11 Minimalist Jewelry Brands: Simple, Stunning and (More) Sustainable
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 jewelry aesthetic is open to interpretation, there are some things most can agree on.
Namely that the best minimalist jewelry pieces are highly versatile, timeless, and are 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!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through a brand link below. Learn more here.
The Best Minimalist Jewelry Brands That Really Shine
Here we’re zeroing in on sustainable minimalist jewelry.
Think: recycled precious metals, Fairmined gold, and ethical diamonds and gems that are consciously crafted into low-impact, low-fuss pieces.
Atypical Thing breaks from the mass-produced norm with stunning yet simple handmade pieces crafted from 100% recycled gold and silver.
Automic Gold is going for more sustainable gold with its inclusive collection of gender-free minimalist gold jewelry.
For fairytale-esque minimalist silver jewelry with plenty of personalized options, there’s Praxis Jewelry.
Dangle your way to the end of the article to find out how we sifted through the competition to find these hidden (and not-so-hidden) gems.
The Full List Of Minimalist Jewelry Brands & Collections
1. Atypical Thing
About Atypical Thing
UK-based Atypical Thing is not your run-of-the-mill jewelry brand.
It’s run by designer and maker Josefina who strives to be as sustainable as possible in her choice of materials for each one-of-a-kind piece.
You’ll find an assortment of handmade minimalist jewelry designs—including stacking hoops, signet rings, pendants, studs, and more—that make excellent ethical gifts…if only for yourself!
Or have a go at making your own in one of her jewelry workshops.
Atypical Thing’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
All items are made using 100% recycled precious metals, either solid 9ct gold or sterling silver.
Several designs incorporate recycled plastic.
Supply chain & labor practices:
All jewelry is handmade by Josefina in her Birmingham studio using traditional silversmithing techniques.
Green business practices:
Durability is a priority. Every item is made to last from solid (rather than plated) gold or silver.
Each piece is handmade to order and the packaging is plastic-free.
Available: Etsy
2. Automic Gold
About Automic Gold
LGBTQ-owned Automic Gold is a dream destination for all kinds of statement-making minimalist gold jewelry, including body jewelry, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and nose rings.
This gender-free jewelry is ethically made, size-inclusive, and prices are fair and accessible.
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 minimalist jewelry 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.
Green business practices:
Items are shipped in recyclable packaging and the company offers a repair service for all Automic Gold creations.
Inclusivity:
To date, 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 in any of the designs, they’ll custom make it for you.
As a queer and trans-owned minimalist jewelry 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 on their website.
Available: Automic Gold
3. Praxis Jewelry
About Praxis Jewelry
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, including for their minimalist jewelry for men.
Praxis Jewelry’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Alison uses reclaimed precious metals, including gold, silver, and 100% recycled solid 950 platinum for her minimalist platinum jewelry.
Stones are either lab created or ethically sourced.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Each 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.
Green business 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.
Available: Etsy
4. B Blane Designs
About B Blane Designs
B Blane Designs stands for Barbara Blane, the artist and jeweler behind this Northern Ireland-based sustainable minimalist jewelry business.
If you’re looking for minimalist silver jewelry inspired by the texture of nature, there are plenty of unique options.
These include tree bark textured silver rings, minimalist nose studs, silver hoops, 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.
Green business practices:
Small-scale, made-to-order jewelry using traditional tools and techniques keeps production sustainable.
Available: Etsy
5. Catbird
About Catbird
New York City-based Catbird aims “to make beautiful, sparkling jewelry that will bring you joy now through forever”.
This artisan jewelry brand has a large selection of bejeweled and minimalist fine jewelry—rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets and anklets—so you’re sure to find the purrfect piece.
If you’re about to say “I do”, their eco-friendly wedding ring collection has plenty of ethical options to relieve your eco angst (if not the pre-wedding jitters).
Catbird’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Offering both an in-house collection and those made by third-party partner designers, lots of different materials are used throughout the collections with a focus on those that are low-impact.
All of the designers Catbird carries use either recycled or ethically sourced gold and diamonds—though 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 fair mined), and mostly recycled platinum.
All of 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.
Green business 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.
Available: Catbird
6. Brilliant Earth
*Sponsored inclusion. Learn more here.
About Brilliant Earth
Brilliant Earth is on a mission “to cultivate a more transparent, sustainable, compassionate, and inclusive jewelry industry”.
They sell natural diamonds, traceable through Blockchain technology, and recycled precious metals sourced from certified refiners.
If you’re ready to pop the question, their engagement rings are a stunning and customizable choice. Their collection also includes plenty of other rings, bracelets, necklaces and earnings like their 14K Yellow, White or Rose Gold Classic Hoops, suited to the minimalist jewelry aesthetic.
Brilliant Earth’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Brilliant Earth currently uses 93% recycled gold and 99.8% recycled silver in its collections. Any non-recycled gold they use is Fairmined certified.
We recommend their Carbon Neutral lab grown diamonds and their recycled diamonds for the most sustainable minimalist jewelry adornment.
Their Beyond Conflict Free Diamonds™ are from suppliers in approved mines (per the Gemstones and Jewellery Platform) that agree to their strict Code of Conduct.
Supply chain & labor practices:
In partnership with Everledger, Brilliant Earth uses blockchain technology to provide traceability of some of their natural diamonds.
They stock over 10K block-chain enabled diamonds, filterable by search, so you can find out the history and origin in a full report for each one.
Brilliant Earth is a certified member of the Responsible Jewelry Council and works with its colored gemstone suppliers to improve standards and traceability.
Their partner mines are approved by the Gemstones and Jewellery Platform, which is more thorough than the Kimberley Process.
Green business practices:
The brand’s entire carbon footprint is 100% offset via a partnership with the Carbon Fund—including the likes of employee commuting.
All jewelry except vintage and estate items comes with a lifetime warranty.
Brilliant Earth’s ring boxes are made from FSC-certified wood and all shipping packaging is made from post-consumer recycled content.
Find out more in their latest sustainability report.
Community & charitable giving:
The Brilliant Earth Foundation gives back to mining communities via training in mercury-free mining practices in Peru through a partnership with Pure Earth and a mobile school initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
They also contribute to other organizations like Rainforest Alliance, LGBTQIA+ youth crisis intervention services, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund through purchases from their Jewelry That Gives Back collection.
Available: Brilliant Earth
7. Raven + Lily
About Raven + Lily
Certified B Corp, Raven + Lily offers fair trade jewelry and handcrafted accessories made from upcycled and natural materials.
The Austin, Texas-based brand partners with skilled artisans around the world with a focus on empowering women.
Their minimalist jewelry collection features simple, bold, contemporary designs inspired by nature and the environment.
Raven + Lily’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Raven + Lily uses 100% upcycled, hand-polished brass as the metal for its minimalist jewelry line.
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 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.
Available: Raven + Lily | Accompany
8. Tumble And Rose
About Tumble and Rose
Looking for unique minimalist silver jewelry that’s created with the environment in mind?
Tumble and Rose’s collection of handmade recycled silver jewelry might have you tumbling head over heels with unique, nature-inspired designs.
Raw pendant necklaces, imprinted charm necklaces, engraved band rings, and more are available, each 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.
We’re not certain if there are any certifications that can back up these claims but will be reaching out to inquire.
Each piece is handcrafted in the UK in a small Hampshire studio.
Green business practices:
Tumble and Rose use eco-friendly packaging including recycled cardboard backing cards and cotton bags.
Recycled art paper is used for gift wrapping.
Community & charitable giving:
£1 from the sale of each “Do the thing” cuff bracelet is donated to the mental health charity Solent Mind.
Available: Etsy
9. Schmuckn
About Schmuckn
Germany-based minimalist jewelry brand Schmuckn has beautiful, understated, and infinitely wearable designs on offer.
Owner Anke believes in “slow jewelry”—which, like slow fashion, means simple, timeless designs you’ll be happy to wear forever.
The collection includes ear cuffs, hoops, delicate chain necklaces, rings and more, available in a choice of recycled precious metals.
Schmuckn’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Schmuckn uses recycled gold, rose gold and silver for their minimalist jewelry designs.
They offer both solid gold and high-quality gold-filled pieces for a more budget-friendly option.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This is a one-woman enterprise. Items are handmade-to-order by Anke in her small studio in Wutha, Germany.
Green business 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.
Available: Etsy
10. Nyrelle
About Nyrelle
Nyrelle is on a mission to “create fine jewelry that’s 100% traceable from the mine to your jewelry box.”
They offer a huge selection of minimalist fine jewelry including anklets, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and rings.
Their collections include mother and child, wedding gifts, and engravables, where you can personalize each piece at no extra cost.
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 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’ve explored, this certification doesn’t go far enough so 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.
Green business practices:
Nyrelle’s 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.
Available: Nyrelle
11. Common Era
About Common Era
New York-based Common Era might operate in the present day but its minimalist jewelry designs are inspired by founder Torie’s lifelong passion for ancient history and mythology.
You’ll find talisman necklaces, stud earrings, medallion necklaces and rings depicting Greek goddesses, and the Botticelli’s Daydream collection of hair accessories.
Common Era’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Both the gold and silver used throughout the collections are 100% recycled.
Most designs come in a choice of 14K solid gold, gold vermeil (solid 925 sterling silver plated with a layer of 18k gold), or sterling silver.
They use conflict-free gemstones and the diamonds are sourced according to the Kimberly Process—again, the flaws in this certification would have us avoiding natural diamonds.
Supply chain & labor practices:
This is a small woman-owned and operated business.
All jewelry is handcrafted in Common Era’s Responsible Jewelry Council-certified studio.
Green business practices:
Common Era packages creations in vegan suede pouches in a branded box sourced from a small family business in Chicago.
Community & charitable giving:
3% of all profits are donated to the Animal Welfare Institute.
They also make regular donations to other charities including Slaughterhouse Survivors which rescues dogs from China.
Available: Common Era
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How We Found The Best Minimalist Jewelry
The best minimalist jewelry is that which 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 minimalist jewelry brands 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 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 grown diamonds and recycled diamonds as full traceability continues to be a major challenge.
Block-chain 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
Supply Chain & labor practices:
Gemstones are beautiful. What’s not so beautiful?
Greenwashing—which is why we look for transparency and third-party certifications to back-up claims regarding ethical sourcing.
Fair mined certifications (though Fairmined is the only official one) help ensure global miners and artisans receive a fair wage for their work.
- Certifications: International Labour Organization (ILO), B Corporation, No Dirty Gold, The Kimberley Process, Gemstones and Jewellery Platform, The Responsible Jewelry Council, Fairmined
Green business 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 sustainable packaging lends an extra shine to minimalist jewelry.
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 Sustainable Minimalist Jewelry
Everyone deserves a little sustainable sparkle from time to time. Including the men in your lift so take a look at our guide on minimalist gifts for him.
However, as always, borrowing, swapping, or buying second hand 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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