Why Do People Believe in Crystals Again
Why the Renewed Interest in Crystals? The Pandemic.
Designers say sales of jewelry that provide comfort and some believe helps healing "is exploding at the seams."
LOS ANGELES — At a time when wellness is at the forefront of many people'southward minds, crystal, rock crystal and gemstone jewelry has been experiencing a renaissance.
During anxious times, "we look to what has nifty symbolizing and healing powers," said Rebecca Selva, primary artistic officer at Fred Leighton and Kwiat, "what for centuries and since ancient times was thought to have sure qualities of healing, grounding and positivity."
And several jewelry designers and makers say they are seeing the results.
"We're exploding at the seams" when it comes to sales, said Jacquie Aiche, the Los Angeles-based fine jewelry designer. Although Ms. Aiche has been incorporating crystals into her jewelry since the introduction of her namesake brand in 2003, she said sales of her crystal pieces more than doubled in the first half of 2020, "then plateaued at the spike and is withal holding." (The visitor is privately endemic; Ms. Aiche won't reveal revenues, but her crystal pieces range from $2,000 to $25,000.)
In add-on to her Healing Crystals line of necklaces, which combines elements such equally clear quartz, amethyst and topaz with diamonds, Ms. Aiche said her body jewelry line, including diamond-encrusted halter bras and body chains, as well had "surged." And in August 2020 she debuted her first men'due south line, which includes necklaces and charms featuring crystals, because "men were feeling left out when they came in with their ladies."
During the interview, Ms. Aiche saturday at a square wooden tabular array — in what used to be the garage at her Beverly Hills bungalow, but now is a workshop and studio — scattered with necklaces, a volume on crystals, a large bowl full of chocolates and a boutonniere of pink and scarlet flowers.
"I don't sell jewelry, I sell energy," she said, "and there'southward this evolution of people searching for something they can connect to and feel improve."
Examples of rock crystal jewelry can be traced as far back as the Sumerian and Mesopotamian civilizations. And, "pre-Columbian Ethnic people in the Americas were using nuts and beads with the same sort of mind-sets, that certain things could help protect you lot," said Sara Payne Thomeier, Head of Jewels for the Americas at Phillips sale house.
Not only is there now increased interest and sensation of the potential remedial properties of natural globe elements similar crystals, just "it'due south more normalized and mainstream," Ms. Thomeier said. "I think back a few years agone; those who alluded to healing powers were perceived as a scrap hippy-dippy and were bashful to mention it. It's not embarrassing anymore to present the idea and show y'all have some faith in the possibility that these things tin have healing powers.
"In fact," she added, "it tin can exist a particularly powerful sales tool" for jewelry designers, salespeople and marketing executives alike.
For several months in 2020, the high jewelry designer Ana Khouri, who usually is based in New York, stayed on her farm in her home country of Brazil, hand-etching pieces for her newest exhibition and working on her nonprofit organization, Projeto Ovo, which generates money for well-nigh 80 Brazilian charities by selling donations of used clothing and accessories.
"I had time last twelvemonth," Ms. Khouri said, "and the human relationship between rosewood, which is now extinct, and crystals, and the inherent tension of the materials and magic was what I focused on."
Of the 17 one-of-a-kind pieces that comprised her Nov show at Sotheby'southward New York, fifteen had crystals, the beginning time she had used them in her work. The creations, which sold out, included a minaudière made of carved rose quartz and a Fairmined gold necklace with a total of 5.54-carats of pink and white diamonds, crystal, rose quartz and amethyst.
"Since this exhibition launched, the response I got is so incredible," Ms. Khouri said. "It opens a path for crystals to exist more than accepted in high jewelry."
The notion of feel-skillful jewelry is something that Temple St. Clair has been channeling for nearly four decades. The New York-based designer made her first stone crystal amulet in 1986 afterward being inspired by an amulet in the collection of Lorenzo de' Medici, the 15th-century Florentine statesman.
"During this pandemic menses at that place was, of class, a little bit of panic," Ms. St. Clair said. "Everything now is flooding dorsum and people are looking for some connection. People want a personal meaningful object."
In a video interview from her SoHo studio, she declined to specify her revenue but noted that her sales this year had surpassed her prepandemic numbers and that her clients were increasingly comfortable buying online. "This is not a gift business. People are buying my pieces for themselves; they are choosing one that speaks to them personally," she said, calculation, "we can't go along certain things effectually."
Her namesake company is known for its rock crystal amulets that contain designs such as mandalas and diamond pavé beehives in 18-karat gold, with prices from $ane,000 to $25,000.
"There's no question within the category of gemstones, minerals, crystals and rock crystals, there has been a huge, huge increase in interest," Ms. Selva of Fred Leighton said. Instance in point: While on the telephone, Ms. Selva walked into her chief executive'due south office only to discover a newly installed giant amethyst geode. "This is not a trend, it's more than than that."
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/fashion/jewelry-crystals-jacquie-aiche-beverly-hills-california.html
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