Diamond Letter & Initial Jewelry to Add to Your Collection
Sparkling and stylish, diamond initials and words are a must-have jewelry essential.
Personalized diamond initial jewelry has been popular for ages, but it’s never been more relevant and stylish than it is right now. The sparkling diamond letters and words are having a big moment during these tumultuous times because they connect people with what matters most: family, friends and even yourself.
Diamond-encrusted initial jewelry and inspiring words are empowering symbols of hope, love and celebration. And they are on everyone’s wish list this holiday season.
“Letters have meaning to the wearer that goes well beyond a trend,” says jewelry editor and stylist Will Kahn. “They feel personal, they can signify yourself, your partner or your children.”
The wildly popular look is being offered in a wide range of prices and new styles, from delicate diamond stud earrings and rings featuring a sprinkling of natural diamonds to bold diamond-studded letter pendants.
Personalized natural diamond jewels are a style signifier.
Celebrities from Blake Lively to Gwyneth Paltrow to royal Meghan Markle have recently been spotted wearing custom diamond letter pendants. Of course bejeweled initial jewelry has been a style signifier for centuries. Among the royals who wore fashionable initial jewels was the ill-fated Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, who is famously depicted wearing a bold gold B pendant necklace in a 16th century portrait that hangs in London’s National Portrait Gallery. Such a modern looking and chic jewel, it is hard to imagine that it dates back to the 1530s.
Bejeweled monograms and initial jewelry was also popular in the Victorian era when sentimental jewelry was especially trendy. During the mid Forties, the jeweler Fulco di Verdura created his own spin on the jewelry trend when he created a diamond initial bracelet for his friend Margaret “Nin” Ryan. A decade later, he designed a diamond alphabet inspired by Renaissance manuscripts. Those stylized diamond letters are among Verdura’s most popular jewelry gifts today.
“Letters have meaning to the wearer that goes well beyond a trend”
Will Kahn
“Initial pendants are timeless and over the years have been worn to show personal style, evoke a conversation or even carry a secret message,” says Nico Landrigan, President of Verdura. “Now they fit the easy and versatile style that is pervasive among everyone today.” He observed that the initial jewelry often represents a secret meaning, such as a loved one’s nickname.
Diamond-studded words of love, power and inspiration are lasting gifts.
Diamond-encrusted words of love and inspiration have captured people’s hearts this season. “The word ‘love’ never goes out style,” says Rosanne Karmes, founder of Sydney Evan jewelry company. The Los Angeles-based jewelry designer has been featuring ‘love’ spelled out in diamond jewels for more than a decade and every year she creates new variations on the theme. “I make jewelry to make people feel good and connecting people to what they love makes them feel happy.” She also crafts the words peace, faith, laugh and dream in diamond letters, and the resulting jewels are a mantra for some clients, and are also great personalized gifts to spread good vibes.
New custom jewels ranges from bright and playful to sophisticated layering pieces. For a lively take on the look, Stephanie Gottlieb designed pink, blue, yellow and red enamel rings and pendants with diamond letters. Jewelry designer Matteo puts his diamond letters on clear crystal nuggets in rings and pendants, and frames them in natural diamonds. And Tiffany & Co. features the word ‘love’ in elegant script font throughout its new series of rings in rose, yellow and white gold that are sparkling with diamonds.
Whatever the message, a personalized jewel is a meaningful gift with greater longevity, especially when it’s written with natural diamonds.
