Originally from Vietnam and now based in Denver, Colorado, designer Nina Nguyen draws inspiration from both of those unique surroundings. Nina’s work has a reputation for being versatile, convertible and addictive, and each piece is carefully crafted with those principles in mind. Utilizing beautiful vibrant gemstones, geodes and a variety of different metals, there is something in Nina’s expansive collection for everyone. Collectors of Nina’s work celebrate its ability to easily transform to reflect their individuality on any given day, with removable charms and drops that can be arranged in distinctive combinations to create bold or subtle statements.

While Nina was born into jewelry, her journey towards establishing her eponymous brand was a circuitous one. Growing up in Central Vietnam, her mother’s trading post was a destination for locals who panned gold in the Buon Ma Thuot river. This gold was refined and ultimately turned into stunning jewelry designed by Nina’s uncle. In the late 1980’s, her family’s jewelry company was confiscated, her father was arrested and vanished for several years, and her mom had to rely on the help of her family to get Nina and her siblings to safety in America, where at 12 years old, Nina quickly adapted to a new life.

Nina went on to work in finance, and during a 10 week break from a promising career in that industry, Nina went on a backpacking trip through India. It was there that she encountered vibrant gemstones that left her mesmerized and inspired her to return to her family’s roots. Employing the skills she learned from her uncle, Nina expressed her burgeoning creativity through jewelry design, and her ever-expanding collection is an expression of her artistry, her life experiences, and her passion for the materials with which she works.