Rebecca Rau Jewels presents the Then & Now collection at NYC Jewelry Week, featuring new pieces ranging from classic to modern.
Fourth-generation designer, art dealer, and antiques dealer Rebecca Rau introduces new, one-of-a-kind pieces that blend ancient artifacts with contemporary gemstones, precious metals, and modern design. The Then & Now collection combines artifacts dating from 1200 BC to 1880 AD with modern gemstones, pearls, and precious metals. The collection ranges from Phoenician gold pendants and medieval rings, to Anglo-Saxon settings and 19th-century Italian micromosaics, each transformed into unique contemporary pieces through meticulous processes of conservation, engineering, and gemstone setting.
These pieces also mark the official debut of Rebecca Rau Jewels. The brand draws on her family’s legacy at MS Rau, a New Orleans gallery renowned for its museum-quality artworks, antiques, and historic jewelry. In this environment, Rebecca developed an eye for design and beauty that was both academic and instinctive. After completing her master’s degree at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, she spent years traveling throughout Europe and Asia, seeking out rare jewelry and objets d’art, while honing her curatorial skills.
Among the new works previewed in New York are the Hand-in-Hand ring, a rare medieval ring reimagined and set in an 18-karat gold band with green garnets and an old-mine-cut diamond. The Granulated Goddess is a ceremonial Phoenician votive pendant in gold framed by a large pink sapphire and tourmaline accents. The Charm of the Hexagon features a 1,500-year-old hand-carved Sassanian amethyst at its center, surrounded by platinum geometries and gemstones. The Green Flame necklace is constructed around a Saxon warrior’s bridle and illuminated by a Lightning Ridge black opal and an exceptional mint garnet, while The Good Pope features an Italian micromosaic portrait of Pope Pius VII surrounded by spinels and embellished with a South Sea pearl and a peach sapphire.
It’s exciting to finally present these special pieces to the public, after having slowly conceived and meticulously crafted them. I’m constantly inspired by the creative challenges that arise from working with rare historical artifacts, balancing the preservation of their unique character with the creation of jewelry that is both wearable and unexpected. The collection is a fusion of my passions: history, gemstones, objects, and design. I hope visitors will find a renewed sense of wonder and a connection to past civilizations with Then & Now.
Rebecca Rau
