{NM Daily}

Women's

Nina Runsdorf: Not-Too-Precious Jewelry

After you have acquired precious jewelry, when can you really wear it?  Most of it is delicate and only looks right with our most formal ensembles. You may start with the best intentions to wear your finery “with jeans,” but in practice, it can instantly make you look (or feel) overdressed. So you tend to stick to costume jewelry for everyday, while precious jewelry rests in a box—that is, until you own a piece by Nina Runsdorf. Nina’s NSR line is made up of precious stones, but she says, “jewelry should never be so precious that it cannot be worn.”  This belief has led to a line of jewelry that mimics the edgy, creative and wear-with-anything feel of costume jewelry, using diamonds, sapphires, emeralds… you name it.

Two elements that separate NSR from other lines is Nina’s use of organic stones (amorphous in shape versus a classically cut stone) and sliced diamonds.  The organic stones have a rougher, less perfect look, which only adds to the wearability and character of each piece.  The sliced diamonds allow her to create head-turning statement earrings without the weight of traditionally cut stones.

The success of NSR (and an inspiring trip to India) eventually led Nina to create Silver Skin & Stone. The SS&S line creates the same look as the NSR line (gorgeous, stand-out pieces) but with semi-precious stones. If you love the look of Nina’s jewelry, but aren’t quite ready to take the plunge, the SS&S line is great way to get your feet wet. The forecast for Spring… fun and color!  Look for lots of turquoise and pink opal.

NSR is available at select Neiman Marcus stores.