Our experience with aluminum jewelry ended with the pull-tabs necklace we were given in high school (thank you, lying, cheating 10th-grade boyfriend). So it was with curiosity and a certain bit of nostalgia that we were pleased to discover Manreet Deol's recycled aluminum bracelets and pendants, which the Indian designer brings stateside this summer.
The pieces, born of cans and scrap, are, says Deol, "inspired by travels to Borneo, India, New York, and my interpretation of the textural vocabulary of each culture." No makeshift, punk-rock gesture, this is aluminum jewelry of a higher order: organic and raw yet elegant, formed in the image of coral, frangipani flowers, and wisteria vines. Delicately handcrafting each piece, Deol employs an ancient sand-casting method to fashion molds from her clay sculptings. There are five bracelet and four pendant designs in the small collection, all available in both aluminum and brass-plate, and the price is right with pieces starting at $85. We suspect that the man who presents you with one of Deol's pieces is a guy who won't throw you over for a girl he makes out with at a show. Bring on the aluminum jewelry—our faith is restored!
For more information and availability, email manreetdeol@gmail.com or call 201-675-4997.