Ice, Ice, Baby: Four Designers Who Turn Diamonds into Wearable Magic

When it comes to ice—the kind that doesn't melt—four jewelry designers at Sorrel Sky Gallery are revolutionizing what diamonds can be. Forget everything you thought you knew about brilliant stones. These aren't your grandmother's diamonds (unless your grandmother had impeccable taste in contemporary fine jewelry). This is ice with a story, sparkle with substance, brilliance that goes beyond the 4 Cs: cut, carat, color, and clarity.

Some diamonds carry weight beyond their carats. At Nighthorse, every stone set in 18-karat gold or platinum connects to a legacy that began in 1954, when Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Northern Cheyenne artist, U.S. Senator, and Olympic judo champion, started creating jewelry that would eventually earn its place in the Smithsonian.

Now, seven decades later, his grandson Luke Longfellow brings that heritage into the contemporary arena. Working exclusively with natural diamonds and precious gemstones, Luke doesn't just set stones; he interprets his grandfather's original designs through a modern lens refined during six transformative years in New York City and backed by his credentials as a GIA-certified Graduate Gemologist.

Here's where it gets interesting: every contemporary Nighthorse piece traces its DNA back to one of Ben's original designs. Luke refines the proportions, re-engineers the settings for effortless everyday wear, and transforms historic Native American silverwork into fine jewelry that collectors can actually live in. The Morning Star motif, which is a symbol of strength granted by the Northern Cheyenne, sparkles with new meaning when natural diamonds catch the light.

Guiding this evolution is Shanan Campbell, whose two-decade leadership of Sorrel Sky Gallery spans Durango, Santa Fe, and now SoHo. As both Ben's daughter and Luke's mother, she serves as the strategic bridge between generations, ensuring that authentic cultural heritage meets the sophisticated collector market. Her background at the Smithsonian and the Franklin Mint provides institutional credibility, while her gallery empire offers the platform.

These diamonds aren't just ice; they're heirlooms in the making, where three generations of vision crystallize into wearable art.

Israel sits at the intersection of ancient and modern, where camels meet jets and age-old wisdom fuels innovation. It's fertile ground for creative minds, and Nelly and Simon Cohen have cultivated something extraordinary with their Cherie Dori Collection.

Nelly, with her Master's in Art and Modern French Poetry from Haifa University and teaching experience at Yanccodada Museum, brings an artist's eye to metalwork. The result? Diamonds set in 14k and 18k gold that reveal the ancient knowledge of geometry, proportion, and aesthetics in strikingly contemporary forms.

These aren't diamonds that shout, they whisper in clean lines and sophisticated silhouettes. Old-world craftsmanship meets cutting-edge technology in pieces that feel both architectural and organic. The ice here is precisely placed, creating negative space and positive impact in equal measure. Where ancient traditions provide the foundation, modern design provides the spark. Each stone becomes a point of light in a larger geometric conversation, one that is sophisticated, clean, and utterly timeless.

This is ice that understands mathematics, diamonds that know the golden ratio, brilliance that's been calculated down to the last degree of perfection.

A single place shapes some designers. Nayla Shami is shaped by two worlds separated by thousands of miles, yet united in her hands.

Born and raised on the Mediterranean shores of Beirut, Lebanon, Nayla practiced law before following her heart (and her husband) to the high plains of West Texas. The clear blue water of her homeland still sparkles through every piece she creates, and you can see it in her choice of precious and semi-precious stones, in the cool coastal palette that persists despite the Texas heat.

At her bench in Lubbock, Texas, Nayla designs jewelry that marries the blue skies and wide-open spaces of West Texas with the formative artistic influences of her Mediterranean heritage. But here's where her story deepens: a world away in Beirut, some of her original designs are brought to life by master jewelers whose craft is rooted in generations of artisans, famous for their attention to detail and quality in metalwork and stone settings.

Nayla chooses these artisans personally. She works closely with them in their studios to achieve her vision. The result is ice that carries the weight of two cultures, diamonds that bridge continents, and stones set with the precision of generational knowledge.

When she sets a diamond, Nayla thinks of the Mediterranean sun that makes water sparkle like a gem. When she finishes a piece, it's wrought from the highest-grade metals and gemstones, crafted not for a season but for a lifetime. These diamonds don't just catch light; they capture memory, place, and the particular quality of sun on water that stays with you long after you've left the shore.

Not all ice is created equal. Some come with a story you actually want to tell.

As a boy living in the foothills of the Himalayas, Toby Pomeroy watched native artisans create stunning work using only their bare hands, simple tools, and imagination. That experience, combined with the natural beauty surrounding him, sparked a lifelong fascination with nature-influenced design and a commitment to life in balance.

Today, more than 30 years later, Toby Pomeroy stands as a world leader in environmentally sustainable, socially responsible jewelry. His launch of EcoGold and EcoSilver set a new standard, defining ethical luxury as the industry had never seen it. This is ice you can feel good about wearing.

Working exclusively with conflict-free diamonds and Fairmined TRUE GOLD™, Toby and his studio of young artists forge reclaimed and source-certified metals into graceful forms inspired by nature's simplicity. Every stone is ethically sourced. Every setting uses recycled precious metals. Every piece proves that sustainability and beauty aren't just compatible—they're inseparable.

Here's the truth that Toby has spent decades demonstrating: conscious luxury doesn't mean compromising on design. It means diamonds set in EcoGold that catch the light just as brilliantly as any other stone, but with the added sparkle of knowing exactly where they came from and who benefited from their journey to your jewelry box.

These are diamonds that shine brighter because you know their story. Ice that makes the world more beautiful, diverse, and sustainable. Brilliance that honors both the woman wearing it and the planet we all call home.

Four designers. Four distinct visions. One shared commitment to diamonds that mean something.

Whether it's Nighthorse's seven-decade legacy crystallized in natural stones, Cherie Dori's geometric precision, Nayla Shami's cross-continental artistry, or Toby Pomeroy's ethical brilliance, these aren't just diamonds; they're conversations, connections, and commitments rendered in the hardest substance on Earth.

So yes, ice ice baby. But make it meaningful. Make it masterful. Make it matter.

Visit Sorrel Sky Gallery in Durango, Santa Fe, SoHo, or East Hampton to see these collections in person, where our knowledgeable Art Advisors share not just the technical brilliance of each piece, but the inspiration and passion of the creators behind them.