Valentine’s Day is here and if you are looking to buy a thoughtful gift for that special someone, Nina Nguyen Jewelry Studio is the perfect place to start. Her custom-made stackable pieces are easy to wear, ethically made and complement every type of look.
“My design is luxury, but you can wear my pieces to work, to going out at night, even to yoga. My look is luxury casual,” Nina says.
Nina has many years of experience in jewelry making which has made her into the successful entrepreneur she has become today. She started making jewelry in her native Vietnam at 7 years old. Gold pieces panned from the Buon Ma Thuot River were used by Nina’s uncle to create unique jewelry. After school, Nina would spend time with her uncle with a hammer and light torch, creating beautiful pieces of jewelry to sell within the family business.
The successful jewelry business was confiscated in the late 1980s and Nina’s father vanished for many years. Nina’s single mother took the family and relocated to the Philippines for one year. Then the family migrated to Tampa, Florida. After coming to the states, Nina went to college and later worked long hours in finance. “I enjoyed working long hours in finance but it was a stressful job,” Nina says. But her passion for jewels reignited during a trip to India. She saw colorful gemstones that inspired her to get back into jewelry making. Nina pursued her passion which led her to showcase her pieces at a trunk show in Naples, Florida.
“I didn’t know what I was doing. I made some pieces for the trunk show. A lady living in the Penthouse bought many of my pieces. Mrs. Marriott,” Nina tells us.
Success from the trunk show led to a stint in New York City. You could find Nina’s jewelry at upscale retailers including Macy’s and Lord & Taylor. But Nina wanted full control of her materials and designs so she decided to open her own showroom and create her own label.
“I was under pressure to modify my designs. The integrity of the product had to fit in the department store budget. I wanted to have control of quality and design,” she says.
Now you can find Nina’s high-quality designs close to home. Nina opened her Denver Jewelry Studio in 2000, and strong customer demand for her beautiful products allow her to also sell online, in 120 retail stores, and in her appointment-only showroom.
“Some of the items you will find are my patented convertible earrings that are very popular, as well as my “necklettes,” which are long beaded styles that can be worn as a single-strand necklace, a short layered necklace, or as a wrap bracelet.”
Nina breaks down the most popular pieces at her studio. They include:
1. Necklettes
2. Interchangeable Earrings
3. Delicate bangles
These pieces are perfect Valentine’s Day gift ideas! Visit ninangyen.com to shop Nina’s full collection. You can also call 720-459-7664 to make an appointment to visit Nina’s showroom.
Valentine's Day Gift Ideas:
1. Angel Wings Amethyst Earrings (Charms Only)
The perfect everyday style, the Angel Wings 15mm Gold Charms feature milky amethyst drops dangling from a diamond-studded bale.
$500, nina-nguyen.com
2. Hammer Silver Bangle
A slender, subtle-shimmer addition to any bracelet stack, the Hammered Silver Bangle is a new jewelry wardrobe essential with a snakeskin-like textured finish.
$220, nina-nguyen.com
3. Sapphire Silver Necklette
The best part about the Short Heritage Silver Necklette isn’t just that it can be worn long, doubled-up, or as a wrap bracelet (although that’s pretty cool). It’s that you can thread any of our Charms onto the sapphire beads—have fun playing with all the different combinations.
$220, nina-nguyen.com