Behind the Design of this Modern Worry Stone Jewelry | GLDN

Written by GLDN Team — August 02, 2024

Over the years, worry stones have taken many forms: some as small as pebbles, some as large as your palm, some made of soothing crystals and others made of natural river rock, all designed to promote feelings of serenity. But we’ve never seen worry stones quite like these—until we designed them, of course!

What are worry stones?

Also known as pocket stones or palm stones, traditional worry stones are small, smooth stones or crystals used to promote feelings of calm and peace. The idea is that you gently hold or rub the slightly indented stone, taking your attention away from whatever is stressing you…and instead focusing on the physical sensations of the present moment. That’s the entire crux of it: being present. Taking a moment. Meditating. Getting into your body and out of your mind.

Here at GLDN, we’re all about jewelry with subtle meaning: jewelry that represents you, inspires you or encourages you to connect to yourself more deeply. So we thought…what if we took this idea and created worry stone jewelry you could carry with you?

The concept of worry stone jewelry isn’t entirely new—we’ve all seen our fair share of crystal stone necklaces—but it was time to modernize it. So we traded the crystals for high-quality gold and silver, and worked tirelessly to design worry stones that look timeless and perfectly imperfect while still evoking that sense of peace. Something you can wear whenever, wherever. Something that felt chic instead of cheesy. Enter: the elegant Worry Stone Necklace, Petite Worry Stone Necklace and spinnable Worry Stone Ring.

To see how she brought the Worry Stones Collection to life and ushered worry stones into a new era, we sat down with GLDN founder and lead designer, Chrissy, to chat about her inspiration.

Q&A with GLDN Founder, Chrissy

What inspired you to design worry stone jewelry?

“I’ve often kept a stone in my pocket. One with a smooth surface that was pleasant to rub; I’d heard of many people doing this and starting doing it myself. It wasn’t until a few years later that someone mentioned they’re called worry stones. I loved that. It made me want to create a collection of jewelry that gave those same feelings and sensations, but designed in a way that people would actually want to wear. Pieces you reach for because they look timeless and classic, but pieces you also long to touch and hold onto.”

What do you love about organic jewelry silhouettes?

“I’ve always been drawn to imperfection. The subtle hand touches of craft, the unexpected shapes that emerge in nature, the quirks of our humanness that make each of us unique. Imperfection just feels more authentic and reminds us of the immense beauty that lies within the process of creation. Beach stones and river stones capture this idea beautifully and have always been an inspiration in my art and design.

There’s something about organic shapes that touch a deeper part of the soul. They feel more real. I feel that this aesthetic really appeals to those who crave more natural beauty in their life; the ones who value pieces with character and spontaneity. As ‘perfection’ becomes more and more attainable through technical improvements, I imagine people will crave this authenticity and depth even more.”

What do you hope people get out of wearing this collection?

“I hope people wear these pieces and feel connected to the soothing, organic forms of nature, become inspired by imperfection and find serenity in simple rituals.”