The “Green Flame” necklace features a Saxon-era gilt bronze fitting circa 400-600 AD alongside a 2.99-carat Merelani mint garnet, a 2.30-carat Lighting Ridge black opal, five sugarloaf rhodolite garnet cabochons, and five round teal tourmalines set in 18-karat yellow gold (all pieces are price upon request).
New York—Rebecca Rau, a jewelry designer and fourth-generation art and antique dealer at her family’s M.S. Rau gallery in New Orleans, has officially launched her brand Rebecca Rau Jewels with the debut of her fine jewelry collection “Then & Now.”
The Then & Now collection is comprised of one-of-a-kind pieces that merge ancient cultural artifacts with contemporary gemstones, precious metals, and modern designs.
The artifacts date from 1200 BC to 1880 AD and include Phoenician gold pendants, medieval “Fede” rings, Anglo-Saxon fittings, and 19th century micromosaics.
Each of the pieces are a celebration of human history and craftsmanship that were designed to carry forward the stories of the past while they are worn today, the brand said.
“It’s thrilling to finally introduce these special pieces to the public after slowly dreaming them up and meticulously bringing them to life,” said Rau.
“I am continuously inspired by the creative challenges that come from working with rare historic artifacts—striking a balance between preserving their unique character and crafting jewelry that feels both wearable and unexpected. The collection is a marriage of my passions: history, gemstones, objects, and design.”
The “Green Flame” necklace, seen at top, was built around a Saxon warrior’s bridle mount circa 400 – 600 AD. The artifact speaks of high-status burials and the noble partnership between a horse and its rider in early medieval Britain, said the brand.
The “Charm of the Hexagon” necklace showcases a 23.37-carat hand-carved amethyst circa 4th – 6th century AD with a 1.11-carat no-heat Montana sapphire, hexagonal diamonds, teal color-change garnets, antique baguette diamonds, and a South Sea pearl all set in platinum
The “Charm of the Hexagon” necklace centers on a 1,500-year-old hand-carved Sasanian-period amethyst that displays a starburst motif.
It is complimented by a no-heat Montana sapphire, hexagon-shaped diamonds, teal color-change garnets, antique baguette diamonds, and a South Sea pearl all set in platinum, which, the brand said, is a nod to the dynamic geometry and modern sensibility of Art Deco design.
The “Hand-In-Hand” ring includes a fragment of a Medieval “Fede” ring circa 1400 – 1600 AD, a 0.11-carat old mine-cut diamond and 0.52 carats of green garnet cabochons set in 18-karat yellow gold
The “Hand-In-Hand” ring features a rare medieval single-hand “Fede” ring reimagined and reset in an 18-karat gold band.
Created around 1400 – 1600 AD, the hand-shaped motif made of copper and silver alloy is a symbol of loyalty, trust, and the unbreakable bonds of commitment that sealed vows and love stories throughout medieval Europe, the brand said.
Rebecca Rau Jewels notes that single-hand Fede rings are “exceptionally scarce,” as most medieval examples featured a pair of clasped hands.
In Rau’s reinterpretation, the hand is holding a 0.11-carat bezel-set old mine-cut diamond.
Related stories will be right here …
Rau looked to her family’s gallery—which was founded by her great-grandfather in 1912—when developing her brand. Being raised among centuries-old treasures, she said she developed an eye for design and beauty that is at once academic and instinctive.
She completed her master’s degree at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London and spent years traveling through Europe and Asia to source rare jewels and objets d’art.
The Then and Now collection will be on view as part of NYC Jewelry Week at the Jill Newhouse Gallery on 4 East 81 Street in New York City.
The exhibition will be open to the public on Friday, Nov. 21, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday. Nov. 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“As a longtime fine art gallery owner, we are committed to exhibitions that connect the historical and the contemporary, combining fresh perspectives with a nod to the past,” said Jill Newhouse, owner of Jill Newhouse Gallery.
“Rebecca Rau’s innovative collection does exactly that. We are pleased to be showing this work alongside our gallery’s important drawings and paintings.”
The collection will be celebrated with a reception on Thursday, Nov. 20, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the gallery, where complimentary beverages and chef-curated bites will be served.
To reserve a free spot at the reception, visit NYC Jewelry Week’s Eventbrite page.
A guided tour of the collection sharing the histories and transformations behind each jewel will also take place at the gallery on Friday, Nov. 21, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
