The ocean below me drifted into my dreams, waves undulating, soothing and terrifying in equal parts. Memories of the beach, the pearly warmth of shells, sun trembling on the surface of the water. 

Then: suddenly awake and I knew. 

I’ve talked before here about how I design. Traditionally, it begins with a glimmer – a little light bulb that grows brighter over time. I work on it, then put it away, then pull it back out. It takes weeks & months. Maybe longer. 

This time, I woke up on the plane and felt the whole of it – I couldn’t find my sketchbook fast enough. The pieces were part of a larger tale – a voyage, wending, seeking. 

It began with a golden link, strong lines and angles that bend to form a unique eternity symbol. Subtle, constant and appealing. This would be the backbone of the collection. 

Then the stones. I kept thinking back to my dreams and the ocean. Mother-of-pearl, sourced from the depths of the sea, the truth of it revealed only in the light – shimmering rainbow iridescence with an otherworldly glow. Elsewhere: diamonds. Pinpricks of light like the sun’s rays on moving water, like distant stars on the inky sky, like sparkling tears unshed. 

Every piece of jewelry – a signpost along the path. As I drew, I thought of the places I’d been, the many turns I’d taken over the past year. An exploration nudged on by fate or fortune. 

Eventually, I felt the pull of a renowned traveler – Odysseus. It’s remarkable that centuries after Homer told the tale, Odysseus’ adventure continues to feel relatable. Though he encounters enchantresses and miscreants, and through wit and bravery manages to achieve many heroic feats, he is just human.  He’s like so many of us, moving through a life that oscillates between the extraordinary and the ordinary, with moments both epic and dull. He experiences great happiness and immense tragedy, but is, at the core, just living his life, trying to find the people he loves most. 

Thinking of Odysseus, and all of us on our own journey, I imbued each piece with adventure and solace and the idea of home, something I meditate on frequently. And while I didn’t fight cyclops or sirens, I faced whatever the 2022/23 version was/is, coming out all the stronger for it. I returned with treasures to share. 

In my new line Odyssey, inspired in part by Odysseus’ trek, I hope that you’ll see a reflection of your own voyages, too. Crafted in lush 18-karat gold, featuring luminescent mother-of-pearl and radiant diamonds, each jewel is named after a character from Homer’s epic poem – a cast of victors and villains that have much more nuance and humanity than what we might remember. 

Like Odysseus, we are all on pilgrimages of a sort. We seek home, we yearn for love, we crave adventure, we encounter the monsters in between. We learn about ourselves, the good and the bad. We fight. Sometimes we lose, sometimes we win. But always, we grow. It’s about the journey.

Watch the journey.

Shop the Odyssey collection, now available online.