
Jewelers of Louisiana to Host 80th ConventionThe event, scheduled for next month in New Orleans, will include dinner, a custom jewelry design contest, and education sessions.
SourcingJul 15, 2026
1,305-Carat Diamond Recovered from Mine in BotswanaThe yet-to-be named stone is the 10th diamond weighing more than 1,000 carats to come out of Lucara’s Karowe mine.
IndependentsJul 15, 2026
New Jersey Jeweler Barry Berman Dies at 81The founder of Fords Jewelers, Berman is remembered for his love of connecting with his community.
FinancialsJul 15, 2026
Watches of Switzerland’s US Sales Jump 18%, Declines to Comment on Sale Report The watch and jewelry retailer had a strong fiscal year despite what its CEO described as a “complex operating backdrop.”
Events & AwardsJul 15, 2026
Hamptons Jewelry Show to Return in JulyThe open-to-the-public luxury jewelry and timepiece show, in its second year, is slated for July 23-26.
CollectionsJul 15, 2026
Pomellato’s New High Jewelry Is LiberatingBold color, expressive gem-setting, and sculptural form define the three chapters that make up “Stile Libero.”
IndependentsJul 14, 2026
Foundrae Opens First Standalone Store Outside USThe New York-based jewelry brand has expanded overseas, opening a store in London’s Mayfair district.
ColumnistsJul 14, 2026
Sherry Smith: What Today’s Jewelry Consumer Is Telling Us Rising revenue does not automatically mean a healthy business, particularly in the current economic landscape, Smith writes.
TrendsJul 14, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Shoulder Dusters These long, fluid drop earrings are sure to catch the eye.
CrimeJul 14, 2026
Man Charged in $1M Jewelry Store Heist Lands on FBI Most Wanted ListAlberto Perez-Elias is one of four men charged with robbing a Cape Coral, Florida, jewelry store and is the only one still at large.
Events & AwardsJul 14, 2026
Conference on Mining, Sustainability Kicks Off in NYCInitiatives in Art and Culture is hosting its 16th annual Gold and Diamond Conference, with the theme of “Resilience.”
Lab-GrownJul 13, 2026
Stephanie Gottlieb Changes Her Mind on Lab-Grown DiamondsThe designer, who once said she’d never sell lab-grown diamonds, debuted two capsule collections designed to be fun and easy to wear.
SourcingJul 13, 2026
De Beers Announces Potential Layoffs, 2-Year Production Pause at VenetiaThe diamond miner and marketer is undergoing another round of cost-cutting measures ahead of its sale by Anglo American.
Events & AwardsJul 13, 2026
Registration Opens for JIS Fall 2026 ShowThe annual trade-only buying event is slated for Oct. 16-19 in Miami Beach, Florida.
