25 green gemstone jewelry pieces, mostly under $100
the case for a peridot cabochon ring
“My jewelry fever always peaks in the winter and tapers down by spring,” I said in a voice note to cecilia majzoub, huffing and puffing for air as I climbed up a steep block on my pre-dinner walk.
I pass by a lady power walking in black capris and 2 lb weights in each hand. We exchange a neighborly nod of acknowledgement. I continue my voice note after she’s out of earshot.
“But I loved that peridot pendant you sent on Instagram. Actually, I have a bespoke peridot cabochon ring in progress from Emilie (softgoodstudio), and I am SUPER excited about it.” Cecilia understands my jewelry taste so well and we’re both obsessed with peridot cabochons.
Last November, I emailed Emilie with a bespoke request and this reference image:
It was finally ready for pick up this weekend. I’ve come to appreciate how long it takes to make a whole ring from scratch.
Of course, Emilie nailed it. She worked with me to select the perfect shade of ugly-chic green peridot, and designed it with a sealed smooth underside (it’s a sensory thing for me) and no gap between the ring and stone.
The ring is baubly and smooth, looks like a plump boiled pea, and seamlessly blends in with my other legume-inspired jewelry pieces.
It is a luxury to commission bespoke jewelry that is perfectly tailored to your tastes and creative vision. I’m grateful to have had the ability to save up for these investments—and they really are a investment because they are solid gold and appreciate in value, as opposed to clothes.
For context, I’ve worked with Emilie twice on bespoke rings, and pricing is typically the $1000-$1500 range. But it really depends on what you’re requesting and the complexity of the design. I think it’s a great option if you want a non-traditional, unique-to-you engagement ring without the bridal industry markups—I know this is a hot topic in the chat!
Here’s how I’ve been styling it:
They’re almost the same ring, but the size and proportion difference creates visual interest when worn together. The smaller one is from Loren Stewart (they do periodic sitewide sales). I call it my big gem & little gem, or the mom & the bebe.
The jade jellybean was my first bespoke piece from Emilie! These are my most cherished and personal pieces, and I think you can tell up close that they were made by the same person. I’m also giddy over how the celadon jade color looks against the murky apple green in this lighting.
And here’s another green gem ring stack, without the big cabochon ring. Just to show how I mix and match.
The pinky ring is a vintage 10K gold piece I found on Poshmark for $80 and got resized at Aster in Oakland, the small emerald signet is Catbird (current gold pricing is WILD because I got it for a bit over $300 a few years ago).
Below the fold for paid readers: 25 secondhand jewelry pieces inspired by my green ring stacks. Lots of green gemstones, cabochon rings, and legume-inspired shapes.
These are all pieces I would wear, and align with my existing jewelry style
A mix of fine jewelry and costume jewelry, bc I love both!
Most pieces are under $100
Here is a sneak peek of what you’ll find—
Enjoy!