Rock Chicks Part 2: Melissa Joy Manning

By Jen Smith
March 17, 2010

Melissa Joy Manning and her showroom

Having recently returned from the annual Tucson Gem Show and had a chance to unpack their luggage full of rocks, New York-based jewelry designers Melissa Joy Manning and Lori Leven of New York Adorned spoke to our Jen Smith about shopping for gems. Check out Jen's conversation with Melissa Joy Manning below, and find her talk with Lori Leven by clicking here.—The Editors

Melissa Joy Manning’s sunlit showroom in New York's Soho neighborhood has the surprising feeling of a back room at the Museum of Natural History. Among the cowhides covering the creaky wooden floors and the sleek furniture and grand chandelier are glass cabinets where the designer's curated collection of nature specimens—like river rocks, bones, and fossils—shares space with her one-of-a kind heirloom quality jewelry. Manning tells us, “The balance of elements intrigues me—perfectly created modern items contrasted with natural organic textures and surfaces."

Indeed, Manning's modern jewelry pieces are infused with natural elements—hand-hammered metal; rough-hewn or unfinished stones; and fossils, teeth and even claws. Sustainability is a major part of her practice, whether that means making every effort to buy only conflict-free diamonds, recycling scrap metal or incorporating as many elements as possible from the materials she uses. "[Ancient] non-Western cultures strongly believed in using every part of an animal. In this practice, tribes were assured that they did not waste or dishonor the spirit of the animal; it was the ultimate honor to the chain of life," she says. "It was thought that teeth and claws carry the spirit of the animal within them, and when used in tribal dress, they would transfer this spiritual power to the wearer. When I find a piece that is over 150 years old, I am intrigued by its beauty, spirituality and history. I am honored to create something so powerful; a piece that is both respectful of our histories and mindful of its spiritual value; something that I believe is infinitely more precious than a diamond."

Manning, who is also known for frequently aligning with a variety of charities, also shared that she is opening a retail boutique this fall. “I’m a total hippie!” she laughs. “I envision it as a modern terrarium!”

Clockwise from top left: Uruguayan Green Agate Drop Earring-14 Karat Gold ($485), Pyrite Ammonite Prong Set Ring-14 Karat Gold ($325), One of Kind Tourmaline Necklace-14 Karat Gold ($845), Moroccan Drusy Pendant-14 Karat Gold Necklace ($825)

The Inside Source: How do you shop for the perfect gems, Melissa?

Melissa Joy Manning: I make sure not to shop with an agenda! I keep an open mind. I wait for stones to “speak” to me.

TIS: Where do you find them?

MJM: Many stones come from Russia and India, Mexico, and most agates I find domestically.

TIS: Do you prefer any particular form of stone (rough, uncut, polished)?

MJM: I rarely seek out calibrated stones. I’m more into natural organic textures—slices straight off the rock that reveal a stone’s natural beauty and funky, unknown rocks with a perfectly machinated cut are dualities I’m drawn too.

TIS: Describe your jewelry-making creative process.

MJM: The stones decide what they want to be. Once I get them to the office, they are sorted by color and then put into boxes. I line them up on the floor or on a table, and then I walk by them, noticing their different qualities. This sometimes takes a long time, sometimes months and especially with stones I like, I take time to think about them. Then I sit down and design the collection, about 12-30 pieces, all at once—it usually takes me about an hour or so.

TIS: What are you favorite gems this season?

MJM: I am intrigued by all forms of agates—I’ve accumulated quite a collection of lapidary journals! I love organic forms—alternative stones and chips, specimens, and natural formations. Plus, I’m really into 1970s jewelry, minus the macramé!

TIS: Are there any you are bored with?

MJM: I’m over perfectly pretty gems, like full cut diamonds. And beads! I’m getting tired of them.

TIS: Do you have favorite stones you like to wear?

MJM: Yes—I have an amazing green cat’s eye opal, an amethyst crystal specimen, a pyratized ammonite (which looks like a metal but is actually a stone), and I wear a purple Laguna agate ring a lot.

TIS: Any gems you return to again and again?

MJM: Diamond slices and agates are always in the collections.

TIS: Have you ever mined your own rocks?

MJM: I wish!

Melissa Joy Manning's eBay Shopping List

1. Five New Petoskey Fossil Coral Freeform Facet Beads (buy it now price, $8.95)

"Being an active member of SeaWeb and having pledged to not use red or pink coral in my work, I was excited to discover “Petoskey” corals on a recent stone buying trip. Unlike red or pink corals, these fossils are not endangered. The fact that this beautiful stone doesn’t cause damage to our seas or existing coral reefs aligns with my pledge and our own company's sustainability beliefs. I am intrigued by the texture and natural variance of color in the stone; it looks like vintage floral wallpaper. I’m excited to see what the stone wants to become when married with metal."

2. Laguna Agate (buy it now price, $9.99)

"These agates are art. With amazing color banding and hues of lavenders, Laguna Agate is an amazing stone. Similar to Montana agate in texture, the Laguna surface sets itself apart with its subtle color tone. Figuring out how to give these stones their due will be a great design challenge!"

3. Pyrite Sun (buy it now price, $59.95)

"These stones rock. Completely out of my organic, hippie box, I find these stones to be edgy and well, I hate to use the word, cool. Paired with some mixed metals, these stones will be amazingly dramatic necklaces that will enhance any leather or black outfit next fall. I’m excited to layer them up with some heavy chains and set them as huge cuffs."

4. 51 Gram Montana Dryhead Agate (buy it now price, $8.00)

"I can’t wait to set raw slabs in big pendant necklaces. Without the macramé, this stone is a beautiful update to the organic jewelry of the 1970s (with which I am currently obsessed!)"

A freelance editor who recently relocated to Tucson from New York, Jen Smith was the Fashion Director at Cookie. Before that, she was the Senior Fashion Editor at Lucky.

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