NYC Jewelry Week: Space 85 Pop-Up at Selima Optique

Visit our Exhibition with Space 85 Jewelry during Jewelry Week. Nov 17-21 at 7 Bond St. Selima Optique

November 17–21, 12–7 PM • Reception: November 19, 4–7 PM

📍 Bond07 by Selima Optique, 7 Bond Street, NYC

This NYC Jewelry Week, I’m so excited to share that Space 85, the collective I founded to showcase New York’s local jewelry artists, will return for our annual pop-up exhibition!

Hosted at the iconic Selima Optique in NoHo, this year’s event runs from November 17–21, open daily from 12–7 PM. Join us for our special reception on November 19 from 4–7 PM, with bubbly, bites, and conversation with the artists.👉 RSVP here

Discover the Art of Slow Jewelry

At Space 85, we celebrate jewelry that tells stories; pieces made thoughtfully by hand, with care, intention, and personality.

Our 2025 Jewelry Week pop-up brings together five independent designers:

• Mejia Jewelry

• Sandrine B. Jewelry

• Lynx Fine Jewelry

• Patricia Kolodny

• Shari Stadel

  
  

Each artist will be presenting a curated body of work, alongside process sketches, wax models, and audio stories in our own voices. It’s an intimate look at how an idea becomes a finished jewel.

My Highlighted Piece: The Crying Eye Necklace

For this year’s exhibition, my featured piece is one that’s especially close to my heart: The Crying Eye Necklace.

It’s a deeply personal work that ties together art, memory, and emotion.The eye is inlaid with agate in shades of white, black, and blue, colors that feel calm yet alive, and the tear is a blue sapphire, repurposed from a vintage piece and given new life in gold.

Hear the Story Behind the Piece

For this special feature, I recorded an audio version of my inspiration story—so you can hear the emotion and process behind The Crying Eye Necklace in my own voice. Or if you prefer to read it, read on.

🎧 Listen below:

mejia jewelry_evil eye crying eye necklace_space 85 jewelry_nycjwElise Thompson

0:00

My fascination with eyes began in childhood. My uncle was an eye doctor, and his home was filled with eye-themed artworks. One painting, a large, open eye hovering over a desert, always captured my imagination. It reminded me of the surrealist worlds of Salvador Dalí, where the eye becomes a symbol of emotion and awareness; an entryway into deeper meaning.

The golden brow above the eye came later, inspired by the texture of a seahorse’s armor, a small detail that’s become part of my signature style. Sculpting it in wax, the curve of a crescent moon naturally became the perfect brow, completing the expression.

And so, the Crying Eye was born; a golden brow, a gemstone gaze, and a sapphire tear.

The Meaning Behind the Eye

Growing up in an Italian household, I was surrounded by little symbols of protection. We wore horn and eye charms to ward off malocchio—the evil eye. Those traditions and superstitions always fascinated me.

So, this necklace carries that layered meaning. It’s not only about emotion—it’s about protection, reflection, and connection.The eye isn’t just watching—it’s guarding, feeling, and seeing beyond what’s in front of us.

To me, it’s a reminder to look deeper. And if you ever feel sadness or longing, maybe this necklace can cry for you—or with you.

Visit Space 85 During NYC Jewelry Week

Come see The Crying Eye Necklace in person, alongside one-of-a-kind pieces from five incredible local designers.

📍 Selima Optique – 7 Bond St, NYC

🗓️ November 17–21, 12–7 PM

🥂 Reception: November 19, 4–7 PM

All jewelry will be available directly from the artists.