Jennifer O’Brien is the founder of Calms Jewelry, a fine jewelry house rooted in New York City and inspired by antique heirlooms, nautical symbolism, and art deco architecture. Jennifer designs and produces pieces locally in NYC’s historic Diamond District. Her fascination with jewelry began early through collecting vintage pieces and studying their craftsmanship and history. Through Calms, Jennifer creates modern heirlooms intended to carry meaning, memory, and lasting presence. Her work reflects a lifelong fascination with geometric architectural form and the sense of place discovered through travel.

1. In what ways has travel shaped the visual language of your jewelry?

Travel expands my visual vocabulary. I’m often drawn to new places because of their architectural forms and historic symbols. Each trip’s collection of visual postcards remain with me and slowly evolve into jewelry designs even years later.  

2. What piece in your collection feels most inspired by a specific place and what story does it carry?

Many of my earliest pieces are inspired by New York City, including the anchor pendants. Both the Core Anchor Pendant and the Root Anchor Pendant were shaped by my visits to South Street Seaport, where several historic anchors are displayed outside the stationery shop. I remember spending a rainy afternoon there sketching them, watching how they sat heavy and immovable on the cobblestone street. I love being a tourist in my own city. Recently, for a birthday, we took a tugboat ride through the South Street Seaport Museum, which I highly recommend.

3. Is there a city or landscape that continues to inform your aesthetic, even subconsciously?

New York City is a constant visual thread throughout my work. Beyond my home city, my love for Italy and Italian language and culture adds a romantic undercurrent to many designs. Venice in particular influences the aquatic themes, arches, and geometric forms that appear in my pieces. In the future, I would love to design a collection that draws more directly from specific Italian visual cues.

4. What piece of jewelry do you instinctively reach for before boarding a flight?

I often feel incomplete without earrings, so that is usually the first thing I reach for. I prefer bezel-set stone jewelry when I travel. The setting protects the stone and moves easily with life in motion. I also love to wear necklaces or charms that help me feel grounded and calm, even thousands of feet in the air.

5. Do you believe jewelry should travel with you daily, or be reserved for specific moments?

I believe the most meaningful jewelry deserves to be worn every day. Pieces that carry memory and significance become part of normal life rather than something kept only for rare occasions. I’ve always loved dressing up, even for casual moments. A friend once joked that I arrived in a ballgown to a casual gathering. In reality it was a short cotton dress, but I’ve always been drawn to texture and structure and I’m often slightly overdressed. I laughed, but to me beautiful things are meant to be lived in.

6. What is the most treasured piece of jewelry you’ve acquired while traveling and why does it remain meaningful?

I will never forget when my parents took me to the Ponte Vecchio in Florence to buy an 18K gold pendant. That was the moment I distinctly remember seeing the richness of 18K yellow gold. I stored that special pendant in its bright red box with a gold foil bridge and decorative details. I still have and wear the pendant today.

7. What are the three objects, aside from jewelry, you never leave behind when you travel?

My camera is the first thing I pack. I love documenting the places I visit and the small moments along the way. In recent years I often travel with a DJI Osmo because its small size makes it easy to capture photos and videos. I also rarely leave home without a small dotted sketchbook, which is perfect for jotting down ideas or quick design sketches during travel downtime. I always bring a physical book to keep me company along the way.

8. Where do you feel most creatively alive when you travel?

I feel most creatively alive when I’m out of my comfort zone. Being surrounded by new colors, textures, and patterns often sparks ideas that later find their way into my designs.

9. What scent, flavor, sound, or color from a recent trip feels like it could become a future design?

I love cocoa. I’m not a coffee drinker, but I will go out of my way for a cocoa. I love to take chocolate tours in new destinations. On a recent trip to Grenada, the taste of fresh cocoa and the warm spices stayed with me. The lush green landscape and crystal-clear water felt incredibly inspiring and will likely find their way into my designs.

10. What emotion do you hope someone feels when wearing your jewelry in a place far from home?

I hope someone wearing a piece of Calms Jewelry feels grounded, calm, and safe wherever they are in the world. That sense of steadiness can make travel feel even more expansive and joyful. 

11. Is there a place you return to when you need clarity or recalibration?

Italy. From studying the language and culture in school to visiting family in the south, I have always felt deeply connected to it. 

12. What does “home” mean to you, and does it influence the jewelry you design or wear?

Home is wherever my family and the people I love are. I also feel incredibly fortunate to call New York City home, a place so many people dream of visiting. The people around me shape my designs in both direct and subtle ways.

13. If your work could be photographed anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you choose?

I have many ideas for future designs and elaborate photoshoots. I might return to a few favorite places I’ve traveled. If I could choose anywhere tomorrow, Morocco would be high on the list for the intricate patterns found in its architecture and textiles. I also loved Thailand and would happily welcome an excuse to return to photograph the vibrant markets and surrounding landscapes.

14. What dream destination is currently calling you next, creatively or personally?

Greece would be a design dream. We’re fortunate to have friends getting married there soon, so I may finally have the excuse to spend extra time studying its architecture and patterns. Who knows, it might even inspire a future collection.

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