Steve Walters Jewelry

American jewelry designer Llyn Strong works with rusted iron, white pearls, lapis lazuli, morganite and many more distinctive materials in Greenville, South Carolina, to create mostly one-of-a-kind necklaces, earrings, rings and other accessories that are as much sculptural works of art as they are jewelry.

Strong studied jewelry design at Western Carolina University and created her first piece in 1972. She opened the doors of Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry in 1986 and firmly established herself as an important member of the community in downtown Greenville for more than three decades. Then, in 2021, she moved to a smaller space on Washington Street in midtown. 

The move especially marked an important transition in Strong’s business perspective. Rather than endeavoring to evolve into a flashy jewelry empire, Strong recognizes that her clientele is specific — she sits with her customers and discusses their styles and needs — and that the firm’s unique, handcrafted melds of precious gemstones and unconventional materials don’t appeal to every kind of wearer. Her work is mostly custom, and whether it’s a beaded multicolored sapphire necklace or a mint-green tourmaline ring, the work of Llyn Strong Fine Art Jewelry is in a class of its own.

Strong is backed by a tight-knit, incredibly talented team — three-quarters of her staff are designers themselves with their own custom lines. A collection that followed their transition in 2021 served to commemorate the change — it’s butterfly-themed and includes 18-karat yellow and white gold butterfly dangle earrings and a bracelet aptly called the “Strong Transformation” Butterfly cuff. 

Strong's daughter, Sydney, took up the family business and has long worked alongside her mother. Sydney excelled in athletics and helped her mom design when she wasn’t playing soccer — eventually, she grew passionate about design and she completed a graduate degree in the gemologist program at the Gemological Institute of America.

Always an artist first and a businesswoman second, Strong is happy in the new environment, still putting customers first. To her, jewelry is an artistic expression that says who you are, and to that point, her work speaks volumes.

Find a collection of Llyn Strong rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Contemporary jewelry is inextricably linked with the moment in which it is created, frequently reflecting current social, cultural and political issues such as environmental consciousness, identity and sustainability. It’s informed by fashion trends, from the chokers of the 1990s to the large chain necklaces of the early 2000s.

Jewelry is one of the oldest forms of adornment. Lockets made of silver or gold have been treasured gifts for hundreds of years, for example, and charm bracelets, which have existed since prehistoric times, didn’t become especially popular until the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. For many centuries, fine jewelry was used primarily to express wealth or status through lavish materials. Then, in the 1960s, a concept known as the “critique of preciousness” emerged, with jewelers creating pieces that did not get their value from gemstones or precious metals. Instead, it was the jeweler’s artistic vision that was prized and elevated.

This shift still informs Contemporary jewelry being made by artists today. Whether they are using cheap, found materials and working with provocative geometric shapes or seeking out the rarest stones, they are imbuing their work with meaning through their skills, techniques and ideas. Innovative designers such as Elsa Peretti, who popularized sculptural sterling-silver jewelry for Tiffany & Co., and David Yurman, who twisted metal into the simple yet striking Cable bracelet, have also influenced the direction of Contemporary jewelry’s forms and aesthetics.

Meanwhile, technological advancements like metal alloys and laser engraving have led to new possibilities in jewelry design. Now, edgy makers and brands as well as minimalist designers are pushing Contemporary jewelry forward into the 21st century.

Find a collection of Contemporary rings, earrings, necklaces and other jewelry on 1stDibs.

Whether they’re chunky, statement-making accessories or a single strand of the understated sort, antique and vintage beaded necklaces are versatile pieces of jewelry. Indeed, the unique beaded necklaces in your jewelry box likely go with everything, from casual summer tops and shorts to dazzling evening gowns.

From the fish-bone and seashell jewelry of the prehistoric era to the breathtaking amulets and pendants of ancient Egypt to modern sapphire beads, people have been accessorizing with beaded necklaces for eternity.

Beaded necklaces — as well as other kinds of necklaces — were common in prehistoric times. Personal adornment was important, and jewelry was made for every part of the body. Beadwork is among the best known art forms attributed to Native Americans, and just as they had for saddlery and clothing, early populations would fashion beads for necklaces with stone tools or instruments made of wood. The making of colorful glass beads for beaded necklaces likely originated in Venice, Italy, during the 14th century, particularly given the growth of the decorative glass industry on the series of Venetian islands called Murano. During the Neolithic period, humans were buried with coral beaded necklaces from the Mediterranean, even as far north as the Alps.

Whether you’re seeking the pop of color you’ll get in a double-row jade beaded necklace from the Art Deco era — which encompasses the 1920s and ’30s and ushered in a very distinct look in jewelry design — or perhaps a simple strand of pearls for a blouse that leaves your neck bare, remember that different necklines call for different pieces of jewelry.

When accessorizing with a beaded necklace, a long piece with a pendant will likely pair best with your favorite vintage V-neck dress or V-neck tee, while beaded chokers and collar necklaces are a stylish fit for strapless tops. Bigger beads will hit your neckline in a different way than a more minimalist necklace might, so you’ll want to keep that in mind. Choose colors you like and pick items that will go with what is in your closet. When the occasion calls for it, don’t be afraid to stack. “More is more” for some, so pairing a delicate strand with a bolder piece might be the move for you.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of pearl beaded necklaces, antique emerald beaded necklaces, diamond beaded necklaces and more.