Katherine Jetter Combines Sisterhood and Natural Diamonds With Lady of the Rings
When Katherine Jetter introduced her Lady of the Rings collection, it was immediately clear there was more to this box of natural diamond signet rings than met the eye. “One ring to bind, one ring to inspire, and seven rings to guide,” says Jetter as she tells the story of the rings, each one with its own meaning and purpose.
The Lady of the Rings includes the Lioness, a protector and queen in her own right, raising her cubs with support from other mothers in her pack. The Archress serves as the direct messenger of the group, always keeping you on your path. The Queen of Hearts is rational and strategic always problem-solving and plotting while the Unicorn serves as the fun one, representing being fully evolved in who she is.
Venus is the motherer, the nurturer, and the comforter, Athena, is the protector, always confident and putting others before herself, and the Siren is modeled after the sirens of the seas in Greek mythology: either leading the ships home to safety or luring them to dangerous rocks. And, as a bonus, we have the Free Britney ring, representing strength and female emancipation.
Ahead, Jetter shares how she came up with this brilliant concept, which ring she identifies with the most, and why she thinks these rings are the perfect gift for your girl group this holiday season.
How did you come up with the concept for this collection?
Katherine Jetter: I realized that I am surrounded by amazing female friends, who all contribute to the beautiful circle of support and love that fills my heart with happiness. Everyone has a different role to play, and we all support each other in different ways. Not everyone is my best friend, but they are so meaningful to me, and each touch my heart in different ways. You need your fun friend, your logical friend, your balanced friend, your warrior friend, they don’t always come in the same person, and that’s a good thing. Together, as women, we are stronger if we lean on each other. I love being with my girlfriends, they give you support and outlets for who we are outside of being mothers, partners, wives, or colleagues. We need those outlets, and we should celebrate those friendships. Our girl tribe gives us strength.
Which ring do you identify with the most?
KJ: The Lioness. Throughout my custody battle for my daughter, I envisioned a lion standing next to me to protect us every time I needed strength. Eventually, I became strong enough to become my own lioness. I realize now that I am a leader, and I give strength to other women I bring into my fold. I protect my little cub, and I surround myself with strong females, and other lionesses, who do the same to lead, support, and encourage women. Lionesses are at the top of the food chain, they hunt and provide for their cubs together, and lend companionship to each other. It’s not always easy to be a leader, it can be lonely, but we protect and nurture those we love.
Your Nantucket store looks like an absolute jewelry dream. Can you take us on a “tour”?
KJ: The Vault is a celebration of Couture jewelry design. I opened it in 2017. I wanted to curate a jewelry store that isn’t about a business formula. Most jewelry stores have their watch space, their diamond space, their blockbuster brands, and then maybe 20% of case space, if we are lucky, is left dedicated to Couture jewelry designers like myself. I wanted my store to be wall-to-wall jewelry design. I try to showcase the best of every form or jewelry design, and I choose designers who I think have the best execution of product quality, design, workmanship, and stone knowledge. No designer overlaps in what they do, and for the consumer, it is a feast of jewelry design that they may never see so concentrated in one space. We tell every designer’s story and walk our client through the store, case by case to touch, feel and learn about the products and their stories.
What type of inspiration do you look to when designing your jewelry?
KJ: I am always absorbing information and inspiration around me. I’m all about color. I “paint’ with my gemstones as the canvas.
Why natural diamonds?
KJ: I personally only work with natural diamonds and natural-colored stones, because that’s what makes them special to me, that mother nature created them.
What’s your first memory of a diamond?
KJ: Oh my gosh, playing with my Nana’s box of jewelry treasures and playing dress up with her. We would put on our fancy clothes and lipstick and ‘dingle dangles’ as she called them and sit for hours and play with her jewels.
What does luxury mean to you?
KJ: Luxury means quality to me.
When you get dressed in the morning, what comes first: Jewelry or clothing?
KJ: Ha – clothing! But my clothes are chosen to complement my jewels. I basically never wear patterns, my clothes are just the backdrop canvas for my jewels…shhh! don’t tell anyone my secret!
