SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Though jewelry designer Emily Wheat Maynard launched her line Elva Fields back in 2003, I'm only now becoming acquainted with her work (yes, I'm beyond tardy to the party!). Named after Maynard's great-grandmother, Elva Fields offers distinctive, statement-making jewelry imbued with a vintage vibe, so that each piece feels like a rare treasure that was passed down from one generation to the next. The brand encompasses three lines: Elva, which consists of dramatic, one-of-a-kind necklaces; June, which features free-spirited dangle earrings (many featuring small faceted beads and stones); and Deb, which features pieces made exclusively from vintage materials.

Out of the three lines, the Elva features the greatest number of showstoppers (just look at the four necklaces pictured above!).  Each necklace incorporates a mix of old and new materials, with vintage earrings, brooches, pendants, and belt buckles taking center stage. Based in Kentucky. Maynard regularly travels to antique shops, flea markets, and vintage stores all over the nation in search of these majestic vintage pieces. I love the way she breathes new life into these found items, how each necklace manages to strike a balance between modernity and antiquity, between retro and contemporary. This is the type of jewelry I imagine would make vintage-loving vixen Zooey Deschanel swoon.

Take, for example, the "Against A Sky Blue" necklace (pictured third from top), which features a domed brooch encrusted with clear crystalline stones and opal white stones with gunmetal-colored settings, placed along the side of two strands of cobalt blue beads. The "In Peace" necklace, meanwhile, features Granny Smith apple green quartz beads in perfectly shaped gumball-esque spheres decorated with vintage brooches and earrings that date back to the '50s and '60s. The floral brooch detail is particularly charming, giving this necklace a hint of spring fever. Perhaps my favorite piece thus far is the "Dreams Unfold" necklace, which features three strands of coin-shaped black crystal stones with faceted and slightly ridged surfaces that magnify their reflective sheen — and, of course, there's that stunning vintage butterfly brooch, which features pale yellow enamel along the body of the butterfly and burnt orange, celadon, and citrine yellow stones and crystal accents along the wings. The butterfly's warm citrus tones pop against the obsidian black strands, creating an element of surprise and excitement, like fireworks in a midnight blue sky.

And remember: since each Elva design is one-of-a-kind, don't procrastinate when you spot a must-have piece!

Elva Fields "Dreams Unfold" necklace, currently sold out; Elva Fields "In Piece" necklace, $308; Elva Fields "Against A Sky Blue" necklace, currently sold out; Elva Fields "For Words" necklace, $308. All available at Shop.ElvaFields.com