Reinstein|Ross: ancient techniques, modern beauty.

When Reinstein|Ross first reached out to me about a potential blog feature, I was in Italy. I read the name out loud, thinking it sounded familiar but struggling to picture their designs in my jet lagged state. The jewelry designer friend I was with immediately burst out, “Reinstein|Ross? Yes! Gorgeous, somewhat Etruscan-inspired, handmade gold jewelry. They’re great.”

Two seconds of recon proved her right: I loved everything I saw online and I knew I needed to share Reinstein|Ross’s designs with you posthaste.

Every piece of Reinstein|Ross jewelry starts out as an ingot of pure, 24K gold. The gold is melted, alloyed, and then shaped into its destiny right there there in the workshop. Their designs celebrate the lusciousness of high-karat gold and often feature sapphires of spectacular color and diamonds.

Because they alloy their own gold, Reinstein|Ross is able to carefully coax the precious metal into five custom shades of color: 22k Apricot Gold, 20k Peach Gold, 18K Chartreuse Gold, 18k White Gold, and 22k Yellow Gold. They frequently use the traditional techniques of cloisonne and granulation, inspired by Etruscan, Byzantine, and Roman jewelry.

Here’s a stunning piece that’s a great example of everything we just talked about: luscious high-karat gold textured with granulation and studded with gorgeous colored sapphires. When I look at this pendant, my fingers itch to touch it.

The Reinstein|Ross aesthetic combines ancient techniques with modern sensibility to create high-quality pieces that are timeless in a no-fuss way perfect for everyday wear.

Reinstein|Ross was founded in 1985 by renowned jewelry designer Susan Reinstein and gem expert Brian Ross.

In their own words:

Our jewelry is modern, striking, and timeless. It is jewelry for the client with discerning taste who doesn’t want to fit in, but rather show a sense of personal style that is the foundation of great style.

All of our work stems from materials, fabrication and design – rainbows of natural colored sapphires (orange, green, yellow, blue, purples, etc), diamonds, rubies and other stones – and high-karat gold.

All of our jewelry is made in-house, in our Manhattan workshops. None of the goldsmithing techniques that we practice were invented after the Romans. The combination of these ancient techniques, gorgeous and exotic precious gems, and contemporary design is the magic formula for our work.”

Did you catch that last bit?? Goldsmithing techniques that date to the Roman empire. So freakin’ cool.

These two pairs of earrings are two perfect examples of what Reinstein|Ross has to offer. Glowing sapphires, check. Rich, high-karat gold, check. Gorgeous Byzantie/Etruscan inspired design streamlined for the stylish modern customer? Check.

I want the pair on the right on the right. I’m captivated by their fluted bezel settings and delightfully knobby silhouette.

Reinsten|Ross also keeps their manufacturing very close to home – by situating their workshops actually inside of their two retail stores.

That’s right: if you visit either of Reinstein|Ross’s retail locations, you can both browse finished pieces in the showroom, and also watch highly-goldsmiths bringing more pieces to life right there, on site.

How often to do you get to actually observe the jewelry that you could potentially own being made?

It really adds another level of understanding and appreciation to the relationship you can have with a piece when you can see the manufacturing process with your own eyes.

It doesn’t hurt that said designs are crazy gorgeous, as well. Look at the texture on each individual link of those handmade hold chains, the granulation on the pendants’ bales, the attention to detail in the selection of stones. They’re such a fascinating mix of simplicity and intricacy.

I love love love how a single petal in the pendant on the left is a sapphire, which the rest are gold. The colors of the sapphires in the pendant on the left are why I’d never be able to choose between them.

On paper, this is a pair of stud earrings with yellow diamonds in gold. But the precise juxtaposition of the color of the diamonds with the hue of the gold (this is the custom apricot shade of gold) and the elaborate but perfectly balanced embellishments make them so much more.

These beauties would look simple from afar, but reveal more and more of their secrets the close you came. I love pieces like that. Reinstein|Ross specializes in pieces like these that are comfortable and easy to wear, but still do justice to the rich traditions of artistry behind their craftsmanship.

I perused the entire Reinstein|Ross website and I couldn’t find a single design that I didn’t think I could work into my wardrobe. Pick any design they offer, and you’ll have a new go-to favorite piece.

This sponsored post is brought to you by Reinstein|Ross. All images c/o Reinstein|Ross; photo on white background by photographer Chris Stein.