We’re MAJOR fans of Irene Neuwirth Jewelry, known for her one-of-a-kind and incredibly gorgeous pieces! Irene tells Jonathan the story of her slow and steady journey from hobbyist at local gem shows to crafting unique pieces for major celebrities. She shares all that inspires her creative vision from her mother’s influence as a painter, to mixing and matching gems in playful ways that break traditional rules of jewelry making, and even the thought behind her individualized packaging. Plus, that time as a young designer when she broke a rare opal! Irene Neuwirth is a jewelry designer from Los Angeles. She began experimenting with jewelry design after college and soon after she found herself inundated with requests for her one-of-a-kind pieces. In 2003, with business partner Tracy Stoll, Irene Neuwirth Jewelry was born. Her jewelry has been worn by celebrities like Naomi Watts, Tracee Ellis Ross, Julianne Moore, Sarah Paulson, and Busy Philipps, and her work has been featured in publications like Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Town & Country, W, and The New York Times. Today the collection can be found at their flagship stores in Los Angeles, New York City, as well as leading boutiques across the globe. Follow Irene Neuwirth Jewelry on Instagram @ireneneuwirth. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices