Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Colored Gemstone Necklaces

Jul 01, 2023

The Scarab Eternity necklace, by Bibi van der Velden, sterling silver, rose gold, single cut brown ... [+] diamond, white diamond, amethyst, tsavorite, pink sapphire, purple sapphire, blue sapphire, $42,000

Independent designers around the world have produced show-stopping gemstone necklaces of all hues, just in time for Christmas, in a rainbow of luscious color combinations. From Paris to Los Angeles, via London and Amsterdam, nine jewelry designers and makers present pieces that will guarantee a smile on Christmas morning.

Full of movement and grace, Bibi van der Velden's work is immediately recognizable. The Dutch artist and jewelry designer draws on the natural world, capturing the uncapturable in her Smoke collection and creating whimsical jewels inspired by a menagerie of insects and reptiles. Drawing on the significance of the scars beetle in Ancient Egypt, as a symbol of hope and regeneration, the Scarab Eternity necklace (above) is one of her most magnificent pieces to date, combining a vibrant palette of natural sapphires, amethysts, tsavorites and diamonds with the iridescence of real scarab beetle wings to uplifting effect.

The Ava necklace by Sophie d'Argon, 18kt recycled gold, turquoise, rubies, pink sapphires, and ... [+] emeralds, $1,555

Parisian jewelry designer Sophie d'Agon's thoughtful use of color has won her a following beyond the City of Lights since she started her brand online in 2017, and she recently celebrated the first anniversary of her charming boutique in the city's hip Marais neighborhood. Crafted from recycled gold and traceable natural stones, the delicacy of her gemstone mosaics is balanced by geometric shapes that add Art Deco punch. A medley of rubies, emeralds and pink sapphires offset by vibrant turquoise, this pendant is a case in point.

The Folio necklace, by Akansha Sethi, 18kt gold and hand-carved tourmalines, $5,908

Indian-born Akansha Sethi is now one of London's most exciting jewelers, after studying design in the city and going on to start her jewelry business. Her work plumbs a rich personal and creative heritage, rooted in her parents' art collection and global travel from an early age, which has driven her to experiment with materials and techniques. Her exploration of the relationship between her Indian heritage and British upbringing has seen her using English porcelain and enamel techniques alongside Indian stone-setting and hard stone carving, but it is her spectacular work with color that stands out the most, producing mouth-watering combinations of stones like the tourmalines in the Folio necklace, hand-carved and accented with enamel to represent the changing colors of leaves throughout the year.

The Emerald Hexagon Necklace by Rachel Boston, 9kt gold, bezel set 0.35ct oval emerald, $964

Well-known in London for her bespoke commitment rings, award-winning jeweler Rachel Boston also has a fine jewelry line which distills her signature style into sophisticated pieces designed to fit into an elegant wardrobe. Think Art Decor-inspired forms, sleek knife-edge bands and unusual, traceable stones, that make for a refined and original look. Pairing vibrant emerald with sunny yellow gold, the simplicity of this necklace makes it an ideal gifting choice.

The Rainbow Pave Jumbo Link necklace, 18kt gold, 28cts of rainbow gemstones and white diamonds, ... [+] $65,860

Los Angeles-based mother-daughter design team Tania and Laden pride themselves on designing jewelry for women of all ages, reflecting the many faces of femininity through their bold jewelry. Shay's signature chunky flat-link chain gets the rainbow treatment for Christmas, with juicy pavé color gradations of emeralds, rubies, tourmalines, sapphires and more, to breathtaking effect.

The Vici ruby pave necklace from the Sagesse collection by Almasika, 18kt gold and rubies, $3,750

Fresh from this year's Brilliant & Black sale at Sotheby's London, the ruby-set Vici ("I conquered") charm is the gift you need for the inspiring and successful woman in your life, just like the brand's founder herself, Catherine Sarr. Drawing on art, culture and the power of symbols and stories to transcend cultural boundaries, Sarr's jewelry design is nourished by her parallel activities in the art world through the Sarr Collection, to produce jewels with soul and intention.

The Hands necklace by Alexandra Rosier, 18kt gold, multicolored sapphires, red and green opals, ... [+] enamel, $32,366

Alexandra Rosier's cosmopolitan background feeds into her richly hued jewelry, influenced by a multicultural lifestyle and diverse cultural inspirations. Past collections feature themes like astrology and infinity and explore symbols like the moon, lotus flower and the fish. Now based in Paris, her most recent fine jewelry collection is a tour de force; a series of highly symbolic amulet necklaces and a bangle exploring themes of love. Set with red and green opals to denote masculinity and femininity, the Mains necklace opens to reveal the Evil Eye and the lines of the hand picked out in gemstones, and closes to represent union.

Limited edition necklace by 5 Octobre, 14kt gold, labradorite, amethyst and citrine, $2,331

With vintage inspiration and carefully chosen gems, Paris-based designer Sophie Pfeffer's world is soft and poetic and whether the focus is unusual stones or antique cufflinks-as-signet-rings, her original settings make for delectable pieces. This Rivière necklace showcases her trademark delicate palette of semi-precious stones on 14kt gold, with labradorite, amethyst and citrine all carefully drilled and linked, to make sure that nothing at all detracts from the stones themselves.

5 Octobre has a pop-up in Brooklyn this week, at Anne Willi on Atlantic Avenue.

High jewelry necklace by Baunat, white gold, white diamonds and a pear sapphire, $80,848

Based in Europe's historic diamond-dealing capital of Antwerp, Belgium, Baunat was founded by fourth-generation diamond dealers, and is now one of the largest digital cross-over diamond jeweler with showrooms in key markets around the world. As a member of the RJC, Baunat has a big focus on ethical diamonds, and this graduated string of VS2 diamonds emphasizes the blue sapphire at its heart, for a classic high jewelry look.