ThinkFest Spotlight: The Jewelry Whisperers Behind Luxury Shopping Site Stone & Strand
What do you get when you pair a Wharton grad (the totally chic Nadine McCarthy—that’s her up there on the right) and a former accessories and jewelry director for W magazine (the equally stylish Brooke Magnaghi)? The most amazingly curated, high-end jewelry e-store ever.
The less-than-a-year-old Stone & Strand is basically the Net-a-Porter of jewelry. The e-tailer is refreshing in that it’s only jewelry (necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings), but even moreso in that every single piece has been hand-picked by the Stone & Strand team—like these breathtaking, one-of-a-kind opal earrings, which retail for a cool $86,000. (The jewelry isn’t all bank-breaking, though; see the ‘Gifts Under $750’ tab, where you’ll find baubles like Anna Sheffield’s tiny teardrop studs, $115, and Daphna Simon’s silver pendant necklace, which features a monogram letter that looks as if its been carved into a tree, $160.)
It’s the sort of job most accessory-obsessed women would die for: Time spent scouring the globe for little-known designers, and then selling their wares on a beautiful, editorial site, with smart artist descriptions and photography worthy of a spread in Vogue. But the real draw of Stone & Strand is the collection of designers, the majority of whom are under-the-radar talents that only the most jet-setting of fashionistas would know and have access to.
In a world brimming with e-stores and knockoffs and fast fashion, how does a start-up company like Stone & Strand make it work—and, even better, become one of the most cult-loved jewelry sites around? You’ll get these answers at ThinkFest’s ‘Our New Start-Up Culture’ breakfast at Benjamin’s Desk this Friday at 8:30am. You’ll hear from founder Nadine McCarthy Kahane, as well as other innovative minds in the city, so that you can get thoroughly inspired before your first cup of coffee.
Buy tickets here (you can also buy tickets at the door, cash-only) and then maybe check out Stone & Strand and buy this (yes, it’s by the brother of Man Repeller blogger Leandra Medine). Hey, you’ll need something to wear on Friday, right?
