Inspirations on eBay from Three of New York's Edgiest Jewelry Designers

By Suzanne Singer
November 18, 2009

Anna Sheffield

With two collections to design—contemporary line Bing Bang and Anna Sheffield fine jewelry—Anna Sheffield has still found time in her busy schedule to collaborate with trend-setting fashion designers 3.1 Phillip Lim and Marc Jacobs and mass market retailer Target. Her pieces evoke an ‘80s-punk-meets-Victorian aesthetic that mixes chains, charms, irregularly shaped bangles, and gem stones. Even Anna’s most delicate pieces make a statement. Rings are my number one favorite accessory, so naturally, I’m coveting this Bing Bang Duchess signet ring with black Swarovski crystals ($150).

Anna says she searches Ebay for pieces from the past to influence her collections. For Bing Bang, “I usually look under Vintage & Antique Jewelry for various keyword searches like crests, shields and seals. I also look under Collectibles for medals and military memorabilia. I also love arrows, lockets, and various birds, like swans, sparrows and doves." I can totally see these influences in her Bing Bang CIF necklace ($89) and Arrowhead necklace ($95), and I'd love these vintage pieces paired with her Gunmetal Mixed Chain necklace ($250).

Anna's eBay Picks:

Roll over items for details

Antique 14K Gold Hair Ring

(buy it now price, $374.99)

Inspirations on eBay from Three of New York's Edgiest Jewelry Designers

”I love crests. They're great old-world emblems and they usually have neat design elements at their center. This one is so neat; the hair inside the band is in the style of Victorian mourning jewelry.”

Bow and Arrow Brooch with Rhinestones

(starting bid, $7.99)

”Arrows & Bows are two of my favorite design elements to use for Valentine's jewelry. They have a menacing yet sweet feeling about them.”

Wendy Nichol

Self-taught designer Wendy Nichol first started her jewelry line in 2007 and has since expanded into handbags. Her pieces blend leather, studs, metals and semi-precious stones, all with a punk rock yet totally polished vibe. One look at her website, and it's clear the girl loves her some stud earrings. Check out her Spike Cone Studs (shown, $250 for 14K Gold), Small Pyramid Studs ($275 for 14K Gold), and Gold Doubled Cone Spikes ($300 for 14K Gold), all of which comes in various metals (and prices), such as silver, blackened silver and various weights of gold. Wendy says, “I think it's great to mix and match in silver, gold and oxidized gold. If you only want to wear one you could give the second to your BFF!”

Wendy's eBay Picks:

Ethnic Tribal Gold Stud Earrings

(buy it now price, $99)

“I love how even though these are really simple gold studs, they are clearly vintage and hand crafted. You can see that the ear post is hand made and the gold ball is probably hand cast. You can also see the natural porosity in the gold, which is what makes these special and one of a kind.”

Estate Dangle Diamond Stud Earrings

(buy it now price, $369)

“The horn shape gives these a tough look, but the diamonds and gold keep them feminine. I think wearing a pair of studs like these is a great way to subtly add an element of cool to your look."

Dana Lorenz

Dana Lorenz has been designing Fenton since 2005. It was so well-received that in 2007, she started Fallon to showcase new pieces with a similar vibe at a more budget friendly price. Each of Lorenz's designs is constructed from a wild hodgepodge of different mediums: When combined, metal, wood, beads, gems, pearls and even lace result in a perfectly imperfect creation. Who doesn’t want jewelry with a special and one-of-a-kind feel? Lately, she's totally loving bib and collar necklaces, like this Santa Clara spiked choker from Fallon ($188 at Shopbop).