Q & A with Jewelry Designer Daphna Simon

I love animal jewelry and when I came across Daphna Simon‘s “Untamed Jewels” collection it ranked right up there with the Cartier panther. Her line has now recently been redefined and not only can you purchase directly from her website, she has broken down some price points with her gold-plated versions. Some of the animals that are depicted in her designs are the wolf, bear, leopard, elephant and frog.

I got a moment to catch up with her and see what she and her hand-crafted jewels have been up to:

I just launched my new boutique line and a brand-new website, both of which I’m really excited about!   The new line is gold plated and features fun new animals such as a koala, elephant, frog, lion and even a camel! I previously only worked in 18K gold and sterling silver so it’s a great opportunity to offer the same style sensibilities at a new and affordable price point. I’m already working on expanding this new line.   The “Untamed Jewels” line was only available in stores until now so the new website that includes an online shop opens new doors by letting visitors from all over the world browse and shop from a wide variety of pieces.   

I have always known since I was a little girl that I will do something that has to do with art or fashion. I have always loved fashion and jewelry, and studied at a professional high school that focused on fashion design. When I finished high school I was headed towards the fashion industry, but one day spontaneously I decided to take a short jewelry course and fell in love. I studied goldsmithing for four years in Israel, then moved to NYC and launched my company. My jewelry is inspired by nature and the animal world, I’ve always loved animals and traveling and both inspire me greatly.

Proudest moments no doubt include the first time I randomly saw someone on the street wearing my jewelry. Ranked high up there are also when clients tell me how much they appreciated my designs. That’s the reason I love to create – I want people to enjoy the jewelry and to really feel special while wearing it.

I have so many plans! I hope to expand my line and move back into fashion a bit more, incorporate my designs in bags, belt buckles, and other accessories. That’s where I started – I used to sit hours upon hours designing and sewing bags and clothes.

My favorite piece of my own would have to be the signature grizzly ring in 18K gold, I have been wearing it every day for as long as I can remember!