Daniela Villegas

Owning a piece of jewelry by Daniela Villegas is as much about accessorizing an outfit as it is about purchasing a work of art. Her nature-inspired creations, most of which are one-of-a-kind, exhibit the fine-tuned handcraftsmanship of a sculpture. The Mexico-born, Los Angeles-based artist (who is married to furniture designer Sami Hayek, brother to Salma) studies nature’s less expected elements, finding the beauty in everything from beetles and porcupine quills to feathers, shells and wood. Each delicate item combines metals like 18-karat gold with precious gemstones like chrysoberyl, andesine, brown sapphires or blue zircon to create eye-catching rings, necklaces and earrings. Colorful and heartfelt, each one is likely to become a treasured favorite.