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

Concord: Stronger Together Gala

For the past 18 years, Concord’s Monument Impact has been a force in the city, serving its vulnerable immigrant and refugee communities. Recently, the nonprofit center hosted its Stronger Together gala to celebrate the work that volunteers, local businesses, unions, and others have done to support immigrants in the East Bay. Among those honored for their contributions were volunteer English tutor (and onetime San Francisco Giant) Rob Andrews, former board member Margaret Hanlon-Gradie, and John Muir Health.

Ziggurat

The Oakland Museum of California’s gardens overflowed with more than 250 guests during this yearly fundraising gala. Guest chefs Reem Assil and Barbara Llewellyn provided the scrumptious bites, while the auction offered bidders experiential packages. In keeping with the current Queer California: Untold Stories exhibit, the evening’s entertainment featured Oaklash, a drag and queer performance group.

Black and White Ball

In celebration of its six years of providing free transportation to cancer patients in Alameda County, Drivers for Survivors hosted its yearly ball in Pleasanton. The entertainment was top-notch, including Marcie Dodd (previously seen in Wicked on Broadway) and accomplished pianist Carol Weiss; the keynote address was given by Dr. Laura Esserman.

Sparkles and Spurs

Denizens of the East Bay headed to Round Hill Country Club in Alamo and kicked up their heels to support Hospice East Bay at the annual Celebration of Care Gala, raising around $200,000 to aid the nonprofit’s programs and services. This year’s theme, Sparkles and Spurs, meant that the more than 300 guests came dressed in their cowboy-best, sporting boots, Stetsons, and chunky belt buckles.

Ragin’ Cajun

The Sandra J. Wing Healing Therapies Foundation, which offers alternative treatments to patients with cancer, welcomed over 320 sponsors and supporters to its annual Ragin’ Cajun event. The Tri-Valley bash featured an African–inspired feast and music.

The Art of Travel

To celebrate its spring campaign The Art of Travel, Neiman Marcus hosted a fashion show at its Walnut Creek location. Entrepreneur Sheryl Grant and social media influencer Sydel Curry-Lee (whose famous family members in attendance included her brother Stephen Curry) spoke at the event, which featured sips, bites, and the opportunity to shop the latest trends with help from jet-setting fashion experts as well.

Imagine Gala

Opportunity Junction furthered its mission of transforming the lives of low-income families in East Contra Costa with its 2019 fete, which featured gourmet food, drinks, both live and silent bidding, dancing, and inspirational entertainment.

Power of Kindness

Old Hollywood glam met giving back at this special event from Party In-Kindness. With the mission of raising funds for the Katie Nues Foundation for Katie’s Clinic at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland—which aids patients and their families affected by Rett Syndrome—guests heard from heartwarming speakers and danced to tunes from DJ Lance Callanta.

Fire and Light Soiree

The Crucible’s signature fundraiser returned for its 20th year, and the industrial arts center celebrated the occasion with the unveiling of a major piece of collaborative art that incorporated many locally sourced elements, including steel from an old span of the Bay Bridge. There were also cocktails, a catered dinner, and a live art auction.

Night in Havana

San Leandro’s Davis Street Family Resource Center raised more than $150,000 at this flamboyant, Cuban-themed evening of dinner and dancing; CEO Rose Padilla Johnson proudly announced that it was the organization’s highest-grossing event to date. The funds will help low-income families in the area improve their quality of life through both short- and long-term assistance.

Rock the CASA

ABC7 San Francisco news anchor Dan Ashley returned to the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek with his yearly fundraiser for Court Appointed Special Advocates, Friends of Camp Concord, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Always a star-studded event (Cheap Trick and Melissa Etheridge have performed in the past), the 2019 extravaganza featured “Lady Marmalade” singer Patti LaBelle.

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