Carol Brodie

What gets you excited in jewelry today?

I see two distinct trends: One is the use of unusual colorful gems that aren’t the typical sapphires, emeralds and rubies. Women are now more open to jewels like Paraiba tourmaline, morganite and rubellite. These gorgeous gemstones have a magnetic appeal—you are not sure why you fall in love with them, but you do. The other thing is rarity, especially anything that is an antique and has a story to tell, which all antiques do. I love antique jewelry, and it inspires me. I spend a majority of my time looking to remake fabulous older pieces. If it is too expensive to reconstruct, I work with my designers to create it in a more affordable version. I’m working on a collection of poison rings, but mine will be “love” rings filled with potent tokens of affection.