IndependentsOct 14, 2025
Retailer Hall of Fame 2025: Tom DixonAs chairman of Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers, Tom Dixon has been tasked with honoring the past and shaping the future of the family-run store.
TrendsApr 11, 2019
Jewelry Brand to Know: Kendra Pariseault
The RISD graduate’s collection depicts soundwaves in gold.
Don’t be fooled by the colors; next to pink sapphires, this cuff takes on a rosy hue, but it is 14-karat yellow gold. The materials, chosen specifically for their complementary tones, feature in Kendra Pariseault’s debut fine jewelry collection. (Photo by Alain Simić)
New York—It isn’t often that a new jewelry designer comes out of the gate declaring her love for a particular gemstone, but a peek at Kendra Pariseault’s debut collection leaves no doubt of her allegiance to pink sapphires.
“My engagement ring is a pink sapphire, so it’s a very personal stone for me,” Pariseault said.
The New York City-based designer noted that in general, “I wouldn’t consider myself a super-pink girl,” instead favoring black and gray in her wardrobe. For jewelry, though, she makes an exception.
“I’ve always loved color in my jewelry, and the shade of these hot pink sapphires is like candy; you almost want to eat them.”
The designer discovered her love of colored gemstones at David Yurman, where she went to work during the 2008 recession after having worked in the fabrics department at Calvin Klein.
“There was something about jewelry that felt more exciting than apparel did for me. I loved how, when you see a gorgeous stone, it really speaks to you in a certain way,” she said.
She left David Yurman to pursue a master of fine arts in jewelry and metalsmithing at the esteemed Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where the program “taught me and trained me how to think about concepts and bring those concepts to reality.”
The concept that Pariseault explores in her first collection is sound as a memory marker of important life events.
The designer recalls how the sound of the ocean in her native Rhode Island, where she still spends her summers, functions almost as a personal soundtrack to her own life.
Likewise, moments like hearing her son’s heartbeat for the first time when she was pregnant or the sound of a deceased relative’s voice captured in a saved voicemail on a cell phone are intense memory triggers.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Ashley Davis (@ashleylikesgems) on Mar 2, 2019 at 9:44am PST
From this idea, Pariseault has crystallized the sound waves of specific words or moments in jewelry, making the visual form of a sound wave permanent courtesy of 14-karat yellow gold, often accented with her beloved pink sapphires.
The specific shade of the 14-karat yellow gold alloy the designer uses was chosen for the way it complements, rather than competes with, the color of the sapphires.
wave bracelet in 14-karat yellow gold with diamonds (Photo by Alain Simić)
Pieces from her debut collection, which also incorporate diamonds and a few other gems and metals, will be available on Moda Operandi this spring, retailing mostlybetween $5,000 and $50,000.
Pariseault also creates custom sound wave bracelets, using a spoken word or sound of the client’s choosing to create a wholly personal and sentimental talisman.
Expect a second collection—a continuation of her sound wave concept—this summer.
More on Trends
The Latest
Events & AwardsOct 14, 2025
Here Are the Winners of the BIJC, JA ‘Emerging Jewelers’ Grant Katty Villapando Lyte and Mica Rencher received a $10,000 grant for their business, Shimmer Culture LLC.
IndependentsOct 14, 2025
Day’s Jewelers Crafts Custom Jewelry for No.1 NBA Draft Pick Cooper FlaggThe parents of the Dallas Mavericks rookie bought their engagement ring at a Day’s store in Bangor, Maine, in 1997.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
SourcingOct 14, 2025
Pragnell Debuts Kitulo Garnet Jewelry The UK-based brand sourced the gemstones, which are fully traceable, from an artisanal mining community in Tanzania.
Weekly QuizOct 09, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsOct 10, 2025
Count Down to the Holidays With Astrid & Miyu’s Advent CalendarsThe trio of Advent calendars include a version with 18-karat gold and lab-grown diamond jewelry in a red lacquer jewelry box.
CollectionsOct 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.
Brought to you by
JA New York Fall Is Right Around the CornerThe upcoming show provides savvy retailers with the opportunity to stock their cases with best sellers in advance of the holiday season.
MajorsOct 10, 2025
Frederick Goldman Names New VP of SalesJewelry industry veteran Alisa Bunger has taken on the role.
SourcingOct 09, 2025
Feriel Zerouki Is Leaving De Beers The company and industry leader’s two-decade tenure with De Beers will come to a close at the end of the month.
AuctionsOct 09, 2025
This Fabergé Egg Could Crack $27M At Auction“The Winter Egg” set the world auction record for a Fabergé piece twice at previous Christie’s sales.
MajorsOct 09, 2025
Sy Kessler Buying Watch Batteries as Silver Hits Record High The company will pay 1.5x silver’s current spot price for each pound of silver oxide batteries submitted.
CollectionsOct 09, 2025
Katkim Launches First Men’s CollectionThe line includes a “Shadow” series crafted exclusively for the new men’s offering and reimagined styles from the brand’s core collections.
SourcingOct 09, 2025
Gemfields’ Mini Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Garners $11MThe rough on offer was recovered from a newer area at the Montepuez mine.
SourcingOct 08, 2025
In ‘Storied Diamond,’ Jared Jewelers Is Emphasizing the Journey The retailer’s new collection of engagement rings and fashion jewelry is set with natural diamonds that are traceable via blockchain.
CollectionsOct 08, 2025
Emily P. Wheeler Shifts Into Neutral for Latest ‘Ombré’ CollectionThe champagne colorway in her newest “Ombré” collection combines white and trendy brown diamonds, a departure from her usual vibrant hues.
CollectionsOct 08, 2025
Tsuba Designs Inspire Monica Rich Kosann’s New CharmsKosann partnered with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, to create a set of necklaces inspired by the artwork on samurai sword handguards.
CrimeOct 07, 2025
Men Who Posed as Utility Workers Found Guilty in Jeweler’s MurderCarlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo face life in prison for the October 2024 murder of 72-year-old Detroit-area jeweler Hussein Murray.
CollectionsOct 07, 2025
Jessica McCormack Looks to Sea Spirits for ‘Tempest’ CollectionThe brand’s first high jewelry collection, “Tempest” plays with movement while calling to mind the folklore of the sea.
SourcingOct 07, 2025
Columbia Gem House Announces ‘Opals for Outback Heroes’ FundraiserProceeds from its jewelry raffle will go to a volunteer-run fire and rescue group in the Lightning Ridge area of New South Wales, Australia.
MajorsOct 07, 2025
Stuller Names Its S.E.R.V.E Stars for 2025Stuller said the recipients embody the company’s core values, which include community participation and personal and professional growth.
WatchesOct 06, 2025
This Fall, Citizen’s Forecast Calls for RainCitizen’s new “Rainell” women’s watch has a raindrop-shaped case and is available with a silver-, gold-, purple-, or green-colored dial.
AuctionsOct 06, 2025
The ‘Rolex That Made Rolex’ Heads to Auction at Sotheby’s The “Mercedes Gleitze Rolex Oyster,” named for the British endurance swimmer who made it famous, will go up for sale next month.
GradingOct 06, 2025
GIA India Names Former De Beers Exec as New Managing DirectorAmit Pratihari was previously the managing director of De Beers India and Forevermark India.
SourcingOct 06, 2025
SoCal 24 Karat Club Integrates Into Diamond Club West CoastMembers of the Jewelers 24 Karat Club of Southern California will gain access to expanded services, resources, and connections, DCWC said.
GradingOct 03, 2025
Grading Lab HRD Antwerp Names New CEODiamond industry banking veteran Paul De Wachter will take on the role in January 2026.
CollectionsOct 02, 2025
Boucheron Debuts Cuffs Crafted With 3D-Printed SandIts “Quantre Sand” capsule was made using a 3D sand printing technique borrowed from the automotive and aeronautics industries.
