Black History Month!
How nameplates came to be...
When I started my jewelry blogging, I made a tiktok video about Jackie Aina’s wrist stack, which caught her attention. She so kindly boosted my page and soon became one of my first customers. She bought a vintage tennis bracelet from me and is always mindful about tagging me to this day! Her support catalyzed my small business and because of that, a majority of my first thousand followers were Black women! (Once you hit 1,000 followers you can add links in your bio and make it a more professional page which was super helpful for my website and business). I will never forget her kindness and how her platform helped change my life. My hope is to always use my platform to create a space for Black women, or any person of color to feel included in the discussion about fine jewelry, which is very much a predominantly white, male-dominated space.
One of the largest trends in jewelry are nameplates. These gold necklaces took off in the 80s on the streets of New York by the Black and Latinx community. You could find them at street vendors or fine jewelers in these neighborhoods, and were often coming to age gifts for young women and later popularized by Black musicians in the 90s. A nameplate was a unique way for the Black and Latinx community to take pride in who they were, what they represent, and where they were from. Sadly, they were infamously referenced by Carrie in SATC when she deemed her nameplate “ghetto gold jewelry”. With such a negative connotation, people miss the opportunity to learn about the cultural significance nameplate necklaces hold for empowerment.
Understanding where trends originate is so important, especially in an industry where styles evolve, but the original sources of inspiration are often overlooked or not properly credited. Nameplate necklaces hold deep cultural significance, yet their history is rarely acknowledged by big brands. By recognizing and honoring the roots of these trends, we can ensure that the communities who pioneered them receive the appreciation and visibility they deserve. If you’re contemplating purchasing a nameplate necklace, I have listed some Black owned jewelry brands to check out!
Helen With the Gold Teeth makes custom fine jewelry. This New York-based brand’s website highlights, “Historically nameplates and namerings were made by hand. Today a mixture of digitization and traditional craftsmanship make it easy to execute each piece with more precision. Striking a perfect balance between imperfection and total refinement. Helen’s nameplates are made of 14 karat gold, double plated and paired with the highest quality gold chain links available in the United States.”
Valerie Madison, Seattle-based, creates 14K solid gold nameplates. The brand is dedicated to producing high-quality jewelry through ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices (like using 100% recycled gold).
Nadriah & Co makes affordable nameplates, available in 18k Gold and stainless steel, 18k Rose-gold and stainless steel or Silver. The brand takes pride in the fact that their pieces are tarnish-free, water-resistant, and hypoallergenic.
Stella and Haas is known for affordable, everyday jewelry! The brand offers customized nameplates, stainless steel and gold plated, in 4 different fonts. Although the nameplates are affordable, they are tarnish resistant.
Given my success on tiktok over the past few years, I also wanted to highlight some Black jewelry creators to follow for similar content to mine! Please check out, engage, and follow these creators: