Golden Age

Bay Area artisans look to ancient history to create jewelry with cutting-edge designs.

For the Egyptian Pharaohs, gold was the bling of choice, while Roman emperors minted it into coins. This precious metal’s historical role as a symbol of wealth and elegance continues to inspire jewelry-makers to craft beautiful works of wearable art.

Gold bead necklace with African glass beads and gold coin, $2,000, by Berkeley designer Anna von Hellens-Ravi, at RedBird, 2938 Domingo Ave., Berkeley; gold-over-copper cuff, $375, by San Francisco designer June Schwarcz, at Shibumi Gallery, 1402 Fifth St., Berkeley, www.shibumi
gallery.com; lemon quartz earring, $575, by Oakland designer Kothari, at RedBird.

Pink tourmaline pendant with chain, $1,080, by San Francisco designer Petra Class, at Shibumi Gallery; granulated ring, $1,625, by Point Reyes designer Brigid O’Hanrahan, at Shibumi Gallery.

Tourmaline necklace, $3,250, by Kothari, at RedBird; LaLeigh apatite and gold vermeil earrings, $120, by Walnut Creek designer Nicole Leigh Smith, at ACCI Gallery, 1652 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, www.laleigh.com; labradorite necklace, $1,550, by Kothari, at RedBird; diamond ring, $1,600, by Anna Von Hellens-Ravi, at RedBird.