Gift Guide

Shop the Hottest Jewelry Trends for The Holidays

Make the jewelry lover on your list happy with these divine designs

There may still be pumpkins and cobwebs out on the street but, judging by the trailers for Christmas movies and pine-scented candles that have begun popping up, the countdown to the holidays is on. Apparently there are six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, so retailers are kicking off the shopping bonanza earlier than ever. Though the pressure to start checking off your list while there are still leaves on the trees is a little unnerving, who wouldn’t welcome an early dose of holiday cheer? To help you get a head start on gifting (or wish-listing), we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite trends to give and receive this holiday season.

BUTTON EARRINGS

This retro style, favored by fashion plates from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Di, is back in a big way. After reaching peak saturation of “ear parties”, where every inch of cartilage was festooned with dainty studs and ear cuffs, clean-lined button earrings make an appealingly minimal palate cleanser. Sleek and sculptural, they add instant oomph to any outfit.

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RETROUVAI 14k gold and turquoise inlay earrings, $5,610

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DAVID WEBB 18k gold, enamel, diamond, and platinum earrings, $26,500

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SARAH HENDLER 18k gold and diamond earrings, $8,925

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MELANIE GEORGACOPOULOS 18k gold and multicolored mother-of-pearl marquetry, $5,215

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BUCCELLATI vintage 18k gold engraved earrings from Simon Teakle, $5,500

HEARTS

Hearts, a uniquely polarizing motif in jewelry, have been dismissed as twee by some cynics. Recently, though, designers have reconsidered the shape and the results are totally saccharine-free. The latest generation of heart jewels trade cutesy for cool, whether oversized in earrings or abstracted in a charm. Ideal for gifting, these pieces offer a welcome — and endlessly wearable — token of positivity.

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IRENE NEUWIRTH one-of-a-kind watermelon tourmaline, diamond, and 18k gold necklace, $13,640

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BRENT NEALE textured 18k gold and multicolored gemstone earrings, $3,400

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NOOR FARES diamond, pink opal, and 18k grey gold pinky ring, $3,540

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JESSICA MCCORMACK ruby and 18k gold ring, $3,900

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BEA BONGIASCA topaz, enamel, and 9k gold charm, $1,100

ANIMALS

Symbolic animals have been a jewelry staple since antiquity but they’re experiencing a particular revival thanks to our current appetite for all things talismanic and spiritual (and, well, animal memes). Whether you go the traditional route, choosing an animal for the traits it historically represents (i.e. butterflies for transformation and hope, deers for strength), or opt for something closer to home (some, like Larkspur & Hawk, will even create a jewel in your own furry friend’s likeness), finely rendered fauna are guaranteed to incite awwws.

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LARKSPUR & HAWK custom animal ring in tourmaline, diamond, and 18k gold, from $6,000

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ARMAN SARKISYAN diamond, 22k gold and silver deer locket, $16,960

DANIELA VILLEGAS yellow sapphire and 18k gold crab ring, $2,400

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JAMES BANKS multicolored gold and diamond butterfly necklace, $7,000

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LOREN NICOLE 22k gold and diamond scarab earrings, $4,900

INITIALS

An essential component of the current layered necklace look is a personalized pendant, and what’s more personal than one’s own initials? It’s an effortless, everyday kind of jewel, which makes it perfectly suited to gift giving. There’s an array of lust-worthy letters available now, in the form of chunky cigar band and signet rings as well as classic pendants.