If You Love Delicate Jewelry, The Dainty Ring Of Your Dreams Is Here

Envision a barely there band with the most delicate string of diamonds lacing your finger. Sounds utterly stunning right? Well, the Petite Diamond Distance Band from fine jewelry brand Melanie Casey does just that. The stackable ring comes in a solid 14k gold or platinum setting with a line of nine intricate white diamonds. It’s ever so dainty, which is why you can stack a few or wear one as a standalone piece among your other daily rings. We had to know the idea behind this dazzling new band, so we interviewed the founder and jewelry designer, Melanie Casey. 

The brand is known for its graceful and minimal jewelry aesthetic as well as its affordable, handcrafted jewelry. Its newly designed Petite Diamond Distance Band comes at the within-reach price of $590, yet it doesn’t spare the luxe appearance of a sparkling ring. Instead, it’s a versatile diamond stacking ring that’s made to last. We won’t spoil any more details, so read ahead to learn about the brand, the vision behind the ring, and how the designer would style it herself.

Melanie Casey Petite Diamond Distance Band, $590

What was the vision behind the Petite Diamond Distance Band?

For this band, I wanted to create a piece that made the diamonds appear to be floating on air. My designs often utilize negative space, but I hadn’t yet attempted a design focused on the appearance of negative space. The delicate gold connection between each diamond is very hard to execute, but I think the end result is worth it!

How do you recommend people style it with other Melanie Casey rings?

The Petite Diamond Distance Band is probably our most versatile piece regarding stacking. We have clients who purchase it in sets of three, one of each gold color. It is often used as a wedding band, and I love how the equal distance between each diamond offsets the asymmetry of a cluster engagement ring like the Snowdrift Ring or the To a Flame Ring. One of my favorite ways to stack it is two Petite Diamond Distance Bands with a Hammered Band in the middle. The wider width of the Hammered Band is complemented by the delicate airiness of the Distance Band, and it is really lovely!

What type of aesthetic do you think Melanie Casey appeals to the most?

I’ve tried to curate my collection to speak to many different people. I want everyone to find a Melanie Casey piece to love! But if I had to narrow it down, I would say most of our clients are looking for something a little different from the traditional fine jewelry options, slightly unique, but also pretty and delicate. I think “unique” often equates with “bold and big and wild” in this industry, and I try to design more to the delicate, dainty aesthetic.

What separates your rings from other brands?

There are so many designers doing so much beautiful work right now! But I think our rings stand out because of the intricate and intentional design style. Our pieces are very hard to make (which is why we only hire the top tier of expert jewelers) because of how small the scale and detailed the work has to be. Each element, even each prong, is designed very carefully, and you wouldn’t believe how much development and quality checks we do to ensure perfection!

What kind of support do you offer customers after they purchase a piece of jewelry?

We are here for the lifetime of their jewelry, whether it needs a quick cleaning or a repair — our lifetime warranty covers all of that. I want my pieces to be heirlooms for generations, and I am so thrilled that people appreciate our work.

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This Luxury Handbag Brand Is Reframing What “Made In India” Actually Means

In Refinery29’s Talking Shop series, we’re chatting with owners of up-and-coming small businesses about their experiences launching, the big challenges and wins they’ve faced, and, of course, their products and services.

When Shivam Punjya, founder and creative director of Behno, launched his NYC-based handbag brand, he wanted to use his accessories line as a jumping-off point for doing good. The idea came to Punjya in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in which over 1,100 workers died in Bangladesh. Later, in his motherland of India, he met and interacted with several local garment workers in rural and peri-urban areas, whose lives were similar to those lost in the Rana Plaza tragedy.

“This struck a nerve in me. It was an emotional moment where I saw space to fundamentally challenge how brands employed, treated, and viewed garment workers and artisans,” he says.

Behno Elizabeth Baguette Pebble, $490

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Since the beginning of Behno (the word means “sisters” in Hindi), Punjya has run his business on what he calls “the Behno standard,” which is a set of six guiding principles that include health, women’s rights, and eco-consciousness. This, he mentions, is slightly different from the corporate social responsibility (CSR) model that a lot of other ethically minded companies use.

With “the Behno standard,” Punjya is able to retrofit additional principles into his overall vision for the company, which has him thinking outside the box when it comes to fair treatment of workers. He has launched his own initiatives, like chatting with and conducting focus groups with garment workers and artisans to determine how to partner with factories. “For us, ethics and consciousness are a fundamental part of our brand DNA, not a CSR initiative but rather a value system by which we operate,” he says.

Ahead, we chat with Shivam Punjya about his contemporary luxury handbag line and how his Indian culture has served as inspiration for the bright, poppy, geometric silhouettes.

Behno Simone Crossbody, $945 $495

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What made you decide to use handbags as the vehicle to further your humanitarian mission?

“When Behno launched back in 2015, we actually were a ready-to-wear collection. About four years ago, we actively transitioned to handbags and small leather goods [because] our social impact could be larger. For me, our product has to stand on its own. We wanted to be sure our timeless designs, high-quality standard, and expert attention to detail presented our customers with a piece that would live in their wardrobes, hopefully over generations.”

Behno Ina Mini Crossbody Ruched, $475

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How do Behno handbags celebrate or embody elements of Indian culture and design?

“As a South Asian, I have envisioned Behno to celebrate what I’ve always known India to be and to also challenge the preconceived notions of what ‘made in India’ hold. India has been and is home to some of the largest luxury brands’ hand-embroidery and embellishment needs. Similarly, this level of craftsmanship when constructing a handbag or wallet is inherently a part of our culture, and I envisioned it being a part of our output for a global platform. While our design sensibility is rooted in minimalism, soft structure, and crisp silhouettes, we do work with artisan cooperatives to translate age-old hand embroidery and embellishment techniques for our modern-day collector.”

Behno Lex Mini Accordion Binidi Pebble, $445

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What other ways set Behno apart from other accessories brands?

“At Behno, I’ve always believed that the brand has to work with factories and artisans directly. My teammates and I at Behno spend a lot of time at our factories and our partner artisan cooperatives, working directly with them. This gives us a pulse of what’s happening at a grassroots level and also allows us to foster stronger capacity building.”

Behno Tina Baguette Mini Nappa Ruched, $390

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What are some of the design inspirations of this current handbag collection?

“Our latest drop is launching soon, and I’m so excited to share it with the world. It’s actually in remembrance of my aunt, Usha, who passed on from Covid-19 compounded by neurodegenerative conditions. She didn’t have any children of her own, and as an immigrant in the U.S., she uprooted her life several times over and became a mother to all her nieces and nephews and created space within her family to allow it to thrive. She was an eloquent listener, wildly quirky, and peculiar in her demeanor. 

“Our latest collection’s palette recollects her being; her penchant for bright prints and colors with scuba blue, fuchsia, and acid green; her love for flashy gold jewelry with shimmery metallic leathers; her kempt and polished nails through our poppy red. The collection’s Bindi bag leans into her unconditional love for her family, a marriage of compassion and extreme humility.”

At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.

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