STYLE

Marla Aaron’s hand-engraved locks—locking down something old with something new. July 27, 2016ESSENTIAL JEWELS, STYLE, WHAT TO BUYOff

I have fallen head over heels for Marla Aaron’s hand- engraved large locks. Talking about locking in the love—this recently added style with the body covered in vines and scrollwork and the closure detailed with a flower on each side, won my heart from the minute it popped up on Marla’s Instagram feed and videos. Marla explains, “The contrast of the old and new in one object is what resonates with many of my customers as it resonates with me. We all want modernity but we cherish what is old-world, and seeing both in one pieces strikes an emotional chord,” I agree with Marla wholeheartedly. Maybe our grandmother wore a hand engraved wedding band  or we saw this lost art in  another meaningful family heirloom.

The significance of these type of hand- finished pieces mix sentiment with versatility and that is what women are looking for today.

I am one of those women. The first time I saw one of Marla locks—I thought, ‘interesting concept—savvy design -haven’t seen it done before.’ As I continued to stare at the piece, I considered, ‘This ad/publishing executive -turned jewelry designer might be on to something and something big in an item-based collection.’ At the same time, I also felt  that I personally could not wear the lock. The design seemed too industrial and streamlined for my style –which is more fluid and feminine whether I am wearing antique or modern jewelry. But I completely changed my mind once I received one of Marla’s baby locks as a gift and fastened it onto a small medallion, dangling it from one of my necklaces filled with charms from the Victorian through retro periods. I was a total “lock it on” convert. Soon after I received the first, I ordered two more for myself—one with a diamond baguette, another with a ruby baguette. And now I interchange different charms and dangle everything from Georgian and early Victorian pieces to those by current designers. The locks stay put, don’t open, and allow the charms to dangle at different lengths of a necklace. Friends wear them as added links and in a variety of sizes and shapes that Marla creates.

But the engraved lock is one that I am coveting—there are numerous ways to wear it –and it has just enough flourishes to make an antique aficionado like me ecstatically happy.

However, if you have no idea what or who I am talking about, if you have been on vacation or hiding out since 2013 where there is no internet or contact with the outside world and missed the fine jewelry locks that Marla has been designing, here is a brief history.

“It began with one lock– directly cast from a hardware store caribiner.” (a hook that mountaineers use to fasten one rope to another).  Marla explains, “When I realized I could morph this simple shape into different silhouettes and sizes, I realized that others would want them too.”

And so they have, Marla’s locks have grown from the baby, medium and large sizes in the oval shape to half moons and hearts silhouettes. She has evolved into gemstones—from simple baguettes to multi-colored gems on the closures to all out bling of pave diamond styles. You can wear them to hang charms, create an entire chain or add them as station links. There is also her affinity with Victorian padlocks, the essence of which also has inspired the collection. There really is no end to the creativity and anything-goes imagination of Marla and her fans. “I mix everything—and there are no rules or right and wrong,” explains the designer who selling to over 30 stores including Ylang 23, Metier San Francisco and Theoneilovenyc.com.

“Nothing thrills me more than to see the way my customers wear the various styles–It is not an exaggeration to say that I am amazed daily by how creative my customers get. They convert the locks in ways even while designing them, I could never have imagined”

Check out all her locks at Marlaaaron.com and then go to Instagram (the only space where the engraved versions are selling at present) and get hooked up with one in yellow or rose gold.