[dropcap letter=”C”]elebrity wedding planner Colin Cowie’s bold collection of estate jewelry on Blue Nile boasts statement pieces, luxury wedding jewelry and instant family heirlooms. The 10 inaugural pieces in Colin Cowie Estate Jewelry include vintage, retro and estate jewelry in two collections: Radiance and Luster. Cowie is the first designer for Blue Nile to work with to handpick a collection like this. We caught up with Cowie for a phone chat about these fabulous new pieces.
[dropcap letter=”Q”] How did you curate this collection? How could you possibly narrow it down to only 10 pieces? And how long did it take?
[dropcap letter=”A”] I was fortunate to work with one of the largest providers of estate jewelry. I looked through hundreds of thousands of items. They tell their own story. It doesn’t take long; my entire life is about curating.
I’m a ruthless editor. Either your eye is gifted that way or it is not gifted that way.
Tell us about this collection.
It’s a collection of diamonds, pearls and gorgeous metals. I love jewelry. I’m quite a jewelry collector myself. Jewels tell stories.
How do you think these pieces work for the modern bride?
It doesn’t matter if you’re a modern bride or a traditional bride; it is what is personal to you. A girl who has got good taste knows how to combine modern aesthetics with classic elements.
Can you offer some tips for caring for estate jewelry?
It’s like sterling silver, darling. I keep it in the dishwasher. I wear my best shoes when it rains because I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I use my good china every day. Wear your estate jewelry now.
For the estate pieces, you curated items for your collection. But for your engagement and wedding rings, you design them yourself. Can you tell us about that process?
I’m heavily into the design process. I’m a big jewelry collector myself. I like really good pieces—beautiful watches especially. [For my collections,] I come up with looks, diagrams and pictures. Then I present everything to design team, they do tweaks, we come back together, and assess again. And then it’s off to assembly.
Colin, you’re incredibly busy. Are you still planning weddings? How do you do all this?
Yes! If you want to get something done, you give it to a busy man. [Or woman!] In addition to this collection, I’m writing a new book and planning my next TV show.
What advice do you give to two men or two women buying wedding bands? Go for something similar to each other?
I think that jewelry needs to be very personal. No two people have the same DNA or same personality. Find the jewelry that has connection with you and speaks to you. Also, choose something timeless. Incredibly ornate timeless materials can sometimes date the piece.
What about selecting an engagement ring? Should it be a complete surprise to your partner?
Look, it’s not 1922. Today, people should select something together. “This is what I’m looking at. I love this kind of metal.” Send them a link or two for inspiration.
And now for the collection reveal!
Interested in more of Colin Cowie’s wedding jewelry? Here, we’ve played curator and selected some of our favorites of his wedding and engagement rings sold on Blue Nile.
