Emily P. Wheeler, renowned for her distinctive use of color in creating sophisticated and flawlessly crafted designs, has expanded her range with a new vintage collection. The range features rare, signed work from the most prestigious heritage houses, as well as a series of unsigned creations that she reworked and updated to mirror today’s modern aesthetic and her current core collection.
The signed arm of the vintage collection features jewelry created in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s that Wheeler has sourced over the last decade. Standout items include a rare 1970s Bulgari necklace featuring their signature links with carved gemstones, a custom one-of-a-kind Hemmerle Necklace made in the ‘70s with an exceptional blue sapphire and a unique articulating chain, a pair of Tiffany & Co. solid gold chunky earrings from the ‘80s, and Chopard’s iconic Happy Heart drop earrings with diamonds and colored sapphire side stones. Unsigned pieces encompass a pair of 8 carat heart-shaped ruby earrings with an invisible setting and diamonds, and a turquoise enamel snake cuff accented with rubies and diamonds from Italy.
On her love for vintage, Emily Wheeler, says “As a fan of all things vintage, clothes, furniture, and jewelry, this new launch was a natural extension of the brand for me. I love mixing old with new, which you see reflected in my home, how I dress, and with my jewelry. I am inherently a nostalgic person and started collecting vintage jewelry about ten years ago for myself, as I loved pairing pieces from different eras with my newer designs.”
For the reworked pieces in the collection, she sourced antique Euro cut diamond tennis necklaces and bracelets, which she then disassembled and recreated in a Victorian collet setting juxtaposed with vibrant e-coating in blue, purple, and pink variations. Another item in the reworked line includes a pendant and clasp from a 1960s unsigned diamond and gold chunky necklace. She improved the settings and findings on the two hardware pieces and then repurposed and assembled them into a necklace using large Arizona turquoise rondelles. Wheeler also reimagined a heart pendant from a 1970s necklace and strung it with several pearl strands from other vintage pieces to make a modern choker.
The designer has been curating vintage jewelry for herself for over a decade and has observed a rising demand for vintage pieces in the market, with many celebrities choosing them on the red carpet. Sustainability is a core value of her brand, and she is always exploring new ways to integrate it into her business; by reimagining vintage jewelry into contemporary styles, she is able to recycle materials. Wheeler is also a member of The Ethical Metalsmiths, The Community for Responsible Jewelry, and exclusively uses Single Mine Origin Gold.
“Sustainability is at the heart of my brand,” says Wheeler. “Everything I design is responsibly sourced using Singe Mine Origin gold and other recycled precious metal. Reworking these vintage pieces embodied that same ethos and allowed me to bring new life to them while simultaneously recycling materials. It’s sort of like jewelry upcycling.”
Emily P. Wheeler independently verifies the authenticity of all their signed vintage pieces and provides a full guarantee with purchase. The vintage collection is launching exclusively with Bergdorf Goodman and will also be available for purchase at the Emily P. Wheeler showroom in LA and at www.emilypwheeler.com.
