“Beauty Will Save the World”  — Dostoevsky

As I work towards the launch of my company and think on the values I'd like it to embody, I keep coming back to this quotation by Fydor Dostoevsky and what it means. On the surface, it may seem like the grandiose but ultimately naive statement of a lofty writer and philosopher. But a more generous assessment of the statement holds much wisdom. “Beauty” of course includes the aesthetically beautiful – a picturesque mountain scene in my native Colorado or a masterwork hanging up at the Met. But I think it also includes the small beauties we experience in our daily lives (which sometimes go unappreciated) such as a kind gesture from a stranger, the perfect song playing on shuffle, or those way-too-rare days when you choose the perfect outfit and feel great. 

I had these beautiful things (big and small) in my mind when creating my first collection, because I believe that jewelry can be a potent reminder of the beauty in our lives. Each jewelry piece is a little sculpture of precious metal and stone that adorns and stays with you all day, providing not only inherent aesthetic beauty, but a powerful symbol. People buy fine jewelry to commemorate a special event or connection, and when the wearer gets a glimpse of that sparkle, that is exactly what they see. It’s always been this way—it’s why jewelry is thought to be the earliest human art form.

I strongly believe that the thoughtful incorporation of beauty into our lives (such as with meaningful fine jewelry) can be a source of goodness, but I want my company to create beauty in other ways too. That’s why I’m excited to announce that from Day 1, we will be donating proceeds from select sales to a special charity (with our partner charities rotating throughout the year). To start things off, $100 from each purchase of a Denarius Golden Necklace will go to support the School Justice Project, which provides access to justice and education for older, court-involved students with disabilities in Washington, DC. You can learn more about SJP here. 

Why the Denarius Necklace? Our Denarius Necklace was cast from a 2000-year-old ancient Roman coin I discovered while perusing the NYC antique shops. It depicts the bust of the god Apollo on one side, and the goddess Minerva on the other. Apollo is the god of light, music, and healing, and also the protector/keeper of men. Minerva is the goddess of wisdom and art; she also represents war and defense of just causes. These values of Apollo and Minerva are powerful embodiments of beauty, and I believe more than ever that they can save the world.

xx, Sarah

To view and purchase a Denarius Golden Necklace, click HERE!