18k and Sterling Silver Mermaid Style Heart Necklace with Rusted Iron

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.