In My Jewellery Box: Gabriela Hearst

Gabriela Hearst grew up on her family’s centuries-old sheep and cattle ranch in Uruguay. A keen horsewoman, she launched her first fashion line, the equestrian-inspired Candela, in 2004. She met her future husband Austin Hearst, grandson of media baron William Randolph Hearst and a proficient rider himself, at a restaurant in Buenos Aires and the couple married in 2013 at New York’s City Hall, followed by an extravagant do at the American Museum of Natural History a few months later.
While she still manages her family’s ranch, Hearst launched her latest, eponymously-named fashion brand with a presentation at her New York townhouse in February 2015. Her collections see modern, minimalist shapes crafted in the richest materials, with
textures and patterns that subtly evoke her Latin American heritage. With a love of antique and contemporary jewellery – not to mention access to vintage pieces inherited from her mother-in-law – Hearst has amassed an enviable collection of jewels. She shares her favourite pieces.

Hemmerle emerald ring
This Hemmerle ring was my “push present” when my son Jack was born in June 2015. I’m happy to say that I consider the Hemmerle family as friends, and I told them about this idea I had of a green emerald ring with no diamonds. They found this beautiful emerald from the late 1800s to set into a ring for me. The whole process was incredible; they made a wax model for me to try on and it was all done by hand, not 3D printed like most jewellers do. I like the fact that the ring is quite flat. There’s always an edge to Hemmerle jewellery; it’s attention-grabbing without being ostentiatious. I fell in love with Hemmerle just by looking at their pieces. I’ve always looked at jewellery and wondered what is it about women and jewels? In civilisations all over the world for centuries we’ve adorned our bodies with stones and jewels; I am fascinated by this inexplicable human attraction to jewellery.

Peter Miles bracelet
This one-of-a-kind custom-made cuff was designed by art director Peter
Miles. He had been designing jewellery without any real intention to make it but he showed me his 3D model of this bracelet and I said “Peter, we have to do this one for my birthday, we have to make it a reality!” Peter is very meticulous and particular, and considering that he’s never made jewellery before he knew exactly what he wanted. We needed to find someone in New York who could make it the way he wanted it so I asked Mark Emanuel, one of the owners of David Webb to do so. Peter always jokes that it took him two years to design it, and it took me two weeks to get it made!

I love its unique shape, which changes depending on which angle you put it on. It was custom-made for my wrist so it fits me perfectly and is just a gorgeous piece. I have it on display in my office along with other objects that inspire me.

Vintage diamond and ruby brooch
This brooch belonged to my husband’s mother, Mrs Austine McDonnell Hearst – it was one of her favourite pieces. She was a muse to Charles James and I always imagine her loving how fashion has taken a central role in our lives these days. She used to wear this brooch for important events – there are lots of historic photos of her wearing it at galas, or in portraits to mark the birth of her children. It’s an honour when I get to use her jewellery. It’s from the 1920s – you can tell as it’s set on silver, so it was made before people started to use white gold and platinum. I like wearing it on special occasions, but I also like to wear it during the daytime, teaming it with a denim jacket for example. I like playing with that contrast, making it fashionable so it doesn’t always look like a formal piece. You have to wear your jewellery because when you’re gone, someone else will be.

Gold David Webb bib necklace
I’ve been collecting vintage David Webb for a while. I went into the store one day with my husband and, unfortunately for him, they lent me this necklace for an event and I couldn’t take it off. I had to keep it, so he bought it for me as a mother’s day present in 2012. It was designed by David Webb in the 1970s and has that retro feel. It’s made of hammered gold which became a David Webb signature but it happened by mistake. The mould that he had made wasn’t smooth enough so he started hammering the metal to smooth out all the lines and that created this effect. One of those lucky mistakes.

I know this because I have got to know Mark Emanuel, one of the owners who bought the archive and all of David Webb’s drawings. I am such a fan of the brand – it’s one of the few jewellery houses that still makes everything in its store. The person who does the enamel has been doing it for decades. All the pieces are incredibly beautiful, especially this one.

JAR Lily of the Valley earrings
I bought these earrings from the JAR shop about two years ago. There wasn’t any particular occasion – I just really wanted them. I had visited the amazing store that’s kind of a temple a few times and the pieces never fit right or weren’t available, but on my third or fourth visit they brought these out from the storeroom and told me to try them on. As soon as I did so I said “yes, this is it”. They are just stunning. The 360-degree view of them is incredible – the way they look from the back, the front, the way they clip on the ear… every element of the design has been meticulously thought out.

I hugely admire JAR – he’s top of the list. I don’t think I have a grand jewellery collection by any means but if you take your collecting seriously then you have to have a piece of JAR. Like everything I buy, jewellery has to be well-crafted or have a special meaning. Buying things just for the sake of it doesn’t really drive me. It’s like art, it has to create a special feeling.