From the Designer:

This collection encapsulates poignant moments from my life that are told through the sunsets (or sunrises) that were occurring in tandem. Each piece is based on a memory and the sunset (or sunrise) I witnessed at the time. 

If I close my eyes, I can recall the colors, the clouds, and the feeling of each moment. Remembering these times and going through the actual design process was tremendously therapeutic—there is a definite vulnerability that exists here, which is palpable in each piece. 

Each design embodies the colors and feelings of a particular time in my life; some of complete elation and love, and others of gut-wrenching sadness. It’s a love letter to Hotdad (Tim, my husband & co-owner of Marrow), it’s the pinch-me-moments of watching my daughters running through the sand laughing and playing, it’s the kick-in-the-stomach moments when you know you’re saying goodbye to someone forever. 

Designing this collection almost felt like pages being ripped out of my diary. Maybe you can relate to some of the entries, maybe not. Either way, I hope something stirs inside when you see these pieces and read the inspiration behind them. 

Xx Jillian

I. Holding On & Letting Go 
Rancho Mirage, 2020 

This beauty is all about clarity to me. I remember watching a desert sunset at the beginning of the pandemic when there was still so much that we didn’t know. There were so many unknowns but mostly fear hanging in my gut and furrowing across my brow. 

The sky became swatches of cotton candy blues and pinks and the birds were singing. It was in that moment, the chaos in my mind fell away and I felt incredibly serene for the first time in a long time. 

For me, it was realizing we can’t control it all, and certainly not a pandemic—let it all go. This ring represents knowing what’s truly important, the bits that we get caught up with that really don’t matter, and having the clarity and presence of mind to know the difference.

View the Holding On & Letting Go ring here.  

II. Tranquility in the Desert
Rancho Mirage, 2020 

This palette is everything. When the sky looks like this, I know I’m home. For me, home feels like the desert—there is something magical about being surrounded by the San Jacinto Mountains. There is a peace that permeates everything when the sky turns to cotton candy pinks and blues—a true sense of being home, both physically and spiritually.

View the Tranquility in the Desert ring here.  

III. That Magical Sunrise With You
Rome, 2015 

 

One of those incredible nights we’ve all had that you don’t want to end, this is that personified in a ring.  It’s being in a foreign place with someone you love and just getting lost together.

It’s the best pasta you’ve ever had, dancing in the street, making wishes in deserted fountains, and watching the sunrise on a thousand-year-old abandoned rooftop. This piece is what it feels like to be alive and truly be in a moment. And if you get to share it with someone...that’s pretty amazing.

View That Magical Sunrise With You here.

IV. Saying Goodbye
Honolulu, 1999 

A first heartbreak, and certainly not the last. This design is inspired by leaving what’s familiar and comfortable...what feels like home.

I remember feeling all of the doubt and confusion around losing my first real love and wandering out onto a tiny peninsula called Ala Moana. Around me, the surfers paddled by, the waves crashed, and there was this unforgettable sunset. I felt the sun on my face and there was a warmth that made me feel like everything was happening as it should. 

Yes, this is goodbye, but it wasn’t meant to be a bad thing. This ring is about following your truest path and listening to that voice in your head—she knows what you need. Trust her.

View the Saying Goodbye ring here. 

V. Dancing in the Sand 
Cardiff, 2016 

Realizing life is all about the sweet little moments. I often feel tears sting my eyes watching my little girls running around on the beach, laughing and splashing. This piece and her sister piece Dancing in the Waves represent gratitude: knowing we are enough, we have enough and recognizing all of the blessings that happen everyday.

View the Dancing in the Sand ring here.

VI. Dancing in the Waves 
Cardiff, 2016

 

This piece and her sister piece Dancing in the Sand represent gratitude. Knowing we are enough, we have enough and recognizing all of the blessings that happen everyday.

View the Dancing in the Waves ring here.

VII. Always Blue Skies Here 
Cardiff, 2018

This one is bittersweet. It’s about loss and pain, but also about remembering the beautiful moments that come along with it. 

The last sunset I ever watched with my young niece as her little body was being ravished by a swift cancer is so vivid. She wanted to stay and look at the blue sky forever, and when she passed, there was a feeling in our family that where she is now is always blue skies. 

There is a kind of heartbreak that never heals, but maybe we can still discover beauty over time and do it in their names. I don’t know—we’re still figuring it out. Sending love to anyone who is still sorting it out as well. 

All of the proceeds from this ring will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. 

View the Always Blue Skies Here ring here.

VIII. There Was Saltwater in Our Hair 
San Juan Islands, 1985

 

To this day, I’ve never felt more free than being on the water in the Puget Sound, sitting on the bow of a sailboat with the wildly blowing wind and little wisps of saltwater kissing my nose.

Sometimes, we would see a dolphin or a mama seal & baby, and at night we would wait to see the sunset. My grandfather would happily note, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight.” These colors remind me so much of those times, of the innocence and freedom that I was lucky enough to experience as a small girl.

View There was Saltwater in Our Hair here.

IX. Finding Pennies
Huntington Beach, 2006 

This was a time in my life when I was living in California and had just gone through a pretty big breakup that I was still reeling from. I started going for daily walks with my neighbor, Dalora. I would pick her up after work and we would walk a few miles down the pier everyday shooting the breeze and sometimes watch the sunset. 

At almost 70 years old, her eyes sparkled like a child’s and she knew everyone everywhere we went. Along our walks, she would pick up pennies. Each one she found, she would say, “Oh hang on, there’s another little miracle,” and put it in her pocket. 

We would go out for a glass of wine every Tuesday night and when she would descend the stairs of our apartment complex, I was always amazed. First I would see 5” heels, then black leather leggings and finally, her bright red hair. Dalora was fabulous & fun and loved by everyone. 

Sweet Dalora passed away last year, and it rocked me. It felt like her light could never be extinguished—she was so vibrant and positive. Now every time I find a penny, I still think of her. She showed me what true friendship looks like and that we’re surrounded by miracles, if we take the time to see them.

View the Finding Pennies ring here.

X. Last Night in the City With You
Brooklyn, 2011

Living in New York shaped so much of who I am and my design aesthetic—it was such an inspiring time in my life. The energy of the city is insanity in the best way possible. Tim and I were dating and became engaged in a little apartment in Brooklyn that had an incredible view of the Manhattan skyline. This piece is the most literal interpretation of a sunset. 

The hulking skyscrapers against the East River and glow of the sun setting slowed everything down for a few moments each day at twilight. A reminder to slow down and connect to nature each day even amidst concrete, cabs, and craziness.

View the Last Night in the City with You ring here.

XI. Second Summer 
Port Townsend, 2014

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, September and October often felt magical. The weather is stunning with crisp mornings, the skies are so blue, and the leaves start to do their thing. It was the tingle of excitement of going back to school and not knowing what the year would hold.

During the day, it was wearing a few new outfits, seeing old friends again, and the flush of discovering a new crush. At night, the skies would often show off with insane oranges and purples against the mountains. Seeing these colors reminds me of an innocent, blind excitement for life and all of the unknown that is ready to unfold like a present before us.

View the Second Summer ring here.

XII. Independence Day
Seattle, every year

If you’re from the PNW, the long-running joke is that summer starts on July 5th because often Independence Day is gray and rainy. As a kid, we didn’t care. This was a day we’d go to a rocky beach every year and explore. 

We could drink as many “pops” as we wanted, we’d play games, and wait breathlessly for the milky grey sky to turn dark & light up with fireworks. It’s a carefree time I remember fondly.

View the Independence Day ring here.

XIII. Sunrise Open Shank Band
California

I am not typically a morning person, so maybe that is why every sunrise I see just feels extra special. I love the promise of a new day, watching the landscape slowly be kissed by the sun and seeing the darkness replaced by light in every nook and cranny.

View the Sunrise Open Shank ring here.

XIV. Moonrise Open Shank Band
California 

Have you ever been on the ocean at night? Bobbing away in the gentleness of the waves surrounded by dark, endless nothingness. When the moon starts to rise and illuminate the night sky...I can’t help but feel small. My problems seem tiny and I feel connected to everything around me—the water, the stars, and the moonlight.

View the Moonrise Open Shank ring here.

XV. Padparadscha Femme Amulet
California

When I saw this peachy padparadscha sapphire, I couldn’t walk away from her. The color is so mesmerizing & she’s the perfect addition to our sunset collection. The ring of blue sapphire plays off of her so beautifully and reminds me of the beautiful California sunsets I’ve been lucky enough to witness.

View the Padparadascha Femme Amulet here.

XVI. Sunstone Pendant
Oregon

This gem HAD to be part of this collection—just look at the graduation of the colors in the sunstone! She is a sunset encapsulated in one perfect stone from the mines of Oregon. I love the miners that dug this beauty out of the ground: salt of the earth, good people that share my affinity for pretty rocks and nature. I couldn’t help but feel she perfectly rounds out the collection. 

View the Sunstone Pendant Necklace here.

 

Shop the entire Sunset Collection here.