Get Ready To Shell Out

Jewelry inspired by the beach is this season’s hottest accessory.

- Paula Knight

For many, the peak of puka-shell relevance came and went with David Cassidy in The Partridge Family. For jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth, who grew up near the ocean in Southern California, that beach influence never waned. “I was really into puka shells in college,” she says. “I love using stones that feel like they come from the bottom of the sea.”

Jewelry inspired by the beach was one of the biggest trends in this year’s collections. Cowrie, cockle, sunray venus, and scallop shells are being paired with conventional precious stones such as diamonds and emeralds.