One of the many surprises awaiting me when I moved to coastal Connecticut is that when I turned on the FM radio a few Hamptons stations would come in loud and clear, a reminder that I was not so far from my previous home of New York after all (at least as the crow flies). And on very clear days, when I’m biking along Knollwood Beach, I can even make out the North Fork of Long Island across the sound.
I suppose whether you’re in the Hamptons or New England at this precise moment, we’re all doing a version of the same thing—summering as a verb for the most part, unless you’re a local. Take fashion designer Cynthia Rowley, who has been one of Montauk’s most famous residents since 1999. Her connection to the eastern tip of the area’s South Fork doesn’t just give her new collaboration with the jewelry brand Loquet London context but a whole lot of credibility to boot.
The collection features six different charms in 18k gold and diamonds and colored gemstones, all corresponding to a marine life theme. Each is meant to be added to one of Loquet’s signature crystal lockets as part of a curated jumble of words, trinkets, and stones (see photo at top).
“Being an avid surfer and having a home in Montauk for decades, the ocean has inspired countless of my designs, from our popular wet suits to many of our sea-themed prints,” said Rowley in a prepared statement accompanying the official announcement. “I have the fondest memories of living at the beach and being with my daughters, and I wanted to incorporate that nostalgic part of my life into the charms, hoping they spark a bit of joy and are reminiscent of cherished times for all that wear them.”
From left: 18k gold turtle with tsavorite; 18k gold lobster with diamonds; 18k gold seashell with rainbow sapphires; 18k gold palm tree with tsavorite and a single brown diamond; and 18k white gold dolphin with diamonds, all $330 each. (Not pictured is an 18k white gold seahorse with blue sapphires.)
Sheherazade Goldsmith, founder of Loquet London, says she approached Rowley with an opportunity to collaborate because “I am a massive admirer of hers. It was a dream come true that she said yes. Cynthia had complete creative control and designed all aspects of the charms, including what gemstones we used.”
Goldsmith also has a personal affinity for the chosen motifs because prior to starting Loquet London, she was an environmental journalist and continues to have a deep respect for oceans, beaches, and the life that inhabits them.
As such, Loquet London will donate a percentage of proceeds from the collection to the Surfrider Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s oceans and beaches through a powerful activist network.
Top: “Every charm we create is sentimental and has meaning, and Cynthia’s collection evokes a mix of wanderlust, serenity, and wistfulness,” said Loquet London founder Sheherazade Goldsmith in a statement. Crystal locket and chain in 18k gold with assorted charms, $3,085
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