An ICON:
20th Anniversary Special Edition Pavé Cup
As we continue celebrating our 20th year, we've been revisiting some of the pieces that helped define the visual language of J Albrecht Designs. The Cup Ring, first introduced in 2012, stands out as one of those foundational pieces.
At the time, much of the fine jewelry landscape felt overly delicate, and at the risk of sounding mean spirited, very much in the aesthetic of a mass produced craft project. It was the beginning of "The Algorithm" and we wanted to offer something that felt entirely different; a modern ring, bold and minimal. Heirloom quality. It was a hit.
This new 2025 version - The Pave' Cup - is our most sculptural iteration yet. We decided to supersize the design and lean into a color that's becoming something of a house favorite; a clear, minty green. You'll be seeing more of it from us this year. It's a color that feels both fresh and refined, stylish and wearable. At the center of this ring is a 7.94 carat natural mint green tourmaline, sourced from Brazil. It's unusually clean and well cut for a stone of this size, with a cool, watery luminosity. Trace elements like magnesium give this gem it's soft sea-foamy hue.
For the first time, we've re-imagined the Cup's exterior as a canvas for pave'. The result is a gorgeous bowl of hand pulled 18k rose gold, set edge to edge with over one carats worth of natural diamonds. Each diamond hand selected for perfect size and fit, and secured with tiny hand cut 18k rose gold beads, creating shimmer like sunlight on water, a striking contrast to the minimal geometry of the bezel and full round shank. It's a combination we love- ornament and restraint, sparkle and structure - all held in balance.
JAY Albrecht
A Collaborative Team
When walking through our showroom, people often ask, "Did you personally design this?" or "Did you personally make this?" - It's an interesting question and a compliment. We can't imagine this is asked in many other shops. This question is ultimately asking "what is going on in this store??? ... it's different."
Here's the answer. Nothing in our shop is the result of just one person. If it's not Jay or Laina helping you, the professional behind our showcases is a trusted member of our creative team working collaboratively and intentionally on our detailed jewelry making process. Every piece we make - this Pave' Cup included - passes through every hand on our team. An idea is sparked, then workshopped, refined, prototyped, problem solved, planned and organized by the team, hand finished by our goldsmiths, then carried through photography, inventory, cataloging, and the final touches of web, social and merchandising. All in house. It's a fun, dynamic environment. This creative collaboration is an aspect of our work that brings us a lot of joy, and for which we are extremely proud.
Laina Albrecht