A Gem & Crystal Lover's Holiday 2019 Gift Guide
A Gem and Crystal Lover's Holiday Gift Guide
I'm a bit of a window shopper online... or maybe I should call it a tab shopper since I've been knonw to have 4 browser windows with 20 tabs a piece open at any given time (yeah I totally lowballed these numbers to seem a little less crazy, so what?!). Gift guide season is particularly thrilling to me because I find it fascinating to see what the people tasked with picking the "it" gifts think will be popular each year. I've put together a little gift guide of my own this year. I have a few different categories - gifts for the gemstone lover, the cool girl, the perfect jewelry, and things I want to receive. Putting this gift guide together was endlessly entertaining and I tried to pick out items that were made by amazing designers I follow, feel unique in some way, or tickle me. These may not appeal to everyone, but I don't think that really matters. Enjoy!
Gifts for the Gem Lover
In case you've been yearning to cuddle your crystals, here's your coziest opportunity! Calhoun & Co tapestry blanket - made in the USA & machine washable - $108
Is there anything more 2019 than combining crystals with reusable straws? Gem Water created these luxe-look straws in three metal colors (rose, silver, gold) with interchangeable/stackable amethyst, rock crystal, and rose quartz beads for their Crystals For Humanity line. The straws are said to help you drink in the crystals' natural energies. - $40/piece
The intricately shaped pieces of these laser-cut wooden geode puzzles perfectly capture the look of a banded agate slice or the inside of a geode. Uncommon Goods' puzzles are 160-180, come in three different colors, and are an entertaining gift for gem & mineral lovers of all ages. - Made in USA $65/piece
PopSockets are those little knobs you see on the back of people's cell phones that help you get a good grip on a big phone. The Luxe line includes a number of different grips made from real gemstones including (L-R, Top to bottom) Malachite, Abalone, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, and Lapis. These are as practical as they are pretty and would be a great stocking stuffer or secret santa gift. - $35/piece
For her holiday collection Lele Sadoughi stepped up her already elaborate signature knot front headband by added real malachite gemstone beads. This headband is sure to be a holiday hit for women who need to be bedazzled with gemstones on more than just their jewelry. - $150
Herbivore is a luxury skincare brand known for its minimal packaging and brightly colored face serums full of luxurious ingredients. They have multiple skincare products named after gems - Lapis, Emerald, Prism. For the holidays they paired their skincare jewels with color coordinated gemstone face rollers and gua sha tools to create The Lapis, Rose Quartz, and Amethyst Ritual kits. There's also the Jewel Box filled with 5 minis of Herbivore's best sellers. - starting at $58
Terrazzo is a material made out of chips of stone suspended in a material (like cement) that has been on trend in the interior design world in 2019. New Age Design Studio has created the Gem Lover's terrazzo for her decorative objects. These candlesticks feature amethyst, jasper, labradorite and other gems and are made from recycled gem off-cuts. - $45/pair
D.A.R. Projects transformation of mundane objects into art objects by hand-carving them out of exotic Peruvian stones excites me to no end. The tangram square puzzle is the perfect desk toy for any gem dealer - $114 and the stone laundry clips - $18/piece Fredericks and Mae would be the perfect way to clip together a set of notecards.
Chakrubs are "sex toys made from natural crystal that bring a sense of sacredness to your playtime." This is probably not the gift to give grandma, unless your family is cool like that, but if your honey is the kind of spiritual person who loves to absorb all the energies crystals have to offer, then the beautiful luxury of Chakubs The Heart - Curve rose quartz wand is a perfect gift. Each different gemstone material is meant to connect with a different emotion and sacred chakra. Let the good vibes roll!
If anyone in your life fits the title of both "Gem Lover" and "Beauty Guru" the Colourpop Cosmetics So Jaded Eyeshadow Palette is the must-have gift! This palette has 35 eyeshadow shades each named after different gemstones or gem-themed puns in a variety of rich colors and was made in collaboration with Beauty Influencer KathleenLights. Colourpop is one of my favorite afforable cosmetic brands and has wildly good quality & made in the USA. - $39
If you've been interested in learning more about crystal energy and healing or if you already know your stuff, the Lavish Earth Crystal Affirmation Cards are a fantastic resource. The cards are visually stunning featuring 65 different crystals and an explanation for each. Picking a card each day can " add inspiration to anyone's daily meditation, journaling or relaxation practices." - $35
Gifts for the Cool Girl
I've fully embraced 2019's love of crystal studded hair clips. I love the more-the-merrier styling of celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan's collab with hair accessory company My Kitsch. Perfect for the icon, boss, or bling-loving friend. $29/set
Artist Angela Deane makes witty paintings on top of vintage photographs. She is best known for her ghosts, but I'm smitten with this bathing witch print available in 4 sizes. - Starting at $24
Alison Lou's ultra beloved Loucite jelly hoops are now available in silver and gold glitter for the holidays! I'm partial to the size medium silvers, but these will definitely go over big in any color or size. - Starting at $125
Acrylic accessory legend Edie Parker launched a sister brand this year Flower by Edie Parker aka Weedie Parker. Flower specializes in sugary sweet and well-designed cannabis accessories. These hand-blown, made in America, fruit themed pipes make me chuckle and I wouldn't mind leaving it out on the coffee table. Flower also makes some beautiful marbleized acrylic stash boxes for those who prefer to keep their stash in storage. - starting at $95
I've posted about New Age Design Studio's gemstone terrazzo home objects before, but I'm still smitten! This "Slimer" green Pillar Vase featuring San Simeon Jasper, Malachite, Obsidian, and Green Amethyst makes for a fabulous gift for the maximalist decor loving friend or even in the "Elara Pink" hue for your more minimalist pals. - $425
If you listen to enough podcasts, then you have probably heard Bombas advertised a few times. They are one of those direct to consumer companies that were on-trend for 2019. I love a thick sock to wear in my boots during the winter. This set is lightly padded and made of breathable Merino wool. Your toes will be toasty toes without having to look ho-hum. - $91/4 pairs
If you haven't seen Susan Alexandra bags everywhere this year, I'm really sorry that you spent 2019 without Instagram or the internet, but I hope your stress-free time in the jungle was fun! It was truly so hard for me to pick just one of her bounty of beautiful bags to include in this list, but this iridescent treat the "Glinda" Bag has been on my wishlist for far too long. Do yourself a favor and check out the "Fruit Salad Bucket Bag" and the classic "Seltzer Bag" as you browse to get a true taste of what Susan is all about. Oh, and before I forget, all her bags are made in NYC! - $390
Did your bff become obsessed with all things astrology and witchy this year? Is your bestie from Philly like me? Enter the Philly Tarot Deck illustrated by James Boyle and featuring iconic Philly legends like Gritty, the cast of It's Always Sunny, the Clothespin, Billy Penn atop City Hall, Cheesesteaks, Nick Foles, and more. - $40/deck or $75/2 decks
Gifting a night at Roxanne Assoulin's Play RA bracelet making party is a good way to give a gift to your friends, but treat yourself too! If you've been lusting after a Roxanne Assoulin bracelet, but can't pick a colorway, these events are a fun way to create your perfect color mix. Having attended the event myself, I can recommend that it is a great night out for the girl gang. - $190 gets you 2 bracelets, snacks, & shipping
Purses are great, but backpacks are practical. I'm a woman with a lot of stuff and I like to have it close by, and I also hate shoulder pain. Dagne Dover makes cleanly designed neoprene bags and luggage that are durable and light. I love how the Dakota Backpack is the classic one pocket backpack shape but in fully monochromatic colors for a touch of luxury. The Dakota Backpack is available in 3 sizes - S, M, L - Starting at $135
Jewelry Good Enough to Gift
Who says fine jewelry has to be expensive? The Moonstoned might be the radiant antique dealer you know from Instagram, but owner Elizabeth Potts also makes some fabulous jewelry box staples under her brand's name. These 3inch long gold 14k yellow gold chain earrings are timeless, but the long links are also very on trend. Perfect for those just starting to wear fine jewelry and the veteran diamond wearer alike - $180
Dahlium's founder Tess considers herself a student of life and death and her brand makes custom Victorian and Georgian inspired fine jewelry to help celebrate life and loss. Her enamel bands can be custom made as a memento mori or with your personal inspiration in 18 karat gold with black or white enamel. I'm partial to the wavy band that says "Not lost, but gone before" - $1200 sizes 4-11
There's something so simply sweet about this pearl and diamond initial pendant from Dana Rebecca Designs. These initial pendants are like the diamond encrusted and pearl studded version of the playful penmanship I used to write my friends names on the notes I passed in school. The Ivy Pearl Initial necklace is available in 14k yellow and rose gold, 16" and 18" chains. - $550
Alina Abegg's first fine jewelry collection "Cosmic Escape" featured bold gold aliens, planets and space ships set with colored gemstones. Her sophomore collection "Sugar High" utilizes gemstone carved candies in cheeky meets chic gold jewelry with a sense of humor. I love how the juicy rubellite tourmaline brick is begging to be broken out of its 14k rose gold cage. This ring is the perfect gift for the whimsical. - Available in 7 stone combinations starting at €1610 approx $1788
Tromp l'oeil is an art technique of creating optical illusions that make 2d surfaces appear to contain 3d objects. My love of this kind of visual humor extends to these masterfully painted oversized diamond and gemstone earrings created by Australian artist Refinery Row. Picking a pair might prove difficult, but whether you choose giant diamonds or colorful gems you can't go wrong! - $99 AUD - approx $68 USD
All about a statement necklace & this polyester & leather mid-length necklace packs a punch of color and size. Monies is a Danish luxury jewelry brand with a sensibility for over-sized designs. Check out the Kimberly Necklace and the chunky gold foil chain necklace to get a sense of the designer's grandiose proportions. - $270
There are too many amazing designs of Alchemilla Jewelry to choose just one piece. The jewelry perfectly combines case brass wire frames with seed beads and negative space to create earthy landscapes, florals, and abstract patterns. The Basin Earring, Hillside Earring, Tapestry Earring , and Chariot Earrings are some of my favorites. Handmade in California - starting at $38.00
AARYAH's philosophy is that we should honor our skin by being mindful of what we put against it, which is why the brand only creates in precious metals and natural stones. The AVANI cuff is studded sterling silver studded with lapis, malachite, tiger's eye, moonstone, and moonstone each held in place with a twisted rope texture bezel. The matching AVANI drop earrings are the perfect blend of bold and wearable that has all the makings of your next favorite pair of earrings. - $825, earrings $475
CLED is a cool company and it's not just because they make stunning jewelry. The colorful Eco Jewels used in CLED's designs are all hand-formed from discarded glass bottles. These sterling silver and glass earrings make a statement and one of them is "I care how my jewelry is made". Check out the High Tide Oval Chain Necklace , Avens Earrings, Coral Reef Earrings, and Amorphous Half Chain Choker for more inspiring designs. - $155
Artmer is an expert at designing with baguettes. The Art Deco Collection is clever, fresh, and elegant. These designs would be a breath of fresh air on their own, but as they exist among a dearth of poorly interpreted Art Deco inspired design, their brilliant symmetries are even stronger. I love how the staggered sapphire baguettes weave together and drape like fabric as they taper away from the center diamond. If you're looking for a bridal designer to lust after, this is it! - $5,980
I'm not sure whether it's the nostalgia of the plastic bars and barbells from the early 00s or the cheeky act of piercing the jewelry that will fill your piercings, or the nod to display cards that a pair of earrings are displayed on, but I'm sold on these Georgina Treviño earrings. The entire "Pierced Collection" has the intimidating kind of cool that feels like internet clout in party jewels. - $135
Heavy gold reliefs and coin jewelry has been everywhere this year. The real deal can cost more than a year's rent and many of the costume jewelry options turn your neck green or have cheesy attempts at ancient imagery. Enter these demi-fine earrings made of 18k gold over sterling from Ross-Simons Jewelry. The hinged attachment of the two reliefs adds the fine jewelry feel and historic Etruscan detail. - $150
Tatty Devine are the kitschy queens of perspex jewelry! The brand has been hand making jewelry in the UK since 1999 and speaking my language since I first found them online in 2004. Their new Treasure Chest collection is Marie Antoinette meets Cartier's Patiala Necklace in the acid color palette of The Beatle's Yellow Submarine. It's the rainbow cartoon royal jewels of my dreams! - $360.51
What Hannah Wants
I love a ghost. I love a tchotchke. I love the artist Lorien Stern. I have never laughed as hard as the first time I saw this ghost vase. Studding a ghost in flowers is my #1 priority. Quick tip to win my heart: buy me this vase & a bouquet. - $145
I've been in love with these pearl and opal earrings from the first moment I saw them. The contrast of the soft asymmetry of the pearls and their rigid rectangular frame is the perfect visual metaphor for the stacks of silica that give opal it's flashes of color. In 2019 I fell more in love with the brand WWAKE as it has focused its marketing on transparent and ecologically conscious sourcing paired with beautiful and educational imagery. Nothing gets my heart beating like good branding and the weaving earrings are the part of the WWAKE brand I want to own.
I first began buying from Universal Standard when they were a company making high quality plus-size basics. 2 years later in 2018 they became size inclusive expanding to cover sizes 00 through 40. As an entrepreneur, I'm inspired by US everyday. As a customer, I have fallen in love with every piece of their clothing I own - seriously these jeans are amazing. I truly believe companies like Universal Standard are the future. I wear a vegan leather moto jacket every day the weather permits. I've always wanted to upgrade to real leather, and this US jacket is clearly <b><i>the one</i>.</b> - $425
I'm a fancy girl, I won't deny it. But when it comes to skincare, I typically buy generic single ingredient products to avoid luxury markups - think brands like Timeless and The Ordinary, so I wouldn't usually go for a $230 bottle of rose oil. I was lucky enough to be gifted a bottle of this beauty serum last year and it changed me. It's such a beautiful moisturizing oil that smells like a field of roses. I've had a chance to speak with Kypris founder Chase Polan about the importance of the sustainable procurement philosophy of her brand and it has changed how I look at natural ingredients in skincare and essential oils. Do your skin and favor and try some Kypris. - $230
Bagels are my birthright & so is this t-shirt. If you haven't seen the clever, not corny, Judaica brand Schmattees, GET ON IT! In a world filled with far too many bad Hanukkah t-shirts with puns about the wrong holiday, do yourself a favor and buy a t-shirt proofread by someone Jewish! 100% also interested in owning this, this, this, and this. If that seems like too many Jewish themed tees and sweatshirts, just remember there are 8 nights of Hanukkah and I have to wear <i>something</i> when I eat bagels with my family every Sunday morning. - $24 to $36
It's a fully rhinestoned bootie. Do I really need to explain more? Yes? I do?! Ok. Well, I love the mixed crystal sizes used in this bootie that create a shiny reptile skin effect that feels far more couture than the price point. Technically these are part of the Bridal shoe line, but I'm a pull a Lizzo and just marry myself. - $149
I love when the fine artist pair The Haas Brothers dip their toes into the decorative arts. Last year they created a line of home decor with L'Objet featuring their fantastical monsters - this dish was my favorite (add it to the list!). This year The Haas Brothers 3 limited run beaded, pewter, and gold plated "Microfreaks" with Sotheby's. Dr. Licky is my favorite and would find a wonderful home among my personal collection of freaks. - $1500
The Gala is Love Phenomena collection is a beautiful balance of gemstone inlay and large swaths of sterling silver. The long lines of half-circles of the Sunrise XL earrings are dramatic. They come in 10 colors, though malachite is my favorite. The natural abalone version of the Sunset Earrings feel lunar with their sheen and natural shell patterning. Keep an eye on the Gala is Love Instagram to see the rest of the Phenomena collection and the other latest jewels! - $430, $500
I travel a ton for work and then a bit more for fun too. I'm always looking at luggage and travel solutions to help keep myself organized on the go. CalPak has more than just luggage. Their small goods look stylish on the outside and are practical on the inside, like the convertible Travel Wallet - Croc which looks like a cute crossbody bag, has a short handbag strap, it can be a clutch/wallet and on the inside has pockets for your passport, cards, foreign money, and a key loop. The Baye mini hat box would be a great way to travel with my jewelry. I'm always looking for something with hard sides so my jewelry doesn't get squished, but that is big enough to hold even my large statement necklaces. I think the Baye Mini could be a winner! - $32
Recently, I have realized that all of my socks have a hole in the toe and I'm not above asking for the most mundane of gifts, socks. These Dueple socks come in fantastic colors and the names are just as nice: Pink Panther, Egg Master, Ninja Turtle, and 28 more. The come in crew and ankle length with ribbed or plain finishes and in two thicknesses. Unisex Euro sizing from 35-46. Needless to say, I like my socks like I like everything else in my life colorful! So for the humblest of gifts on my wishlist I'm asking for some Dueple socks in the aforementioned colors plus neon pie, high above, wild at heart, and orange. - $14/pair or 7 pairs for $77