Claire Florence strives to put a fine art slant on the craft of jewelry design. Trained as a painter, the New York-based Florence, who also worked in the fashion industry, sees her pieces, which are both contemporary and “timeless,” as intended not to be trendy, but as objects that tell a story and can be passed down through generations.

Her aesthetic is minimal, yet sculptural. Florence works primarily in 18 karat gold and with semiprecious stones, such as green amethyst and tourmalines as well as green and blue sapphires. “I love color,” she explains. The gold, she says, is very weighty, but recently she has ventured into working with gold wire as a suitable alternative. She has a mind for creative integration of technology into her jewelry creation, adding AI to her process. “It’s a tool to take things beyond ‘normal’ thinking,” she says.

**18k Gold Cuffs with Tanzanite ($2,500).**

Florence cites Elsa Peretti as an inspiration. “She is the be all, end all, especially in terms of risk,” states Florence, who in acknowledgment of Peretti will be working in silver soon.

“People collect my pieces like they would art,” she says. “My customer is someone like me—a mature woman who dresses simply and loves ‘that’ piece, something that’s different from everyone else.”

While Florence describes herself as “of the high-end luxury world,” her jewelry is “reasonable for what they are.” Pieces featuring more modest gems range in price from about $1,200 to $25,000. “Crazy” pieces go for about $100,000.

Florence’s pieces impressed Marissa Collections owner and CEO Jay Hartington, who will host her debut in the important Palm Beach market this November at Marissa’s Royal Poinciana Plaza gallery and penthouse. “Florence will design an exclusive Marissa Pink jewelry collection embodying her artistic foundation, while incorporating innovative techniques, intricate patterns, and radiant light,” he says.

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