What is collage in jewelry, you ask? Well, it’s not a technical term in proper jewelry parlance. You won’t find it in The Illustrated Dictionary of Jewelry. But it is one I use to describe a mix up of things in one jewel. Sometimes it can be gemstones like the blend found in Cartier’s famous tutti-frutti designs. Perhaps the most well-known example of jewelry collage is a charm bracelet.

When this lightbulb went on in my head, I realized how many COUTURE designers including CASTRO SMITH, SELIM MOUZANNAR, TEN THOUSAND THINGS and VENYX, are putting their own spin on the classic idea. Some shrink their signature motifs down to a charming size and assemble them in one jewel, the way people once collected charms for a bracelet or necklace. Others create entirely new charms, items that don’t exist in their collections, for their charmed pieces. Both styles make a statement that is as engaging to look at as a stunning collage.

Castro Smith

Everything Castro creates has an old-world feel. The master goldsmith and engraver’s lyrical jewels, lit up with colorful enamels, feature motifs that look like they belong in a 19th century illustrated book. Each has a story to tell.

When Castro puts charms together in a bracelet or necklace, he adds a few twists and turns to the narrative by using various sizes of links. He also throws in colorful asides with gem charms. And then there are the earrings, which have no historical precedent, but the way Castro pairs charms on the small hoops makes them seem like they might.

Selim Mouzannar

There is a direct line to the jewelry of the late 19th century in the soulful designs of Selim Mouzannar. So many motifs of the period, popularized by Britian’s Queen Victoria, can be found in his work, from romantic hearts and dreamy stars to lucky horseshoes and beautiful birds. He makes them in a variety of styles, including gem-set and enamel charms, which can be purchased individually or all together in a necklace or bracelet.

Selim also has charms for more minimalist tastes. Round enamel and gold circles with gemstone centers convey a message of joy through color.

Ten Thousand Things

Ron Anderson and David Rees, the talented duo behind Ten Thousand Things, approach their creations as much as artists and sculptors as they do jewelry designers and master craftsmen. They create shapes out of gold and gemstones that feel natural. “Like something you might find in the forest,” is how David describes it.

This approach carries over into the charm necklaces and bracelets they have been making since the 1990s. Each one is different and each one is the same kind of study in form. Gold elements are threaded through some of the pearls and gemstones. Rounded and almost spear-like specially cut gems are clustered together on necklaces. They dangle from bracelets. All of them are tactile and function as a kind of talisman, something to grab and hold when the going gets tough.

Venyx

Venyx designer, Eugenie Niarchos, works across any number of themes in her collection, from classic hearts and bold anklets to framing the artistry of dendritic agates and more. Her large collection of charms includes some with a fantasy narrative. There are ancient mythical motifs like unicorn horns and gold and diamond stars.

Small shark teeth in gold and colorful enamels are strung along one necklace. A symbol of good luck and protection the cute little choppers are unique in the charm landscape. Eugenie also mounts them on rings, which is one of the coolest ways to wear little charms. It’s not a collage to sport just one, but stacking them is always a fun option to get back into the arty mood.