RELIQUIAE JEWELRY

By Kate Williams

Collecting shells is a hobby that one shouldn’t outgrow, and jewelry designer Lisa Wells certainly never did. Wells uses found shell remains to create Reliquiae, her line of beautifully handcrafted mermaid-worthy baubles. “When I was a child, my godfather in Connecticut would give me seashell collections and scrimshawed pieces of ivory, and I also inherited my great-grandmother’s seashells from the Victorian era,” Wells says. “My true inspiration has always been from nature, both flora and fauna. I choose each shell for its unique aesthetics, but then I might add a Tahitian Pearl or mold silver to look like seaweed coming out of its clenches.” Wells donates one percent of sales to the National Resources Defense Council, which makes wearing these feel almost as good as a day at the beach.

http://reliquiaejewelry.com/