How to Start a Marla Aaron Jewelry Collection
If you’ve been with us for a while, you know what to do. If you’re new here, welcome.
“Jewelry’s only job is to give joy” are words we live by. It is why our collection is so vast, and why we make so many iterations of our Locks and Chains: so more people can experience the joy of playing with jewelry.
There is really no wrong way to start.
That said, we have been told the collection can be “overwhelming.” Fair. When Marla first started the company, she was also told that making chains without closures was “crazy,” so we have learned to take these things in stride. This page is simply here to break it down.
Our other company motto is “It’s just jewelry,” which is worth keeping in mind as you walk — or run — down this particular winding jewelry path with us.
Thank you for being here. Let’s get into it.
Step One: Understand the System
Before picking anything, it helps to understand the idea at the center of Marla Aaron: the Lock.
The Lock is the clasp. It is also the main event.
Every Lock opens and closes by hand, without tools. It can connect to a chain, another Lock, a charm, a strand of beads or pearls, or jewelry you already own.
One piece can become many pieces.
That is the basic idea behind building a Marla Aaron collection. You are not buying a matching set. You are building a system.
There are three things to know:
1. The Lock: The functional focal point of the system.
2. The Chain: Sterling silver, gold, natural stones and other strands in different weights, textures and lengths.
3. The Completed Look: A Lock and chain we have already paired for you, ready to wear and ready to change.
A lot of people start with a Completed Look because we have done the pairing work for you. Then, as your collection grows, you can move Locks onto different chains, layer pieces, add charms and let our jewelry play with the jewelry you already own.
That last part is important. Your jewelry does not have to be ours to work with ours.
Step Two: Pick Your Entry Point
Jewelry is personal. So if you are new to Marla Aaron, the best place to start is with what you actually like.
Are you a necklace person or a bracelet person? Silver or gold? Plain or embellished? Light and subtle or something with some heft?
There is no correct answer (obviously)!
And because everything is designed to mix and match, whatever you choose is not really an endpoint. It is the beginning of infinite possibilities.
A few useful questions:
Do you wear jewelry every day or mostly for occasions?
Do you like things simple and understated, or do you want your jewelry to be noticed?
Is the jewelry you already own mostly silver, gold or a mix?
Do you prefer something light and close to the neck or a chain with more presence?
Below are some of the pieces we return to most often when helping someone make a first purchase. They vary in weight, mood and price, but they all leave plenty of room for whatever comes next.
Step Three: Think About Where This Goes
A Marla Aaron collection tends to grow in layers, not categories.
You are not necessarily filling the traditional jewelry buckets: necklace, bracelet, earrings, done.
You are building a group of interchangeable pieces that talk to one another.
A hypothetical collection might grow like this:
1. One Completed Look: A Lock and chain, ready to wear. Your foundation.
2. Something that contrasts with it: A different weight, texture or length. Maybe a bracelet instead of another necklace.
3. A Lock on its own: Something you can use with the chains you already have — ours or yours.
And then it usually gets less linear from there.
Before you buy anything, look at what is already sitting in your jewelry box. The pieces you own now are not separate from this system. They are part of the starting point.
A Great Place to Start: Rolo Chain & Baby Meander Lock Necklace
Price: $1,290 | Chain: 16" Sterling Silver Rolo with 14k Yellow Gold Loops | Lock: Baby Meander Lock in 14k Yellow Gold (1.7cm × 1.7cm)
The Rolo chain is medium weight, not delicate, not heavy, and the Baby Meander Lock is a compact geometric square in yellow gold. The combination reads minimal on the body but is clearly intentional up close. This is the piece for someone who wears jewelry daily and wants something that goes with everything. It also layers well once you're ready to add a second piece.
Good for: Everyday wearers, gold lovers, minimalist style, first necklace
Want More of a Statement? Heavy Curb Chain & Starlock Necklace
Price: $2,290 | Chain: 14" Sterling Silver Heavy Curb with 14k Yellow Gold Loops | Lock: 14k Yellow Gold Starlock (3cm × 1.4cm)
The Heavy Curb is the chain that built this brand. It is substantial: you feel it when you put it on and the Starlock is a sculptural gold star that closes the chain with something to look at. Together they make the kind of necklace people ask about. If you are the type of person who likes your jewelry to say something, start here.
Good for: Statement-makers, silver-and-gold fans, open necklines, the "one great necklace" buyer
Want Something Darker? Black Spinel Itty Bitty Strand & Baby Consuelo Lock Necklace
Price: $3,745 | Strand: 16" Black Spinel beads with 14k Yellow Gold Loops | Lock: Baby Consuelo in 14k Yellow Gold with blackened white gold diamond closure (~0.22ct)
For someone who wants something that reads differently from a chain entirely. The Itty Bitty Spinel strand is dark, beaded, and drapes beautifully. The Baby Consuelo Lock has a blackened white gold and diamond closure that adds refinement without being flashy. This is the Marla Aaron first purchase for the person who already has chains and wants something that contrasts them.
Good for: Layering, contrast pieces, the bead lover, occasions and everyday equally
More of a Bracelet Person? MiniMega Curb Chain & Embossed Chubby Medium Lock Bracelet
Price: $3,715 | Chain: 7" silver MiniMega chain with 14k Yellow Gold Loops | Lock: Embossed Chubby Medium Lock in Silver with a 14k Yellow Gold
Not everyone starts with a necklace. For wrist-first jewelry wearers, the MiniMega Curb Chain & Embossed Chubby Medium Lock bracelet is worth knowing about. The bracelet is chunky in the best way: the chain is weighty and the lock is distinctive.
Good for: a bracelet you will will reach for everyday.
Want to Dive In Immediately? 4Play
Price: $1,770 | Two Chains: 6"/18" Not So Heavy Curb necklace and a Heavy Curb bracelet | Lock: Silver Baby Droplock and 14k Yellow Babylock
A Set designed specifically to give you the most configurations from the fewest pieces. It doubles as necklace and bracelet in dozens of combinations. Good entry into the system for someone who wants to experiment before going deeper.
Shop More Completed Pieces
FAQ
Do I have to buy a lock and chain separately?
No. Completed Looks are pre-paired locks and chains, ready to wear. They are the easiest way to start. Buying separately gives you more control over combination, but it is not required.
Can I mix silver and gold?
Yes, and the collection is specifically built for this. Most completed pieces use sterling silver chains with 14k yellow gold loops and locks, so the mixing is already done for you.
Will my Marla Aaron pieces work with jewelry I already own?
Yes, we encourage it.
Can I book an appointment to shop in person?
Yes. Marla Aaron has a showroom in New York City. Virtual appointments are also available. Both can be booked here.
Start Here...
These are the pieces we would point you to first. Every piece here is designed to work with whatever comes next. Start anywhere.
| Style | Chain Weight | Lock Style | Vibe | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rolo + Baby Meander | Medium, drapey | Geometric square, gold | Minimal, versatile | $1,290 |
| Heavy Curb + Starlock | Heavy, substantial | Geometric star, gold | Statement, bold | $2,290 |
| Itty Bitty Spinel + Chubby Baby Consuelo | Delicate, textured | Chubby, diamond closure | Dressy, distinctive | $3,745 |
| MiniMega + Chubby Medium | Heavy, chunky | Embossed, mixed metal | Everyday, collectible | $3,715 |
| Old World + Boltlock | Delicate, simple | Geometric Lightening Bolt | Accessible, everyday | $315 |
| Tone on Stone | Delicate, colorful | Rubber Chubby Medium | Fun, wearable | $795 |
| 4Play | Heavy, Not So Heavy | Babylock & Baby Droplock | Maximum Play | $1,770 |