Air: The Third Chapter of the Elementals Collection

CollectionsJewelry Making
Written By Michelle Pajak-Reynolds
Close up view of sterling silver necklace with clusters of white Australian opal and clear quartz gemstone bead clusters on a dark background.

Sterling silver, Australian opal and clear quartz Samira and Nephele necklaces from Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Elementals Air Collection.

There are moments in life when beauty feels weightless—when a single breath awakens clarity, inspiration, and a quiet kind of joy. Air, the third chapter of my Elementals Collection, was born from that sensation: the feeling of movement and freedom suspended in silver and stone.

Each piece in this chapter is a study in grace. Handcrafted sterling silver ribbons flow like invisible currents, echoing the dance of wind across open skies. To these sculptural forms, I’ve added luminous accents—pin-set Australian opals that shimmer with flashes of color, and clear quartz that captures and reflects light like a whispered secret. The dense clusters of stones create a luminous fullness, evoking airy clouds caught in motion.

The choice of materials was deliberate. Sterling silver, with its cool sheen and fluid strength, becomes the foundation—a silvery ribbon of air itself. Australian opals, with their ethereal play-of-color, mirror the ever-changing moods of the sky, while clear quartz embodies transparency, breath, and lightness. Together, they create designs that are not only adornments, but talismans of clarity and renewal.

The Elementals Collection is my ongoing meditation on the forces that shape our world. Conceived as a six-chapter journey, each element takes form in precious metal and gemstones:

  • Fire, the first chapter, celebrates passion and transformation.

  • Water, the second chapter, honors flow, depth, and intuition.

  • Air, the third chapter, drifts and dances with movement and inspiration.

  • Earth, Metal, and Ether are yet to come—chapters that will ground, refine, and expand the collection into the unseen.

Together, these six elements form a complete cycle, a reflection of balance and connection.

Like the element it honors, Air is about movement, adaptability, and inspiration. These jewels invite you to pause and draw in a breath, to feel connected to something both fleeting and eternal. Whether worn daily as a quiet reminder or chosen as a centerpiece for a special moment, each piece becomes part of your personal story—a touchstone for grace, freedom, and possibility.

This third chapter reminds us that beauty doesn’t have to be heavy to have weight; sometimes, it is the lightest touch that lingers the longest.

Elementals Collection: Air

Michelle Pajak-Reynolds

The creative journey of Michelle Pajak-Reynolds—from childhood spark to timeless, handcrafted treasures.

“My love story with jewelry began before I was born. My parents met across a jewelry counter—my mother, a jewelry department manager; my father, a police officer working loss prevention in his off-duty hours. That moment of serendipity set everything in motion.

By five, I was working on my first designs in pop-beads and jelly bracelets, completely captivated by Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman—especially those iconic power bracelets and her gleaming tiara. I didn’t want to just wear magic, I wanted to make it. With babysitting money and a fierce sense of purpose, I bought beads and wire from the local craft store and taught myself the fundamentals. That curiosity turned into a calling.

I took my first metalsmithing class in high school and never looked back. I went on to earn a BFA in Jewelry/Metals from Kent State University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship from Baldwin-Wallace University—equipping me to build a business rooted in craftsmanship, creativity, and soul.

Since founding my namesake jewelry company in 2001, I’ve focused on creating meaningful, one-of-a-kind designs—each one handcrafted using traditional metalsmithing techniques and ethically sourced materials. My work is intimate and intentional: forged in fire, shaped by hand, and designed to stir something deep within you. Every gemstone, every metal, every story that inspires a collection is carefully chosen, researched, and refined. This is slow jewelry with a purpose: to help you mark what matters most.

My pieces have graced red carpets at the Emmy Awards, runways at New York Fashion Week, and exhibitions around the world—including aboard the United Nations Peace Boat. Collectors, stylists, and editors seek out my work, but what means the most to me is when a client says, “This feels like it was made just for me.”

Because it was.

Jewelry, to me, is personal mythology made tangible. It’s a way of preserving the past, celebrating the present, and passing something meaningful into the future. So when you open your jewelry box, you're not just looking at beautiful objects—you're holding pieces of your life’s story. And maybe, just maybe, you're beginning a new chapter.” - Michelle Pajak-Reynolds

michellepajakreynolds.com
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