Put a Ring on It

For the coolest jewels, look no further than the ateliers of these East Bay artisans.

By Caitlin McCulloch

Published: February 1, 2018

The season of romance is upon us. Treat your wife, gal pal, mom, or even yourself this Valentine’s Day with gorgeous jewelry handcrafted by Lafayette designers—or pick up a sparkler created by Oakland artisans to help you pop the question with style.

Kainoa Designs creates colorful resin jewelry.

Kainoa Designs

Add a healthy dose of color to any jewelry collection with a unique piece by Lafayette’s Marisa Tashima of Kainoa Designs. Her preferred medium is resin, which she infuses with iridescent film, imitation silver and gold flakes, glitter, charms, or even dried botanicals. Select a heart-shaped mold to get into the loving spirit. etsy.com/shop/kainoadesigns.

Irenka Kudlicki Jewelry

Delicate elegance meets modern minimalism in Irenka Kudlicki’s precious-metal jewelry. The East Bay resident’s cool-girl designs— which are inspired by the exotic locales she’s visited overseas—adorn the jewelry boxes of celebrities such as Kelly Clarkson and Miley Cyrus. For a romantic gift, go with a classic freshwater pearl necklace or a pair of hand-hammered gold hoop earrings. irenkakudlicki.com.

Lauren Wolf Jewelry

Achieve “refined imperfection” (think: inclusions of uncommon diamonds) with designer Lauren Wolf’s ethically sourced, one-of-a-kind engagement rings. Wolf, the owner of Oakland’s Esqueleto boutique, boasts an impressive client list that includes Penélope Cruz and Brooke Shields. Treasures such as champagne diamonds set in 18-karat white gold and a 10-stone ring featuring gray diamonds await you. Have a specific vision in mind? Wolf will collaborate with you to bring your creation to life. laurenwolfjewelry.com.

Propose in style with a Crown Nine engagement ring.

Crown Nine

For a twist on timeless engagement rings, visit Kate Ellen—a member of the Ethical Metal-smiths’ guild and owner of the recently remodeled Crown Nine in Oakland. Score a Montana sapphire set in rose gold or a Trillium three-stone ring made from 14-karat yellow gold—the material of choice for Ellen’s signature line. Many of her pieces can be customized, but you can also start from scratch for a personalized experience. crown-nine.com.

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Faces

John Muir Health Gala

During the fifth annual Celebrate John Muir Health gala, more than 700 guests gathered at the Concord Jet Center at Buchanan Field and enjoyed cocktails, a stellar dinner, music, dancing, and a live auction. The sold-out, outer space–themed party raised a record $2.25 million to support John Muir Health’s neurosciences services.

The Redford Center Benefit

The Redford Center held its inaugural benefit at August Hall in San Francisco, honoring rapper Jaden Smith with The Robert Redford Award for his environmental activism. After the ceremony, guests enjoyed libations, bites, and a performance by actor Sean Hayes—raising more than $275,000 for the environmental nonprofit.

Common Sense 15th Anniversary Gala

Common Sense, one of the nation’s leading technology nonprofits, held its 15th annual celebration at San Francisco City Hall. The night consisted of a cocktail reception and a sit-down awards dinner that recognized the visionary policy-makers, educators, and media creators—including Oakland native and Black Panther writer-director Ryan Coogler—who are helping children thrive in the digital world.

Pledge to Humanity

Pledge to Humanity hosted its 10th annual fundraising gala at the Round Hill Country Club in Alamo, bringing in more than $300,000 for the nonprofit’s local and international programs that empower young change-makers to participate in service opportunities. The soiree featured a cocktail reception with hors d’oeuvres, a multicourse dinner, live and silent auctions, and dancing.

Ruth Bancroft Garden Annual Member and Friend's Dinner

Approximately 150 gardening aficionados came together at the Hilton Concord to support the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek and raised $72,000 over the course of the evening. Attendees were treated to dinner, drinks, auctions, and a magic show. Walnut Creek Councilmember Cindy Silva was honored with the Golden Barrel Award for Philanthropy on behalf of the garden.

Mysterium: An Evening of Mystery and Magic

Oakland’s Chabot Space and Science Center transformed into a magical, mysterious wonderland for its annual gala, which raised more than $240,000 for science education. The evening featured specialty cocktails, a multicourse dinner, a live auction, and a Halloween-themed after-party.

Bay Area Step UP for Down Syndrome Walk

Approximately 1,400 people participated in the annual family-friendly fundraiser at Pleasant Hill Middle School, which featured an array of activities—including mini golf, carnival games, face painting, and a pumpkin patch—as well as food trucks, music, and dancing. Proceeds benefited the Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area, which has provided vital programs, resources, and support for individuals with Down syndrome for 20 years.

Gourmet East Bay

In celebration of its popular November food issue, Diablo magazine hosted its 15th annual culinary extravaganza, which brought in nearly $4,000 for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Guests came together in Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza to enjoy mouthwatering fare from top East Bay restaurants; pours from numerous wineries, breweries, and distilleries; and DJ beats.

Art of Mixology

East Bay arts supporters found themselves in good spirits at this fundraiser for the Lamorinda Arts Council, as they sampled more than 20 craft cocktails created by local bartenders vying for the Audience Favorite, Art of Staging, Top Amateur, and Mixologist of the Year awards. The cocktail tasting and competition took place at Orinda Theatre Square and raised more than $10,000.

Mustache Gracias

More than 120 guests joined Contra Costa Oncology for a Mexican- themed bash at Rotator Taproom in Walnut Creek, raising nearly $5,000 for the Cancer Support Community San Francisco Bay Area. Attendees noshed on tasty bites from the Madd Mex Cantina food truck, sipped micheladas and beer, and donned mustaches in honor of Movember—an annual multinational event that encourages men to grow mustaches to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

Dreamfest 2018

Metallica and Janet Jackson headlined the ninth annual benefit concert for UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals. Thousands attended the performances at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and Civic Center Plaza as well as the pre- and post-show parties in San Francisco City Hall, raising $10 million for medical research.

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