Earth and Alchemy: jewelry with an exclamation point

I don’t own many bracelets, never have. But this past summer, I bought one that has received more compliments than just about every other accessory or article of clothing I own.

Richelle Wilson

It was an impulse buy, I’ll admit. I was at a gallery showing in Pittsburgh of clothing by fashion designer Kim Davis. Jewelry designer Richelle Wilson also was there with a captivating selection of pieces. As I surveyed the table, my eyes fell on a bold link bracelet. It was a dragon fashioned from polished sterling silver, and it closed where the mouth met the tail. She urged me to try it on, and I found myself unable to take it off.

The best jewelry is somewhat unusual, and that’s a quality Ms. Wilson’s designs distinctive since she began designing jewelry off and on in 1991. A decade later, she launched her Earth and Alchemy brand a decade later.

“I have always loved jewelry and gemstones,” said Ms. Wilson, who is based in New York. “I began studying geology in order to understand gemstones, until I found there was an actual field of study called gemology.”

She graduated from the prestigious Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, Ca. with a graduate gemologist degree in 1991. Then it was on to New York City, where she studied jewelry design and production at the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology.

Like many women of color who try to break into New York’s modeling and fashion industry, Ms. Wilson faced some resistance as a black female jewelry designer. “I had a lot of ugly comments thrown at me, and some suppliers who basically ignored me.”

But she found a friend and advocate in Mike Adanas, a master jeweler with whom she worked and trained. “Mr. Adanas held my hand through those rough times, and continues to do so this very day,” she says.

Versatility is an important design feature, such as “enhancer” clasps on pendants so that they can be moved and worn on any type of necklace. Pins have backings that allow them to also be worn as pendants, and bracelets have connections that allow them to be combined with other pieces and worn as necklaces.

She’s been a flight attendant for the last 23 years, a source of much of her creative inspiration. “A lot of my ideas come from my travel and work. I have been blessed to see many parts of the world, and meet artists and jewelers from all over the globe. I get incredible ideas from various cultures and their customs, architecture, local fashion, and from people-watching.”

Earth and Alchemy creations are an interplay of color and texture, striking in their artistry. She pairs deep jewel tones with icy pastels, rich earth tones with vibrant precious and semi-precious gemstones, fiery transparent gems with cool opaques - all held together by carved or textured sterling silver, 14-carat gold, or 18-carat gold.

She chose her brand name carefully. “Alchemy is an ancient science that ancient chemists believed had the ability, through magical transformation, to turn base metals into gold,” she explains. “To take something ordinary and make it extraordinary; this is the premise behind the Earth and Alchemy name. Earth and Alchemy uses the natural gifts the earth offers and transforms them into beautiful, modern; yet timeless jewelry not just to be worn, but to ‘live’ in.”

Ms. Wilson loves that jewelry can tell the world who you are - or who you want to be - on any given occasion and for every mood. “Jewelry speaks volumes about you, without you saying a word,” she says. “Small and dainty says romantic, shy, demure. Larger pieces show confidence and strength. Whether you wear a signature piece, or layer it on, great jewelry introduces you to the world.”

Earth and Alchemy jewelry will be available online in January. Get it now by calling 1-877-TRIBE44. Most pieces are custom orders, and she works with clients around the globe by sending sketches via e-mail.