Seeing RED: Jewelry by Alison Rutherfurd

Most of the time, should you find us seeing red, we’d recommend ever-so-carefully, quietly, yet quickly backing away. (What can we say? Our temperatures run hot.) An exception to that rule comes in the form of RED Jewelry by San Francisco designer Alison Rutherfurd. If that’s the RED we happen to have in our sights, then please, do come a little closer.

Inspired by natural forms and world travels that have landed her in locales ranging from Tahiti to Pakistan, Rutherfurd’s one-of-a-kind pieces pop with color from semi-precious stones, glass beads, shells, Peacock feathers, Ostrich plumes and – her latest obsession – vintage brooches reworked into pendants and hung from gold, gold vermeil, sterling silver and black gunmetal chains.

“What I’m really keen on right now is going to vintage stores and…using pieces that have a history and a past and cutting them up and making them into pendants,” says Rutherfurd, a former fine art gallery worker, interior designer and longtime jewelry designer who relaunched her line last year after a four-year hiatus following the birth of twins.

Earrings and pendants range from whimsical, candy-hued flower necklaces and sparkling pendants set with semi-precious stones to wear-anywhere earrings punctuated with gold discs and multi-strand necklaces of layered black gunmetal and sterling silver chains.

Made in San Francisco (and likely while Rutherfurd, a music lover, is deeply entrenched in a listening session featuring favorites artists such as Morcheeba and Moby), ready-made pieces range in price from $50 to $300. Custom jewelry based on current designs or customer requests is also available.

Want to see RED for yourself? Peruse current styles on Rutherfurd’s Flickr and order by emailing alison (at) redforliving (dot) com, stop by Aldea Home or head to the inaugural Red, Haute and Blue shopping event this Thursday at Rosewood, 732 Broadway, SF. Produced by Rutherfurd and business partner Venice Blue, the free event features 13 designers alongside complimentary edibles from La Mediterranee and tunes from DJ Roost Uno.