11 Minimalist Jewelry Brands For Simple, Understated Elegance
Less is more with minimalist jewelry designs that are infinitely wearable and leave a lighter footprint on the planet.
What is minimalist jewelry, exactly?
For some, it’s a pared-back, fuss-free glimmer of gold or subtle silver sparkle. For others, it means simple silhouettes on bold, contemporary pieces.
While the minimalist, simple jewelry aesthetic is open to interpretation, there are some things most can agree on—namely that pieces are highly versatile, timeless, and suitable for everyday wear as they are for special occasions.
These qualities also make minimalist pieces perfect for gifting, especially if you’re looking for gifts for minimalists.
Everything we recommend to you on Sustainable Jungle is independently researched and we ask all brands to confirm their claims. To avoid waste, we test products on an as needed basis. This post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more about why we do this here.
The Best Minimalist Jewelry Brands That Really Shine
Sustainably made in Italy, Rays & Riches is a go-to for modern minimalist jewelry using the most ethically-sourced gemstones, recycled and ethically-sourced gold filled metals, and repurposed pearls.
For fairytale-esque minimalist gold and silver jewelry with plenty of personalized options, there’s Praxis Jewelry. Pieces are hand hammered and hand stamped to create custom items.
Even among these unique jewelry brands, Josiah Eidmann Studios stands out. They design, create, and make exquisite minimal jewelry using natural wood of all types.
Dangle your way to the end of the article to find out how we sifted through the many dainty jewelry brands out there to find these hidden (and not-so-hidden) gems.
The Full List Of Sustainable & Simple Jewelry Brands
- Praxis Jewelry | Visit Store
- Rays & Riches | Visit Store
- Nyrelle | Visit Store
- B Blane Designs | Visit Store
- Catbird | Visit Store
- Tumble and Rose | Visit Store
- Josiah Eidmann Studios | Visit Store
- Spirit of Vera | Visit Store
- Schmuckn | Visit Store
- Raven + Lily | Visit Store
- Automic Gold | Visit Store
1. Praxis Jewelry
About Praxis Jewelry
Price range: $36–$1,594
California-based Praxis Jewelry is the solo venture of jeweler Allison Cecil.
Alison used to run a large jewelry company but sold it to focus on what she loves most: the process of making each piece of jewelry and connecting with a client’s needs.
With a “refined rustic and organic flare”, you’ll find stunning bracelets, bangles, necklaces, and rings in their minimalist recycled jewelry collection.
Personalized engraving options are available such as the Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet, making for minimalist jewelry men and women alike can confidently flaunt.
Praxis Jewelry’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
This conscious jewelry brand uses reclaimed precious metals, including gold, silver, and 100% recycled solid 950 platinum.
Stones are either lab-created or ethically sourced.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Each minimalist fine jewelry piece is handcrafted by Allison in her San Diego studio.
We’ll be asking for specifics on their ethical stone sourcing so in the meantime, we recommend sticking to the ethical lab-grown or stone-free options.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Using recycled precious metals makes for a lower environmental impact and avoids the ethical issues associated with mining.
Handcrafting to order means less product waste and no unnecessary use of resources.
2. Rays & Riches
About Rays & Riches
Price range: $8–$172
Rays & Riches is on a mission to change the jewelry industry so that sustainable, circular jewelry becomes the norm and ethical practices the standard.
Using repurposed materials, this affordable minimalist jewelry brand has managed to create a stunning selection that utilizes the best in simple jewelry design.
Take your pick from repurposed rings, earrings, and earcuffs.
A standout piece that will pair with just about anything is the Beaded Spiral Earrings, available in small and big as well as finished with hematite beads.
We’ve tried them (along with some of their other designs) and are captivated by each piece’s unique charm and environmental ethos. This Italy-based brand skillfully transforms ethical metals and upcycled gemstones into pieces that truly celebrate nature’s beauty.
Rays & Riches Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The vast majority of the gold fill used in Ray & Riches minimal gold jewelry is recycled. The small percentage that’s left consists of ethically-sourced metals.
Some limited styles of their simple jewelry design involves using gemstones and pearls that have been extracted and repurposed from pre-loved jewelry. This is a sustainable choice that honors the treasures already gifted to us.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Every piece is made by the company owner’s hand to order which removes any issues with over-production and waste.
It also means that no workers are exploited and no chemicals have been used in production.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
This brand sends out orders packaged in jewelry boxes with a soft inlay made from Tall oil. This is a by-product extracted from trees during paper production and a massive improvement on traditional plastic-foam inserts made from crude oil.
Mailer bags are 100% compostable, cardboard boxes and 60% recycled, FSC accredited, and 100% recyclable or compostable. Cards and paper wrapping is 100% recyclable.
Rays & Riches also just went carbon neutral with their shipping.
3. Nyrelle
About Nyrelle
Price range: $24–$1,907
Nyrelle offers a huge selection of fine minimalist jewelry including anklets, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and rings.
Their collections include mother and child, minimalist wedding jewelry gifts, simple bridal jewelry, and engravables, where you can personalize each piece at no extra cost.
If you’re looking for a simple gold jewelry set you can effortlessly wear together with anything in your minimalist wardrobe, try pairing the Beaded Signet Ring, Seamless Bangle , and Coffee Bean Necklace (in 9k or 18k solid gold options).
Nyrelle’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Most of Nyrelle’s minimalist gold jewelry is made from 100% recycled gold.
The rest is Fairtrade gold or gold vermeil (Fairtrade sterling silver plated with 18K recycled gold).
They use a variety of ethically sourced gemstones throughout their collections.
Their diamonds are certified by the Kimberley Process, but as we don’t feel this certification alone goes far enough, we’d recommend sticking with the plentiful non-diamond pieces.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All gemstones are traceable and responsibly sourced from mines with safe and fair working conditions. Details for each are given in the product descriptions.
The garnets are mined by female artisanal miners in Tanzania and each garnet can be traced back to the woman who mined it.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Nyrelle’s simple and dainty jewelry is handcrafted and has a lifetime warranty.
They’re also aiming for full circularity with their lifetime buyback program. Sell them your Nyrelle jewelry at 20% of the purchase price, so they can melt it down and upcycle it into new pieces.
Community & charitable giving:
10% of the value of any gemstone order is invested back into education, vocational training, and equipment for women miners in Tanzania.
4. B Blane Designs
About B Blane Designs
Price range:
B Blane Designs stands for Barbara Blane, the artist and jeweler behind this Northern Ireland-based sustainable minimal jewelry business.
If you’re looking for minimalist silver jewelry inspired by the texture of the natural world, there are plenty of unique options—like the Solid Gold Pebble minimalist nose studs.
Other gorgeously unique options include tree bark textured silver rings, silver hoop earrings, swing earrings, chain necklaces, and more—including custom bespoke designs.
B Blane Designs’ Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
B Blane Designs uses recycled precious metals for all pieces. This mostly means sterling silver, but some are made from recycled 9K gold.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Every item is handcrafted in Barbaras’s studio in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Small-scale, made-to-order simple classic jewelry using traditional tools and techniques keeps production sustainable.
5. Catbird
About Catbird
Price range: $16–$10,855
Catbird is an artisan jewelry brand with an impressively large selection of bejeweled and minimalist fine jewelry—rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and anklets—so you’re sure to find the purrfect simple everyday jewelry piece.
If you’re about to say “I do”, Catbird’s eco-friendly wedding rings have plenty of ethical options to relieve your eco angst (if not the pre-wedding jitters).
The Catbird Classic Wedding Bands make for the perfect unisex minimalist bridal jewelry that can be engraved on the inside with the happy couple’s initials and wedding date.
Catbird’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Offering both an in-house collection and those made by third-party minimalist jewelry designers, who use either recycled or ethically sourced gold and diamonds.
We always recommend sticking with recycled materials as much as possible since even third-party verified “ethical” sourcing can be dubious in this realm.
Their own in-house line uses over 95% recycled gold (the other 5% being fairmined), and mostly recycled platinum.
All the brilliant cut diamonds are recycled or lab-grown and their pearls are sourced from a clean-water sustainable Chinese farm.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Catbird is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and No Dirty Gold.
Their small selection of stones is ethically sourced from mines that adhere to high environmental and social standards, though we’re not sure of any further specifics here.
The Catbird line is made in their own Brooklyn Studio where employees receive various benefits including health insurance and a retirement plan, plus fun perks like office cold brew coffee.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The Catbird jewelry studio, office, and shipping warehouse all share the same space, making for a smaller carbon footprint.
Community & charitable giving:
1% of all sales are donated through the Catbird Giving Fund with employees helping to choose the causes.
Over $1 million has been donated to date.
6. Tumble And Rose
About Tumble and Rose
Price range: $18–$27
Tumble and Rose’s collection of handmade recycled silver jewelry might have you tumbling head over heels with unique, nature-inspired designs.
The Echinacea Silver Necklace, for example, is made by stamping recycled sterling silver clay and then firing so that the organic material burns away leaving an impression.
Raw pendant necklaces, imprinted charm necklaces, engraved band rings, and more are available. Each simple elegant jewelry piece comes with an option to add gift wrapping and a handwritten note.
Tumble and Rose’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The pendant imprint necklaces are made by stamping recycled silver clay. The clay is then fired which burns off all the organic material, leaving only the sterling silver.
Other recycled metals in the collection include aluminum and copper.
Gemstones in the pendant necklaces include ruby, amethyst, turquoise, and citrine.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Raw stones are ethically sourced directly from the mines and cut stones from family-run businesses before pieces are handcrafted in the UK in a small Hampshire studio.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Tumble and Rose use eco-friendly packaging including recycled cardboard backing cards, cotton bags, and recycled art paper for gift wrapping.
Community & charitable giving:
They sometimes design special charity items, with proceeds benefitting organizations like the mental health charity Solent Mind.
7. Josiah Eidmann Studios
About Josiah Eidmann Studios
Price range: $16–$61
At the Josiah Eidmann Studios Etsy store you’ll find sublimely attractive examples of simple jewelry design pieces made using natural wood and stone.
Many of the materials used are repurposed, particularly the wooden accents and turquoise inlays.
A firm favorite with us is the set of colorful Wood Drop Statement Earrings. A little less on the simple side, but we adore the array of stunning colors in this small and dainty piece.
Josiah Eidmann Studios Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The materials used in Josiah’s collection of understated and simple dainty jewelry are either repurposed or upcycled. This includes yellow gold, sterling silver, rose gold, and surgical steel.
However, it’s unclear where the wood is sourced, so we’ll be reaching out.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This is a small one-man operated business and all the jewelry is handcrafted.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Etsy offsets carbon emissions from delivery and packaging on all purchases from this (and any) Etsy seller.
8. Spirit of Vera
About Spirit of Vera
Price range: $18–$609
Spirit of Vera’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Experience the Spirit of Vera by purchasing one of her sustainable sterling silver jewelry pieces. Following a spiritual journey to Palenque, Mexico, Vera returned armed with knowledge shared by a silversmith.
Using recycled silver sourced from secondary refiners, Vera designs and creates a stunning range of women’s and men’s minimalist jewelry.
That includes everything from classic hoop earrings to more unique offerings, like this adorable Seahorse Ring made from recycled sterling silver.
Materials:
The silver used is recycled from post-consumer recycled goods including electronics, appliances, photography equipment, security tags, car parts, silverware and jewelry.
It is sourced from secondary refiners, who source their scrap metal from thousands of sources.
The pieces are soldered, annealed, and work hardened for durability and come with a lifetime warranty. Any breakages will be repaired free of charge.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All pieces are handmade with love by Vera is a lofty studio in Canada.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The labels, business cards, and warranty cards are made of recycled materials.
9. Schmuckn
About Schmuckn
Price range: $5–$99
Germany-based dainty jewelry brand Schmuckn has beautiful, understated, and infinitely wearable designs on offer.
For example, the Akoya Cultured Pearl Open Ring features a size-adjustable open design and would look just as lovely with a sustainable wedding guest dress as it would your everyday workwear.
Their Etsy minimalist jewelry collection features ear cuffs, hoop earrings, delicate chain necklaces, rings, and more, available in a choice of recycled precious metals, including both solid gold and high-quality gold-filled pieces for a more budget-friendly option.
Schmuckn’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Schmuckn uses recycled gold, rose gold, and silver for their modern minimal jewelry designs.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This is a one-woman enterprise. Items are handmade-to-order by Anke in her small studio in Wutha, Germany.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
The gold-filled jewelry is made by mechanically bonding the gold layer to the brass core. This means the gold won’t flake or peel off and should last a lifetime.
10. Raven + Lily
About Raven + Lily
Price range: $28–$240
Raven + Lily offers fair trade jewelry and handcrafted accessories made from upcycled and natural materials.
Their collection features simple, bold, contemporary designs inspired by nature and the environment.
Particularly striking are the Petra Clockwork earrings. Perfectly geometric and delightful using eye-catching ethically-sourced green agate.
Raven + Lily’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Raven + Lily primarily uses 100% upcycled, hand-polished brass.
While many pieces are metal-only, others contain precious and semi-precious stones, often in their raw form.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Raven + Lily is a Certified B Corp and member of the Fair Trade Federation.
The community-driven brand works with 10 artisan partners and 520 artisans around the world. Each product description gives details about the artisans who made the piece.
Everyone is paid a living wage, and they look after their employees with flexible working hours, paid maternity leave, and a considerate work environment.
Inclusivity:
The 100% women-led business promotes inclusivity and diversity at every level.
90% of the workforce at their HQ are women as are 90% of their artisan partners.
Community & charitable giving:
1% of sales is invested back into female-centric community projects like the SAFE Alliance, Reclaim the Block, and Women’s Fund at the Austin Community Foundation.
11. Automic Gold
About Automic Gold
Price range: $89–$3,600
LGBTQ-owned Automic Gold is a dream destination for all kinds of statement-making gold minimalist jewelry, including simple wedding jewelry, body jewelry, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and nose rings.
This gender-free jewelry is ethically made, size-inclusive, and prices are fair and accessible. The wedding collection contains pieces which are perfect when exchanging vows. The Gemstone Industrial caught our eye with its simple elegance.
Each new design is worn by a member of the team for several weeks before production to make sure it’s comfortable to wear 24/7.
Automic Gold’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All pieces are made from recycled 14k gold that is SCS-certified for 100% recycled content.
Automic Gold uses recycled natural diamonds and the white opals are ethically sourced from Australia.
Supply chain & labor practices:
The entire collection is handmade by expert goldsmiths in an NYC studio.
Because they are self-funded rather than investor-funded, their values are always a top priority.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Items are shipped in recyclable packaging and the company offers a repair service for all Automic Gold creations.
Inclusivity:
Automic Gold is the only fine jewelry brand to carry plus sizes for every item. They offer rings in sizes 2-16 and if you can’t find your perfect size, they’ll custom make it for you.
As a queer and trans-owned brand, designs are made for all genders and they use inclusive modeling, including non-cis and non-white models.
Community:
In line with those values, they support the queer community and promote other queer-owned or centric businesses and organizations.
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How We Found These Simple & Delicate Jewelry Brands
Whether you want subtle or statement earrings, the best minimalist jewelry brands make goods we’re proud to adorn ourselves with, knowing that whilst it may have cost us a pretty penny, it hasn’t cost the planet or the people involved in its production.
So, how did we find places to shop that are a cut above the rest?
We scrubbed the dirt from the diamonds using our sustainable and ethical jewelry criteria:
Materials:
The most sustainable men’s and women’s minimalist jewelry is made from reclaimed, recycled, and upcycled materials.
While there is a question mark over the original mining conditions, recycling precious metals and diamonds does avert the need for new mining and the environmental and social costs that go with it.
So while traceability is not always possible, recycled jewelry materials ensure the original damage done was not a total waste—and ensure it won’t happen again.
For diamonds, we’d stick to lab-created diamonds and recycled diamonds as full traceability continues to be a major challenge.
Blockchain-enabled diamonds are pioneering the way on this issue, but there is still much testing to be done before we should just accept blockchain technology as irrefutable truth.
- Certifications: SCS Global Services, No Dirty Gold, The Kimberley Process, Gemstones and Jewellery Platform
Supply Chain & labor practices:
Dainty jewelry is beautiful, but you know what’s not?
Greenwashing—which is why we want our simple gold jewelry made with simple, traceable supply chains as much as possible in the jewelry industry.
While they still fall somewhat short in this industry especially, third-party certifications can help back up claims regarding ethical sourcing.
- Certifications: International Labour Organization (ILO), B Corporation, The Responsible Jewelry Council, Fairmined
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Mining is a dirty business, so for brands that use virgin materials, we look for those who promote impact management strategies and use only mercury-free mining methods.
Reducing the ecological footprint through the use of renewables, carbon offset programs, and equally minimalist jewelry packaging also make your new understated bling shine a little brighter.
Community & charitable giving:
What’s even better than glimmering gold or sparkling silver?
The warm glow that comes with knowing a brand gives back to inspiring causes.
Final Thoughts On Simple Jewelry Sets & Singles
Everyone deserves a little sustainable sparkle from time to time, but as always, borrowing, swapping, or shopping second hand stores is the most ethical way to kit yourself out with some new-to-you bling.
When you do buy new, supporting sustainable jewelry brands helps to move the industry into a more responsible, transparent, and ethical future.
We’ll grin from earring to earring if you share this article with friends and loved ones.
Or sneak it into your significant other’s inbox as a little hint for your next birthday or an eco-friendly gift for Christmas.
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