Rebecca Rau Jewels is redefining the conversation around heritage and adornment with the debut of the “THEN & NOW Collection,” a groundbreaking series that fuses rare historical artifacts with contemporary gemstones, precious metals, and pearls. Previewed at M.S. Rau in New Orleans, the collection made its official debut at New York City Jewelry Week in November, offering a rare opportunity to experience centuries of craftsmanship reimagined for the modern wearer.
The collection draws on artifacts spanning 1200 BC to 1880 AD, transforming them into wearable stories of human history. Fourth-generation antique dealer and designer Rebecca Rau brings a unique perspective to the project, blending her family legacy at M.S. Rau with her master’s training from Sotheby’s Institute of Art and extensive travels across Europe and Asia. “I’m drawn to the tension between resilience and permanence,” Rau explains. “’THEN & NOW’ bridges centuries through shared human impulses: creation, adornment, and ritual.”
Highlights of the collection include the Reimagined Jasper necklace, a Renaissance-inspired statement that unites a 1st-2nd Century AD cut brown-jasper fragment with unheated orange zircons, Umbalite garnets, Tahitian grey pearls, and an 18k French “book” chain from circa 1865. The piece embodies a dialogue between eras, marrying ancient form with nineteenth-century elegance.
The Glowing Glass Necklace, another centerpiece, features a 14th-Century Gothic glass pendant set in high-karat gold, paired with a modern 18k paperclip chain. Its celestial glow evokes the aura of a rediscovered secret, bringing centuries-old artistry into contemporary wear. Similarly, the Criss-Cross Necklace transforms a Bactrian amulet dating to 1200-800 BC into a modern treasure, with pink spinel, rubellite tourmaline, sapphire, and a baroque South Sea pearl framing its four-spoked votive wheel.
Rau’s Protectrice Necklace reinterprets a 13th-Century Spanish gilt-bronze harness, enhanced with an 11.68-carat no-heat pink tourmaline and Tahitian baroque pearls. Once part of ceremonial armor or a noblewoman’s girdle, the piece is reborn as a symbol of grace and protection.
“THEN & NOW” is a study in preservation through reinvention, offering a conversation across time between ancient craftsmen and contemporary artistry. “Jewelry, at its most profound, is a vessel for memory, story, and the enduring pursuit of beauty,” Rau notes.