Los Angeles–based jeweler Dale Hernsdorf has never been afraid of making a statement. Even with the price of gold skyrocketing, she’s doubling down on substantial 22K gold pieces, crafting cosmic-inspired designs that are bold, sculptural, and emotionally charged.
Her newest piece? A 2.2 cm-wide Orb Locket, the largest in her collection to date—and it’s filled with a hidden surprise: a tumble of loose diamonds totaling 0.5–0.75 carats, sealed inside the orb but never fixed in place.
“Everyone loves loose diamonds,” Hernsdorf says. “We jewelers get to see and hold them all the time. My clients don’t. So I wanted to give them that moment—the gasp when you see them tumble out.”
The diamonds are meant to escape over time, slipping out through a barely visible seam in the locket. And that’s the point.
“It’s about tension,” she says. “The more tightly you hold something, the more likely you are to lose it. This is a metaphor for letting go.”
The outer surface of the locket features a bezel-set 0.27 carat brilliant-cut diamond, plus a tiny ruby cabochon “Mars eye” on the front. Red rubies also sit at the top and bottom axis points of the sphere, representing planetary energy and emotional fire.
“You’re literally wearing a secret,” Hernsdorf says. “And when you finally lose the diamonds, you can choose what to replace them with.”
A symbol of luxury and transience all at once, Hernsdorf’s orb is less about possession—and more about presence.