The Elementals Collection: Chapter One - Fire

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Written By Michelle Pajak-Reynolds
14K gold and cognac brown spinel gemstone bead dangle earrings

14K Fairmined gold and ombre cognac brown spinel cluster Iskra dangle earrings from Michelle Pajak-Reynolds’s Elementals Fire Collection.

The Elementals Collection is a fusion of my love for color and texture with a long-standing fascination for the metaphysical power of the six classical 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 One begins with Fire—a force of strength, passion, and transformation. Inspired by the regenerative power of glowing embers and flowing lava, this collection reimagines fire’s primal energy in six striking pieces. From delicate chandelier earrings to bold dangles and an intricate cluster necklace, each design embodies the dual nature of fire: fierce and revitalizing, destructive yet renewing.

Vibrant gemstones—including rhodolite and pyrope garnets, red-plum Songea sapphires, flame-hued zircons, and deep cognac spinels—are carefully set in richly detailed ethically sourced 14K Fairmined gold. These fiery hues and luminous textures evoke the flicker and glow of a living flame, inviting you to connect with your own inner spark.

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

  • Garnets awaken imagination, enthusiasm, and passion

  • Zircons offer strength, protection, and rejuvenation

  • Songea sapphires connect to the heart and cultivate courage

  • Spinels renew energy and build resilience

  • 14K Fairmined gold brings balance, harmony, and ethical beauty

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

"...while some fires are lit
to destroy,
others are lit to regenerate.

i am working with the latter..."
-Emory Hall, "regenerative work"

With rich colors and deep symbolism, I hope you find as much inspiration in these pieces as I did creating them.

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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