It’s Associate Editor Brecken Branstrator’s turn to pick out what she would get her family and friends for the holidays if money were no object. Here are the pieces she’s got in mind.
Just like Senior Editor Hannah Connorton, who published her ideal Christmas gift list on Tuesday, I thought selecting jewelry gifts for friends and family if money was no object was going to be a nearly impossible. Could I really narrow down all the jewelry options in a day to find that one special piece for all of them?
Yet when I finally sat down and started thinking about their personalities and style preferences, I could almost instantly come up with a particular style or idea of what I thought would suit them and go from there.
I love that jewelry has the ability to reflect someone’s character in that way, and I loved the challenge of finding pieces that I thought would suit the most important people in my life. Here’s what I would give them for the holidays if I had my way.
My best friend/roommate and I have pretty similar taste in jewelry, preferring unique pieces and trendier designs, but more than anything she loves Southwest-inspired pieces, especially turquoise. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect turquoise piece for her, especially when I take my yearly trips to the gem shows in Tucson, which is why I chose these Amali earrings featuring turquoise and woven blue diamonds set in 18-karat gold.
My mom shares my affinity for color in all things--that must be where I get it from--so I definitely think she would rock an amazing pair of gemstone earrings. Being that she also is the biggest fan of opal, I chose these black opal, sapphire and diamond earrings in 18-karat gold and black rhodium from Sutra.
I’ve always thought my father was a pretty sharp-dressed man. He loves any chance to don a sports coat and has never been afraid to wear a great colored button-down or dress shirt. I remember him and my brother, who was young at the time, walking into church on Sundays side-by-side sporting matching suspenders. When I was home in North Carolina over Thanksgiving, he had recently discovered Panerai watches and was talking about how much he liked them; I’d love to get the Panerai Luminor 1950 and the Panerai Luminor Base for both him and my brother.
My little sister has a more understated taste in jewelry. She likes streamlined, classic pieces that she can wear again and again
with multiple outfits. I like to see her in long pendants because they go so well with the types of clothing she wears, so something like Tanya Farah’s 18-karat gold large pear-shaped blue sapphire pendant with diamonds would be perfect for her.
My oldest sister always has been a fan of hoops, and there are a lot of great updated options in the market right now that put a spin on the classic shape. But, since she doesn’t do large colored stones that often, I’ve selected instead a pair of earrings that are subtle but still modern and classy. These are Jacquie Aiche’s diamond bezel hoops in 14-karat rose gold.
Brecken Branstratoris the senior editor, gemstones at National Jeweler, covering sourcing, pricing and other developments in the colored stone sector.
