The ocean’s depths hold many mysteries, and designers love to create jewelry inspired by its crashing waves, beautiful shells, and magnificent marine animals.
There are many ways to approach ocean-inspired jewelry. High- and fine-jewelry designers use rare gemstones and exquisite craftsmanship to create opulent pieces. Some are abstract, using blue gemstones and diamonds to evoke the colors of the ocean. Others are shaped like fish, turtles, shells, and even mermaids. More literal ocean jewelry might include shells or pieces inspired by fish. We’ve rounded up the most beautiful ocean-inspired jewelry.
The Most Beautiful Pieces of Ocean Jewelry
Van Cleef & Arpels
Treasure Island is a Van Cleef & Arpels high-jewelry collection inspired by and named after Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, in which characters voyage to find a secret island overflowing with jewels. The pattern of this gorgeous necklace, rendered in gold and diamonds, calls to mind the feather-like appearance of palm tree leaves. This connection is reinforced by the stunning cabochon-cut emerald at the center of its pendant, which is detachable.
Van Cleef & Arpels Palmeraie Merveilleuse high-jewelry necklace in 18K yellow and white gold with 47.93 carats emerald and diamond, price on request
David Webb
This David Webb fish bracelet is truly a work of art. The “fish” wraps around your wrist, with its head meeting its tail at the center. Its body is made of azurmalachite, a rare blue-green gemstone, adorned with intricate yellow-gold finishings and diamonds. While wearing this masterpiece, you can expect others to stop you to ask where you found such a distinctive piece of jewelry.
David Webb Fish bracelet in 18K yellow gold with 7 carats azurmalachite, 1.8 carats diamond, and 2.12 carats sapphire, $128,000
Anita Ko
The head of this Anita Ko ring is shaped like a shell, its ribs lined with graduated diamonds. We love how elegant and versatile this piece is, making the options of outfits to style it with endless. It’s available in yellow, rose, and white gold, so there’s something for everyone.
Anita Ko Aurora Shell ring in 18K yellow gold with 4.15 carats diamond, $31,400
Azlee
California-based fine-jewelry brand Azlee offers an ocean collection focusing on the majesty of waves. Its Sea ring channels the fluidity of waves with an interesting curved silhouette and clean lines that create the illusion of movement. At the center of this piece is a diamond sourced from the oceans of Namibia and South Africa; since there’s no mining involved, this ring is an excellent choice of sustainable jewelry.
Azlee Sea ring in 18K yellow gold with diamond, $13,070
Tanya Farah
If you’re looking for playful ocean-inspired jewelry, you’ll love this necklace from Tanya Farah. It has a seahorse-shaped pendant with different shades of pink sapphires (check out our sapphire jewelry roundup for more pieces featuring this vibrant gemstone). It’s perfect for accessorizing an outfit while on vacation in the Bahamas, Hawaii, or another one of the best tropical places to visit.
Tanya Farah Seahorse pendant necklace in 18K yellow gold with pink sapphires, $4,200
Selim Mouzannar
French-Lebanese jewelry designer Selim Mouzannar takes an abstract approach to ocean-inspired jewelry with this bracelet. The chain pattern artfully embraces fish scales. Each “scale” is outlined in 18K rose gold and contains a spessartite garnet, a type of January birthstone, at its center. Artisans paint the scales with petrol-colored enamel, which has a luminous quality.
Selim Mouzannar Fish for Love Scales bracelet in 18K rose gold with 13.92 carats spessartite garnet, $53,830
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.’s Elsa Peretti collection is beloved for its timeless organic-shaped creations. These earrings embrace the fluidity of sea tides. They curve downward and showcase a gentle ripple effect, making them a more subtle piece of ocean-inspired jewelry.
Tiffany & Co. Elsa Peretti High Tide earrings in sterling silver, $900
Cadar
Statement drop earrings belong in everyone’s jewelry collection, and this set from Cadar is ideal for sea lovers. They’re tasteful but bold, highlighting different-sized shells rendered in yellow gold. We think they’re perfect for an event on a yacht.
Cadar Shell earrings in 18K yellow gold, $7,900
Reza
Reza is a Parisian-born, New York City-based high-jewelry brand known for its avant-garde designs. The Cone ring is a unique take on ocean-inspired jewelry, with a mesmerizing sapphire at its center bordered on either side with blue-green tourmaline set in a zigzag pattern. In our eyes, it evokes the parting of the sea, conveying that anything is possible if you believe.
Reza Cone ring in 18K white gold with 8.32-carat Burmese sapphire and paraiba tourmalines, price on request
Karma El Khalil
When it comes to ocean-inspired jewelry, it doesn’t get bolder than the Crest ring from Karma El Khalil. This piece boasts an impressively large, pear-shaped aquamarine, making it an extraordinary piece of March birthstone jewelry. The setting has an interesting coral reef-inspired design; its “branches” are set with diamonds, accentuating the beauty of the stone it holds.
Karma El Khalil Crest ring in 18K yellow gold with 29.63 carats aquamarine and 1.7 carats diamond, $30,000
Jenna Blake
We adore turquoise jewelry because of its ability to take an outfit to the next level with a pop of color. This Jenna Blake turquoise pendant is special because it’s carved in the shape of a shell. It’s great for stacking with other charms or wearing alone for a striking look.
Jenna Blake Shell pendant in 18K yellow gold with turquoise and diamond, $28,880
Eden Presley
In some cultures, fish represent wealth and prosperity, making them a wonderful motif to incorporate into your jewelry. This Eden Presley pendant takes on the form of a fish with different colored sapphires on each scale.
Eden Presley Swedish Fish pendant in 14K yellow gold with sapphires and diamonds, $2,200
Yvonne Léon
There’s nothing like cooling off under the canopy of palm tree leaves at the beach. This necklace from Yvonne Léon, a Parisian fine-jewelry brand, evokes that serene feeling with an adorable palm tree-shaped pendant. The leaves are made of green tsavorite, and a diamond accent hangs from one side, appearing as a droplet falling on a golden island. Its carved golden shores are strewn with shell, starfish, and ruby heart details (deepen your appreciation for ruby jewelry with our guide to ruby gemstones).
Yvonne Léon Paradise Island necklace in 18K yellow gold with diamond, tsavorite, and ruby, $4,560
