May 15, 2022

Designers say sales of jewelry that provide comfort and some believe helps healing “is exploding at the seams.”

LOS ANGELES — At a time when wellness is at the forefront of many people’s minds, crystal, rock crystal and gemstone jewelry has been experiencing a renaissance.

During anxious times, “we look to what has great symbolizing and healing powers,” said Rebecca Selva, chief creative officer at Fred Leighton and Kwiat, “what for centuries and since ancient times was thought to have certain qualities of healing, grounding and positivity.”

And several jewelry designers and makers say they are seeing the results.

“We’re exploding at the seams” when it comes to sales, said Jacquie Aiche, the Los Angeles-based fine jewelry designer. Although Ms. Aiche has been incorporating crystals into her jewelry since the introduction of her namesake brand in 2003, she said sales of her crystal pieces more than doubled in the first half of 2020, “then plateaued at the spike and is still holding.” (The company is privately owned; Ms. Aiche won’t reveal revenues, but her crystal pieces range from $2,000 to $25,000.)

In addition to her Healing Crystals line of necklaces, which combines elements such as clear quartz, amethyst and topaz with diamonds, Ms. Aiche said her body jewelry line, including diamond-encrusted halter bras and body chains, also had “surged.” And in August 2020 she debuted her first men’s line, which includes necklaces and charms featuring crystals, because “men were feeling left out when they came in with their ladies.”

During the interview, Ms. Aiche sat at a square wooden table — in what used to be the garage at her Beverly Hills bungalow, but now is a workshop and studio — scattered with necklaces, a book on crystals, a large bowl full of chocolates and a bouquet of pink and red flowers.

“I don’t sell jewelry, I sell energy,” she said, “and there’s this evolution of people searching for something they can connect to and feel better.”

Examples of rock crystal jewelry can be traced as far back as the Sumerian and Mesopotamian civilizations. And, “pre-Columbian Indigenous people in the Americas were using nuts and beads with the same sort of mind-sets, that certain things could help protect you,” said Sara Payne Thomeier, Head of Jewels for the Americas at Phillips auction house.

Not only is there now increased interest and awareness of the potential remedial properties of natural earth elements like crystals, but “it’s more normalized and mainstream,” Ms. Thomeier said. “I think back a few years ago; those who alluded to healing powers were perceived as a bit hippy-dippy and were bashful to mention it. It’s not embarrassing anymore to present the idea and show you have some faith in the possibility that these things can have healing powers.

Original Post: Why the Renewed Interest in Crystals? The Pandemic