Elementals Collection: Chapter Two - Water

Jewelry MakingCollectionsInside the Studio
Written By Michelle Pajak-Reynolds
Sterling silver, aquamarine, clear quartz and Australian opal gemstone bead cluster necklace.

Sterling silver, aquamarine, clear quartz and Australian opal Enna necklace from Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Elementals Water Collection.

The Elementals Collection is an exploration of my love for color, texture, and the metaphysical power of the six elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Metal, and Ether. Each chapter of this collection explores one element through the lens of contemporary jewelry that channels its unique energy and symbolism.

Chapter Two is inspired by the fluid elegance of Water—a symbol of serenity, clarity, and transformation. This collection channels those qualities into wearable art that feels both powerful and peaceful. From delicate drops to bold dangle earrings and intricate cluster necklaces, these six pieces are designed to evoke water’s tranquil movement and timeless allure.

Soft, soothing hues of aquamarine, clear quartz, grandidierite, indicolite tourmaline, and Australian opal shimmer with carefully handcrafted sterling silver accents. These gemstones echo the luminous, ever-shifting nature of water—calming, cleansing, and quietly radiant.

Every design in this chapter is a flowing expression of elegance—an invitation to connect with the quiet strength and depth that water represents.

As with all my designs, every material in the Elementals: Water collection was intentionally chosen for its energy and meaning:

  • Grandidierite – Promotes harmony, tranquility, and emotional balance

  • Aquamarine – Evokes the sea and encourages happiness, hope, and calm

  • Australian Opals – Enhances clarity, insight, and positive transformation

  • Indicolite Blue Tourmaline – Fosters empathy and strengthens intuition

  • Clear Quartz – Amplifies energy and focus while shielding against negativity

  • Sterling Silver – Supports inner peace, protection, and a restored sense of equilibrium

Each piece is a talisman—a radiant expression of water’s power to calm, purify, and inspire transformation.

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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