What rings are the ladies of Gem Breakfast lusting after? The ones we ourselves stalk day and night on IG? We sat down with Gem Breakfast Employees and Contributors to chat ring favorites, how their love for jewels began, and their everyday jewelry go-to’s. Learn this and more about the 4 fabulous ladies that help make Gem Breakfast tick!
Ashley
What’s your role at GB?
My title is Operations Associate and I work mostly in Customer Service. I’m the person on the other end of our website chat, I help package up all your jewelry orders, and I help Cat with events.
How did you meet Catherine and find GB?
We met because she made a custom ring for me! It was an east-west set marquis ring with a slim bezel - much like this one except with a white diamond and set in rose gold. I wanted a very particular diamond with a strong blue fluorescence (that looks almost pink in some light) and Cat somehow found exactly what I wanted - it came out perfectly! It’s amazing and dainty and my all-time favorite ring.
I’m also the owner of the Sweet Thing Pink Sapphire Ring (Cat’s all-time favorite). I bring the ring back to visit her very often. It has the most amazing bright pink color and natural inclusions that are super rare. Usually gems are heat treated and cut to remove any inclusions like these. But they’re what make this ring special.
Tell us a bit about you!
I was Born in San Francisco and raised in the Bay Area. I’m a triplet and I have a dog named Nora who’s a senior rescue dog – she’s a beautiful pure bred mutt.
Right now, I’m studying for my Graduate Gemologist Degree through the GIA. So much of jewelry is intuition but the other side is the in-depth knowledge you get from a program like this one.
How did your love for jewelry begin?
I’ve always loved jewellery - I was that little girl covered in accessories – headband, a purse, and all sorts of sparkly objects. It came from my mom and grandma who let me play in their filled-to-the-brim jewelry boxes.
I love how jewelry makes people feel, and how pieces can be passed down forever. Jewelry solidifies important events and memories into a physical piece. That sentimental side is so important to me.
I considered becoming a gemologist after taking lots of Earth Science and Geology courses in school. I find jewelry is the perfect combination of art, fashion, and science – all my interests rolled into one.
Fun fact: my mom loved jewelry so much that she purposely made my sister and I’s initials AU because that’s the elemental symbol for gold!
What’s your jewelry style? What pieces do you wear every day?
My style’s very eclectic and always evolving – sometimes I’m only drawn to yellow gold, or only rose gold, or only antique pieces.
My style is very feelings-based. It’s fun to switch it up based on my moods. That’s what so awesome about Gem Breakfast! There’s something for every kind of person, style, and mood – whether it’s edgy, glam, girly, boho, classic, or masculine.
ASHLEY'S FAVORITES
Samira Pear Cut Ring in Yellow Gold
I love all the little details, and that giant flat rose cut diamond is amazing. Also, the ring feels really good on – it’s not too heavy and sits low to the finger. And that surprise hummingbird detail on the ring booty - I’ve never seen anything like it before. I think it would be an amazing alternative engagement ring for the right person.
Kissing Sunlight Round Cut Diamond Ring
First off, that grey green diamond is just amazing and so unique – it has the most fantastic, multifaceted sparkle. I’m really into champagne diamonds right now – I’m actually considering having Cat create a Love Story Five Stone Diamond Band for me with champagne stones.
I also love this six prong style, and the claw prong shape. And the milgrain details on the shank and prongs make this ring feel very special. It’s classic engagement with distinctive one-of-a-kind details splashed in. You could stack it with so many different bands to change up the look from edgy to feminine to modern.
Astra Yellow Diamond Star Ring
I love the yellow diamonds paired with rose gold, and the almost-engraved texture to it. The ring lays flat to your finger so the points won’t get caught on things, and it has a nice weight to it. I like it best on my pointer finger as a statement piece.
Arya Salt & Pepper Kite Rose Cut Diamond
It’s just so unique and cool – I showed it to my friend and she said ‘game of thrones vibes’ which feels right on target. I love the many shades of rose cut kite diamonds and how they’re nestled into the gold with little claw prongs. It’s trendy but timeless at the same time. I also love how it sits low-profile – that’s definitely my vibe!
Alyssa
What’s your role at GB?
I’m a Marketing Associate - I do a lot of the content creation for Pinterest, IG stories, YouTube, and I get to name many of the rings. I create a lot of the product pages for the website, and just general website content maintenance. I’ve been working at GB for a year this October.
I actually stalked Cat for like 2 years – replying to her IG stories and commenting on all the rings I loved. I had it in my mind that I wanted to work for her and I think I manifested this job! I just knew eventually the brand would grow enough to hire me. So, when she posted the job, I swear I was the first person to message her. Cat is such a great person to work for, I can honestly say I found my dream job.
How did you meet Catherine?
A couple years ago, Cat held an in-person pop-up event in San Francisco, and one of my favorite designers was going to be there. I was dying for a ring made by her so I road-tripped there with my dad. It was pretty funny having my dad there with all these posh, jewelry-loving women!
Tell us a little bit about you!
I love anything antique and vintage – I collect vintage Pyrex from the 50s to 70s. I travel all around to complete the sets, and have pieces from all over the world. I grew up in Waynesvile, Ohio (the antique capital of the Midwest) – maybe that explains my love for antique shows and markets.
I really like True Crime, I listen to a lot of podcast, and I love to read – my mom and I are major bookworms together. I have a huge collection of books but Harry Potter is my favorite hands down. Some of the ring names on the site are actually inspired by Harry Potter, like Lumos and Nagini.
How did your love for jewelry begin?
My interest in antiques led me to jewelry. I found this amazing antique Mourning ring at an antiques fair and that’s where it all began. I took the ring home, started doing research on it, and fell down the jewelry rabbit hole.
I started following a lot of jewelry accounts, and learned so much about all the gem options and styles out there. The first piece I fell in love with from Gem Breakfast was a champagne ring called Hera – it was so different from anything I’ve ever been drawn to, but I loved it.
Lumos Icey Pear Cut Diamond Ring - Sold (reach out to commision something similiar)
What’s your jewelry style? What do you wear everyday?
Anything vintage looking – I love the Edwardian and Victorian eras for jewelry. My style ranges from seriously big and gaudy to simple solitaires. I don’t like much in-between those two extremes.
Most days, I wear a men’s wedding band that I got it in an antique store in Ohio - it has this inscription from a couple in the 50s which is so special. I love personal touches and engraving. I also wear an old European cut diamond ring with pink diamond sides. It’s only a half carat; very dainty and low-profile – the perfect everyday ring.
I’m also currently having a ring made by Cat that I plan to wear often! It’s kind of like Arden – except it's a cut corner teal sapphire with trapezoid side stones. It’s peach gold, because you can’t go with Gem Breakfast and not pick their signature peach gold! It has the simplicity I love with all Cat’s signatures; it’s a very Cat-centric ring.
alyssa's FAVORITES
You cannot go astray with a stacking band – you could wear one on every finger and not go wrong! This band is special because of all the tiny cosmic details – some that only the wearer sees up close. They’re details just for you and that’s totally my aesthetic.
Stella Salt & Pepper Oval Cut Diamond
You don’t see a lot of salt and pepper ovals, so this ring stands out automatically. I love myself a simple solitaire, I’m a sucker for a claw prong, and I love peach gold. This ring has everything with little touches of interest all around.
Duchess Hot Pink Oval Rose Cut Sapphire Ring
If I wasn’t having Cat create me a ring, I would’ve chosen Duchess hands-down. That hot pink color and the gorgeous, high-quality diamonds along the band – it’s edgy but so royal looking. I was actually not a fan of rose cut stones before GB, but now that I know what a well-done rose cut looks like, I understand their beauty.
Bianca Grey Rose Cut Diamond Ring
I named Bianca after my friend that passed away. As soon as I saw that ring, her name jumped out. She was a queen, she knew she deserved the best of everything, but she also had this edgy side to her which that salt and pepper stone really embodies. I know if she was here, she would love it.
I can’t believe it hasn’t been snapped up yet – I’ve never seen anything like it before. So many amazing details without being busy.
Isolde Teal Sapphire & Enamel Ring in Yellow Gold (Sold)
My all-time favorite ring! That green enamel paired with the bright yellow gold, plus the milgrain - it was hunk of a ring. The sapphire I bought for my custom ring is a lot like that one. Honestly, everything Emily Gill creates is amazing – she just keeps coming up with totally new and never-been-done-before ideas.
Courtney
What’s your role at GB?
I write the Gem Breakfast blogs. I’ve always loved jewelry, and after many hours of research and interviewing Designers, Gem Dealers, and Catherine herself, I feel like I’m getting an honorary gem education of my own! It’s been amazing writing about a subject I love so much and learning from the best in the business.
Tell us a little bit about you!
I live in Canada right near Banff, and usually spend half the year travelling. In the winters, I coach alpine ski racing and in the summers, I’m usually on the water wakeboarding, waterskiing, and airchairing.
How did you find GB/Catherine?
I met Catherine through another one of my fabulous San Francisco based clients. I took one browse through her site and my GB addiction began.
How did your love for jewelry begin?
My mom had a next-level love for jewelry that she passed on to me almost from birth. She had a giant 4-foot tall jewelry box filled with treasures from everywhere – antique stores, garage sales, family heirlooms, gifts from others, and pieces she bought herself while working at jewelry stores. We’d spend hours on end looking through her jewelry and she was always very generous in gifting my sister and I whatever we loved from her collection. She always wanted to be a Gemologist, but settled on Pro Jewelry Lover instead.
What’s your jewelry style? What pieces do you wear every day?
I love statement pieces and I’ve always loved the unique and distinctive – I’ve never been interested in the mass-produced designs from mall jewelers. Heirloom pieces are so special, and I treasure the pieces that have been passed down to me.
On the daily, I wear two diamond wedding bands – one that was my grandma’s and one that I bought my mom for Mother’s Day. On my thumb, I wear one yellow gold and one white gold band – they were my mom and I’s friendship rings. I alternate bigger statement rings on my right ring finger depending on my mood.
COURTNEY'S FAVORITES
Mirella Teal Sapphire and Diamond Ring in Yellow Gold
Truthfully, most of my GB favorites have been sapphires - Isolde, Ariel, and now this statement-making Mirella. That teal color speaks to my soul, and when the light catches it, the color shifts in the most magical way. I love the slightly elongated prongs – it adds an architectural edge to an otherwise classic design. And you can never go wrong with an almost two-carat, gorgeously cut oval stone – Catherine has an eye like no other for picking the most special, memorable stones.
Pointed Open Cuff Diamond Ring
It’s just stunning and so unique. I love the open center, the dramatic arch, and how the stones taper off to ever-smaller sizes as they reach the top. This would make a next-level wedding band or just a gorgeous stacking ring. I’m of the ‘more is more’ philosophy so I think this band would complement and amp up almost any other ring.
Stella Pear Cut Diamond Ring in Peach Gold
This is just ring perfection. My heart literally thumped to a stop when I saw it. The way it catches the light, that gorgeous buttery peach gold, and the shape of that pear diamond – it’s everything. And the signature ultra-thin, perfectly minimalistic Stella band really accentuates the size of that stone. A dream engagement ring or an epic self-splurge just because you can’t live without it! Plus, can you imagine this ring stacked with the pointed open cuff ring? Amazing.
This one’s been on my love list since the very beginning – a stacking band taken to a whole other level of fabulosity. It’s the perfect crown topper for any round solitaire, yet it doesn’t take the tiara vibe too literally. I love the mix of diamond shapes, and especially the marquis in the middle that gives it a dramatic dose of height.
Celestial Skies Rose Cut Diamond Eternity Band
I’m realizing I picked three bands as my favorites, but it’s hard not to - all the Gem Breakfast bands are like nothing I’ve ever seen (and believe me, I’ve looked!) Where to even start on this one: I love the asymmetrical shape of the stones, the intricate milgrain details, and those rose cut diamonds look cosmic and seriously magical. Paired with yellow gold, this ring is out of this world fabulous.
Ana
What’s your role at Gem Breakfast?
I help Catherine with her newsletter design, and my partner and I help with website development - improving the design and functionality of the website. I just started working with GB about a month ago and I’m loving it.
How did you find GB?
I found her through another client of mine. I immediately loved the company which is so important to me - I need to connect with the brand to do my best work. I’m head over heels for everything Catherine makes.
Tell us a little bit about you!
I live in Lisbon, Portugal in the countryside near the beach with my husband. We like to go for long walks and enjoy the summertime outdoors. We do lots of cooking and love decorating and beautifying the house with DIY projects – we actually made our own chandelier recently and it turned out great!
I’m a girly girl, I love everything that shines, and I’m really fortunate to spend my time working with brands I really relate to.
How did you begin to love jewelry?
My grandfather used to fix watches and rings so I was always playing with jewelry as a child. Because I was surrounded by jewelry, it became sort of commonplace for me and I didn’t go crazy for gold or gemstones until later in life.
Eventually, as I became more interested in fashion, my interest in jewelry came to life. And when I found Gem Breakfast and saw the super unique, non-cookie cutter designs, I fell in love. I love how you can see that every piece was made by hand – as a maker myself, I really appreciate that one-of-a-kind craftsmanship.
What’s your jewelry style? What do you wear every day?
I like boho things – almost beachy vibes. On my wedding day, I was barefoot with simple foot jewelry. My style is very natural and casual, things that can be worn on the beach, with linen – pieces that are light and dainty. I love stacking rings for that reason.
Most days, I wear my wedding band, my engagement ring (it’s silver and looks handmade with a turquoise stone), and simple hoop earrings. For earrings, I wear simple hoops. When I go out, I add more bracelets – but I keep everything really simple and easy.
ANA'S FAVORITES
Barbera Salt & Pepper Round Rose Cut Diamond Ring
I love how it looks not quite perfect – you can tell it was made by hand and not by machine. When people say that beauty is in the imperfections – that’s this ring for me. The flaws make it beautiful, like no two rings will ever look the same. I love the rose gold; it matches my rosy skin tone very well. And the Salt & Pepper stone is almost like freckles – again, an imperfection that actually makes it beautiful.
Michet Salt & Pepper Kite Rose Cut Diamond Ring
I love the pointed design – it elongates the finger and looks very elegant. The size is perfect, and that freckly salt and pepper diamond is totally unique. The white diamonds underneath provide the perfect contrast to the edgy center stone.
Simone Blue Rough Montana Sapphire & Champagne Diamond Ring
Again, I love the handmade vibe, and the rough unpolished stone. I always find beauty in the imperfections. And the smaller side diamonds have a super beautiful, almost beachy champagne tone that I love.
Stella Blue-Green Round Cut Sapphire Ring in Peach Gold
The way it shines and catches the light – it’s like a different ring every time you move your hand. I love watching all the ring videos on the site so you can see how the stones shift in the light. Sapphires are my favorite colored gem, and this ring would match my favorite teal blue GB earrings perfectly – they have the same glow factor.