TrendsOct 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kallati’s Pink Sapphire RingCollectionsOct 10, 2025
Piece of the Week: Marla Aaron’s ‘Nymphenburg Lock’
Created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, the lock is part of a four-piece collection that took two years to bring to fruition.
PHOTO 
PHOTO 
PHOTO Earlier this month, designer Marla Aaron debuted a capsule collection of gold and porcelain jewelry created in collaboration with Nymphenburg Porcelain, a project Aaron described as “sort of the biggest thing we’ve ever done.”
Nymphenburg is a German porcelain-maker with a history that stretches back to 1747, when it was created at the behest of Maximilian III Joseph, the duke of Bavaria, in an effort to stimulate the economy through manufacturing.
To this day, the company’s pieces are made by hand using the same techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation for 278 years.
In a post on the brand’s Instagram account, Aaron said she first learned about Nymphenburg Porcelain years before she started her jewelry company.
Around 2001 or 2002, she was invited to an event where someone from Nymphenburg was speaking and was “enchanted” by his talk.
At the end of the event, everyone received a book about Nymphenburg, which Aaron held onto. (The designer, by her own admission, doesn’t throw anything away.)
Years later, after she started her jewelry company, Aaron reached out to Nymphenburg via email to inquire about a possible collaboration, later traveling to the company’s factory outside Munich and meeting with Ingrid Harding, head of product development.
After lunch, while washing some of the company’s plates, Aaron got the idea to create jewelry in Nymphenburg’s Cumberland pattern, a colorful mix of flowers and sweet, garden-friendly insects.
The challenging project, which involved combining 18-karat gold and porcelain, took two years to bring to fruition, but the result is exquisite.
Nymphenburg is a German porcelain-maker with a history that stretches back to 1747, when it was created at the behest of Maximilian III Joseph, the duke of Bavaria, in an effort to stimulate the economy through manufacturing.
To this day, the company’s pieces are made by hand using the same techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation for 278 years.
In a post on the brand’s Instagram account, Aaron said she first learned about Nymphenburg Porcelain years before she started her jewelry company.
Around 2001 or 2002, she was invited to an event where someone from Nymphenburg was speaking and was “enchanted” by his talk.
At the end of the event, everyone received a book about Nymphenburg, which Aaron held onto. (The designer, by her own admission, doesn’t throw anything away.)
Years later, after she started her jewelry company, Aaron reached out to Nymphenburg via email to inquire about a possible collaboration, later traveling to the company’s factory outside Munich and meeting with Ingrid Harding, head of product development.
After lunch, while washing some of the company’s plates, Aaron got the idea to create jewelry in Nymphenburg’s Cumberland pattern, a colorful mix of flowers and sweet, garden-friendly insects.
The challenging project, which involved combining 18-karat gold and porcelain, took two years to bring to fruition, but the result is exquisite.
The pieces in the Marla Aaron x Nymphenburg capsule collection are, from left, the jewelry “depository,” the trundle lock bracelet, earring, and lock, seen here on a Nymphenburg plate in the Cumberland pattern.
A closeup of the “Nymphenburg Lock”
Marla Aaron x Nymphenburg is a capsule collection of four pieces: an earring, a trundle lock bracelet, a porcelain “depository” (jewelry holder), and, of course, the brand’s signature piece—its carabiner-style lock, featured here as our Piece of the Week.
“By turning the Cumberland pattern into jewelry, we are giving it a wider audience because if things are too rarified in this world, they disappear and that was one of my big motivations for this project,” Aaron said in the video.
“So, yeah, sort of the biggest thing we’ve ever done.”
The “Nymphenburg Lock” (price upon request), like the other pieces in the collection, is being sold at Bergdorf Goodman, on the Marla Aaron website, and at the designer’s New York City showroom.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Collections
The Latest
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Weekly QuizAug 07, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
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.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
TrendsAug 07, 2026
Look Ahead with Syna’s Binoculars PendantThe “Star Gazer” pendant, our Piece of the Week, is Syna’s tribute to curiosity and the discovery of something new.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
Claire’s Revamps Piercing Services for Second Time in Three Years The overhaul includes enhanced employee safety training and trendy earring styles, including lab-grown diamond studs.
FinancialsAug 06, 2026
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 6%, Driven by High-Income ShoppersThe retailer said it had its biggest Mother’s Day ever, with strong demand for higher-priced jewelry.
TrendsAug 06, 2026
New Book on Handcrafted American Objects Highlights Jewelry“Handwork: Handcrafted Objects that Made America” features historic and contemporary works, including a Diné squash blossom necklace.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
AJA East Coast Names Ani Khachian as First Female President-ElectThe Armenian Jewelers Association’s East Coast chapter has also elected its 2026–2027 board of directors.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy 100+ JCPenney StoresOnyx Partners has submitted a second offer to buy the department stores after its first offer fell through last year.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Atlanta Jeweler Introduces $10K MartiniSolomon Brothers Jewelers has partnered with local cocktail bar Roaring Social on a new martini garnished with a tennis necklace.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Another Member of the Siegel Family Joins Hamilton Jewelers Benjamin Siegel, son of President and CEO Hank Siegel, started working for the family business this week.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Bulgari Opens Store in San DiegoThe new space features a modern design that blends Bulgari’s Roman heritage with San Diego’s coastal spirit.
CrimeAug 04, 2026
Crew of Thieves Break Into Indiana Jeweler’s HomeFour men were charged in connection with the break-in and accused of stealing $365,000 in cash, jewelry, and designer goods.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Pandora Hires Former Signet Board Member to Lead North American MarketAndré Branch has more than 25 years of experience with various brands, most recently serving as CEO of Ariana Grande’s cosmetics company.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Sasha Primak Acquires GemlokNew York-based atelier Gemlok is best known for creating the innovative “bridge” setting that became popular in the bridal market.
