Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/148971
GOLDENGIRLS They might have started their careers in marketing, photo styling or public relations, but these locally grown talents couldn't ignore their passion to create jewelry any longer. Whether they were seduced by glistening pavé-set diamonds or the mystery behind gemstones that once graced a maharajah's crown, this up-and-coming design set and their distinct golden chains, gobstopper rings and delicate earrings have caught our collective eye. by LAURANN CLARIDGE and JENNY ANTILL. PHOTOGRAPHY JACK THOMPSON. Tara Levitin, LEVITICUS JEWELRY Sterling-silver necklace with antique pencil and chandelier crystal Gunmetal chain with antique tintype photo and vintage clock hands Sterling-silver necklace with antique nameplate Brass-cast hummingbird ring plated in silver and gunmetal Brass-cast bear ring, plated in silver and gunmetal T ara Levitin's jewels are haunted by the past. Culling together vintage artifacts and found oddities with a mixture of metals, Levitin designs necklaces — many of them one-of-a-kind — of faceted stones and antique charms and ephemera such as tiny pairs of scissors dangling from black and golden chains. Her bold rings make a statement without the wearer having to utter a word — perfect for the cocktail set that prefers its tinctures strong and bracing: the head of a hummingbird with a long pointy beak, rendered in silver, or an oversized pavé of purple crystals that forms a wide dome between one's knuckles. Her collection, named Leviticus Jewelry after her late brother Levi, isn't driven by fashion trends. Its dark and dramatic spin is a more personal endeavor, with new styles added as inspiration strikes. $25 to $200, at We Are 1976, Dallas; Alibi, New York City; leviticusjewelry.com. Lauren Craft, LAUREN CRAFT COLLECTION O ne thing is obvious when you peruse Lauren Craft's array of jewels: This girl loves diamonds. Admittedly obsessed with the pricey stones (particularly pavé), this 20-something doesn't always play favorites, sprinkling sapphires, pink tourmalines, kyanite and amethysts into the glamorous mix she binds with every hue of gold. Craft, who once worked with designer Alexis Bittar in New York, describes her jewelry as "über-luxe and fun," as evidenced by the pieces' catchy names (Champagne Campaign is one of her favorites) and glamorous feel. Her influences venture from art and architecture to foreign travel, nature and beauty; she's also intrigued by the designs of Irene Neuwirth and the edgy work of Bernard Delettrez and his daughter Delfina. Craft's own aesthetic ranges from the subversive and macabre to the exotic and sweet. Therefore, it's no surprise that her spring collection was all about exploring contradictions and "finding who the Lauren Craft woman is." We love the diamonds, skulls and elliptical shapes — classic designs, tweaked, with a story to tell. $385 to $22,000, at Coquette, Kátia, Sloan/Hall; laurencraft.com. Black-rhodium silver ring with 18K gold band, rose-cut multicolored and champagne diamonds Bangles, from top: Champagne diamond wave in black-rhodium silver; black diamond wave in black-rhodium silver; pink sapphire in 14K yellow gold and silver; Upper East Side champagne diamond in 14K yellow gold with black-rhodium silver finish Crescent-moon necklace with champagne diamonds, silver with blackrhodium finish and silver chain