Valani’s Emerald Obsession

New York--Valani is a lover of colored gemstones and the new fine jewelry brand’s latest infatuation is with emeralds.

New York-based Valani works directly with local miners to source all its gemstones from around the globe; its emeralds come from Brazil, Colombia and Zambia. The company said it specializes in high-quality stones from miners who engage in responsible practices.

“Meeting with emerald miners and getting a chance to share their stories through the pieces I create has been the most exciting part of my journey,” Creative Director Heena Shah said. “Emeralds have a vibrant color, and keep me close to nature, which is where I like to be when I am not designing in my studio.

“The emerald pieces in my first collection have been designed to strike a fine balance between approachable and aspirational, with sophistication and an edge that appeals to a discerning woman in the workplace and beyond.”

Its latest emerald pieces, which are rendered predominantly in 18-karat yellow gold as rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets, are geared toward the self-purchasing woman, who, Valani said, is more empowered than ever before thanks in part to the widely publicized Time’s Up movement.

Aesthetically, Valani’s new emerald styles are at once classic and fashion-forward. A simple gold and emerald band, for example, is updated with a cool, hexagonal shape and an asymmetric double finger ring stands out as the range’s hero piece.

The majority of the collection is available now on the Valani website. The range starts at $450 and caps off at $3,500.

Valani was founded last year. Creative Director Shah worked as a bespoke designer creating one-of-a-kind pieces before starting the brand. She’s the youngest designer to have ever won six AGTA Spectrum Awards.