Powerful Pins: Latest Brooch Trend from Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist

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Lady Gaga stepped out to sing the national anthem at President Joe Biden’s inauguration wearing a piece of jewelry you could not miss. The bold brooch of a soaring gold dove with olive branch in beak was as captivating as her rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. Without words, her message to a divided nation was clear: “May we all make peace with each other.” Later tweeting the same, she confirmed the sentiment in response to the brooch buzz.

ABOVE: Detail, Okami brooch from Paula Crevoshay, part of her Endangered Species series; photo courtesy Paula Crovoshay

Jewelry, and pins in particular, are no stranger to diplomacy. Madeleine Albright is perhaps the “Queenpin” of “brooching” a subject with jewelry. “The right symbol at the correct time can add warmth or needed edge to a relationship, injecting an element of humor and spice,” writes the former Secretary of State. The avid pin collector authored the book Read My Pins, first published in 2009. A mistress of using pins as “gentle implements of statecraft” in her diplomatic arsenal, she said dignitaries were happier to see her wearing a bright, shiny sun on her lapel than a wasp.

Also an ardent brooch fan, former Watergate special prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks now appears as a legal analyst on newscasts. Typically, she’s sporting provocative pins that send political messages. A long-nosed Pinocchio, a witch riding a broom, the “no evil” monkey trio, Humpty Dumpty, and a duck (as in lame) are just some of them. Pins are communicators and conversation starters.

Brooches Are Cool

Brooches have evolved from their functional origins to fasten and secure clothing to become coveted adornment and provocative statement makers. Pins are popular accessories styling recent runways of the likes of Louis Vuitton, Schiaparelli Couture, and Versace.

The Zoe Report, in late January, recognized that statement brooches are getting a lot of attention. “Think big, colorful pieces that add instant pizzazz to an outfit,” said the lifestyle e-zine.

The luxury lifestyle digital media site Dandelion Chandelier discussed the brooch trend last summer and how to wear one without channeling a “grandma or Queen Elizabeth” vibe. Among the unusual styling tips cited: clustering pins on jackets, pinning them at the cuff, and decorating pant pockets. Adorning hats and scarves can also work. For men, the site hails pins perfect for lapels, ties, and collars.

Celebrity jewelry stylist Michael O’Connor noted that the trend for men to brooch it continues to grow among young actors. Regarding the orchid brooch actor Jared Leto wore to the 2021 Golden Globe Awards, O’Connor shared he was glad to see “bros enjoying the man-brooch.”

Brooch as Power Piece

It’s true that brooches have a reputation for being a bit formal and fussy — but. “When you see Lady Gaga wearing this brooch, so big, bold, and unapologetic, wow, that’s cool,” says jewelry designer Cynthia Marcusson of Cynthia Renée Inc., Cary, North Carolina. “Brooches are power pieces that say, ‘Here I Am.’”

Marcusson shares the story of her own personal power piece, a gold rooster brooch she designed in 1997. “It tells the story of my early life and where I was in my career,” she relates, evoking her “success after a lot of trudging, hurtling and climbing.” She recalls riding a horse as a child, herding a plucky red rooster and his hen harem into the chicken house — the event that inspired the design. “My Local Girl Makes Good brooch is a talismanic jewel linking me to my world and borrowing some of the world’s symbol energy in return.”

Brooches, and jewelry in general, can be powerfully talismanic, symbols of security, love, and connection empowering their wearers, Marcusson shares. “When you feel vulnerable, jewelry can be powerful armor. What you choose and how you arrange it sends a message before you speak.”

One tiny brooch on a jacket may not tell much, but Marcusson suggests if you group three small brooches together, they can speak paragraphs. “A collection of floral brooches connects you to that trip roaming the rural countryside and your love of flowers, birds, and natural life. Or, rock that tiny brooch on a beret and go out and seize the world!”

Flora & Fauna

Well known for life forms, Paula Crevoshay is an Albuquerque, New Mexico, based designer who began making flowers early in her career. Many of her latest designs depict endangered species with a fierce realism, like the grey wolf Okami. The pin/pendant is crafted in 18K gold encrusted with 657 gemstones weighing nearly 23 carats. Like her flowers, her wildlife designs seem alive, as their eyes appear to gaze back at their viewer. Okami has piercing amber eyes with black diamond pupils, a hand-carved black jade nose, and fur of cognac and white diamonds and labradorite.

“In order to make them have a soul, when their eyes look back at you, they move with you,” Crevoshay describes. “The position and slope of the eyes, as well as the gems selected, make all the difference in bringing the piece to life.”

Also inspired by wildlife and the versatility of pin/pendants, Los Angeles designer for Retrouvaí Kirsty Stone created a small collection of polka dot “perched” animals. These were inspired by the iconic 20th century jewelry designer for Tiffany Jean Schlumberger, who was known for his colorful, nature-inspired designs.

From the collection, Stone describes two bespoke pieces. One is an 18K gold perched monkey brooch on bicolor tourmaline with hand-cut lapis. The other (above) is a gold peacock on tourmaline with a fan of gemstone eye feathers. “Each piece is one of a kind and evolving up until all of the components are finally assembled,” she tells. “I had this beautiful pink tourmaline reserved for a different animal, but as the peacock was coming together, I quickly changed course.”

Brooch as Big Canvas

Many designers enjoy designing brooches because the format provides such a large canvas for play. Among them is Todd Reed, the Boulder, Colorado, designer who is recognized for championing the “raw elegance” movement in diamonds. “Working vertically on someone’s chest is intimate and offers a large and reasonable surface to express a desired concept,” he describes. “I feel that brooches are well off the body, and therefore lean more readily towards sculpture than other jewelry styles.”

Deborah Yonick is the author of Trends in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, and has been writing about jewelry and fashion trends for more than 25 years for trade and consumer publications and online. This post has been excerpted from her column “Pin Up” in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist Summer 2021.