Calling all jewelry-loving globetrotters. Next month, when Henri Noël opens its doors in downtown Naples, Fla., you won’t need your passport to travel the world. Founder Vivian Grimes (pictured), a Naples native whose family owns Certified Jewelers in nearby Green Tree Plaza, has designed the 3,000-square-foot boutique as a showcase for her own collection of mostly gold staple styles as well as pieces by seven international designers whom she’s curated under the theme “Shopping Around the Globe.”
Vivian Grimes
The store’s current crop of resident jewelers includes: Fernando Jorge (Brazil/London), Nikos Koulis (Greece), Marlo Laz (New York City), Selim Mouzannar (Lebanon), Gigi Clozeau (Paris), Sophie d’Agon Joaillerie (Paris), and Vanessa Fernandez Studio (Miami/L.A.).
When clients enter Henri Noël, they’ll get a map that explains where each of its seven international designers are from.
“When you walk in, you’re going to get handed a map and you’ll go into each of the different areas,” Grimes tells JCK. “It’ll show Selim in Lebanon along with a little origin story; Fernando, in London and Brazil, with his origin story. I want people to leave the store and know what they bought. Where are they making the pieces? What inspires them?”
A big believer in the power of storytelling to drive jewelry sales, Grimes conceived the themed approach as an antidote to the sameness of the modern jewelry shopping experience.
“Every time I travel, whether it’s to England or L.A., I’m just like, ‘I’ve seen these brands before,’” Grimes says. At Henri Noël, “I’m giving these designers a platform—the amount of traffic that we have in Naples is unreal—so clients can really know the ins and outs of their stories.”
Daisy Scalloped Tennis bracelets in 18k gold with 1–2 cts. t.w. diamonds, $8,295–$9,995; Henri Noël
For shoppers searching for classic pieces, however, the store will offer Grimes’ own designs, mainly in 18k gold.
“I’m not reinventing the wheel,” she says. “I’m just adding my own little taste to pieces that resonate. So although people might be obsessed with Fernando’s chandelier earrings, which are just breathtaking, are most people purchasing that? Probably not. But they might purchase a Henri Noël dangle earring. We’ll have more ready-to-wear, layering pieces.”
Below, Grimes shares her gold jewelry hit list for the fall 2025 season (hint: statement style is in).
On Gold as Investment
“It’s becoming more of a status symbol than ever, even for something as small as a gold chain. They know it’s solid, that it feels good. They’re seeing gold as a security blanket.
“People want to do heavy gold pieces, all 18k. I’m actually trying to be honest with clients and tell them we can do 14k, and that it’s actually going to be significantly less. But no, they want 18. It has a deeper yellow look, and it’s beautiful. And people don’t really care—they want to make the investment in these 18k pieces.”
On Gold That Moves
“A lot of our gold sales are pieces that have this fluid movement or a sculptural quality to them. It’s going to tell a story versus a simple Cuban link bracelet. You have, say, a chunky bangle, but it has some movement, some fluidity to it. And then all of a sudden, there’s a story to tell because even though it’s just gold, you still want a story attached to it. You want some type of meaning behind why you’re purchasing it.”
Fluid Diamonds double earrings in 18k yellow gold with 5.66 cts. t.w. diamonds, price on request; Fernando Jorge
On What’s In and Out
“We had these thick charm necklaces that people were obsessed with for so long. But now, at the buy desk [at Certified Jewelers], I’m buying all this stuff. There are so many stories to be told with the charms. But clients are kind of just over them, and they don’t really want to wear them anymore.
“I’m seeing a shift toward people wanting just that one big collar statement necklace. It’s a cleaner, more modern look. Or they might rotate between two or three pieces, like they’ll have this one collar with a single bezel drop hanging from it, and then also they have a tennis necklace.”
(From top) 18k gold Scalloped Bezel Emerald Pendant necklace, $7,500; 18k gold Scalloped Bezel-Set Green Tourmaline pendant, $3,600; 18k gold Scalloped Bezel Rectangular Tourmaline Pendant necklace, $6,500
On the Appeal of Earscapes
“Two years ago, it was all about hoops. Everyone’s wearing hoops. Now, I’m not seeing a lot of the chunky hoop as much. I’m seeing drops, dangles, fluid movement. People want to tell a story on their ears. They might have their statement earring, and then they build around that. They might go high-low with studs or tiny drops that they curate their ear stack with.”
On Boomer Style
“The 60-year-old woman is the coolest chick around. She can’t wait to stack her ear. Sometimes, people will think that look is for a younger woman. And I’m like, ‘No, that 50-year-old and up can afford it, and they’re cool.’ They’re on Instagram and Facebook all day looking through how they want to curate their ear stacks.”
Top: Collar necklace in 18k gold with diamonds, price on request; Nikos Koulis