Daily Diamond Delights

Incorporating signature brand elements into a new line of fine fashion jewelry

By Deborah Yonick

(Originally Posted August 2024)

For more than 25 years, designer Barry Verragio has built the Verragio brand in the heart of New York City, crafting unique engagement rings and wedding bands in distinctive bridal collections.

Known for marrying time-honored craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology, the brand expanded its offerings in 2023 to include fine fashion jewelry that would allow its bridal customers to grow with the brand.

Pendant necklaces, bangles, bracelets, hoops, and statement earrings and rings borrow signature elements from the brand’s bridal story (such as scrollwork, beading, and mixed diamond cuts) and use them in luxury styles that are meant to be worn every day.

Vanguard, the latest collection in the brand’s new fine jewelry line, sets natural diamonds (of G/H-color, SI-clarity or better) in 18k white gold designs inspired by New York City’s skyline.

On the Forefront

As the name suggests, Vanguard represents a movement at the forefront, drawing strong design cues from the golden age of Art Deco architecture in New York City.

“Our office windows face the Empire State Building,” says Verragio, whose walk to and from work passes the Chrysler Building, Fred F. French Building, and Chanin Building, “all of which have overwhelming attention to detail, a soaring sleekness, and a cool combination of micro and macro design.”

Verragio created Vanguard exclusively in 18k white gold and diamonds to recapture the sleek tonality of Art Deco architecture and highlight different cuts of diamonds. While pieces can be made in yellow or rose gold upon request, the chief designer for the brand explains that the luster of the white gold speaks to the intent of the design, which echoes the chromed futurism of the early 20th century.

Bold pendants, choker necklaces, and statement earrings created with a mix of marquise and round stone shapes are among the diamond-intense, contemporary jewelry designs in this series. Moreover, the collection includes ring and earring jackets—for the first time in the brand’s 26-year history—for clients to dress-up their diamond basics.

“Vanguard capitalizes on our bestselling bridal ring features like mixed diamond cuts, classic styling, and recognizable motifs, offering our customers jewelry they can wear every day with their rings,” says Verragio. “My favorite piece is the side-facing circular hoops with graduated diamonds as it flatters the face, creates natural luminosity, and stands out in a crowd.”

Core DNA in Design

The bridal brand expanded into the fine jewelry category with the launch of its Veritage, Reverie, and Devotion collections at Couture Las Vegas last year, a move Verragio says was years in the making.

Well known for its attention to detail, intricate scrollwork, beading, and calibrated diamonds, the brand has incorporated these signature design elements into its fine jewelry collections.

“We wanted to offer our clients and fans a further way to grow with Verragio and believed our unique design point of view brought something new and different to the market,” he explains. He cites that in 2022 he brought on as creative director Sophia Macris, a 15-year veteran in designer fine jewelry, to build this category for the bridal brand.

“Working with Sophia, I recalibrated my assumptions about the structure of fine jewelry collections,” Verragio shares, noting that it helped to have a core DNA to translate into this new category for the brand.

The Vanguard pieces are intended to elevate everyday wear, says Macris, underscoring that those who come to Verragio for bridal, can now add to their collections and experience more of the brand’s iconic styling to continue the story they tell with the jewelry they wear every day.

“[Jewelry] tells a story about you at that point in time, but it is part of a longer story you tell about yourself,” Macris recently told JCK. “You can tell that story every time you put it on in the morning. We’re able to reach someone at that emotional moment…about what is meaningful to them…a point where you want to remember something special.”