If you’re someone whose soul is soothed by the sea, ocean themed jewellery is the type of accessory that will fill you with joy. Jewellery makers have long been moved by the beauty and drama of the coast, taking inspiration from the mysterious ocean’s colours, movements and changeability. Jewellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to materials for crafting their marine creations – from the traditional precious metals and stones to the more organic sea glass and seashells that give a wonderfully ethereal look.
Whether your style is infused with the laid-back beach vibe or you like to make an environmental statement with your fashion, we’ve got ocean inspired jewellery ideas to help you find the perfect new pieces for your collection. An amazing style to wear on your beach holidays or to keep that vacation feeling alive when you return, the ocean jewellery style is super versatile. We’ve got designs for day and night wear, with subtle nods to the sea and full-on, wave-crashing celebrations of all things aquatic.
A New Wave of Popularity
There is always the fear that ‘themed’ jewellery will look a little gimmicky, but we’ve found the best examples of jewellers telling the story of the sea without a hint of tackiness. Modern sea jewellery caters to all fashion tastes but will also speak loudest to those who find solace in the ebbing tide and the glint of sea glass between the pebbles.
Turning Tides
The jewellery industry has been forced to address some pressing issues over recent decades. The blood diamond scandal highlighted the environmental and social impact of high-end jewellery, and consumers took a long hard look at their own priorities. The resounding feedback from the public was that ethics would always win the day. The consumer demanded ethically sourced materials within all price ranges, also fuelled by the ever-present issue of climate change.
As the horror of the plastic pollution in our oceans has taken centre stage, wearing oceanthemed jewellery becomes more than a reflection of our love for the sea – it can be an environmental statement too.
Uniquely You
As we embrace inclusivity and champion the right to express our individuality, there’s never been a better time to curate the fashion aesthetic that speaks from our hearts. Sea inspired jewellery is an excellent example of fashion being used to mirror your character and your passions.
Although ocean jewellery can undoubtedly help you nail that informal boho-beach style, there are other pieces that you could happily wear to an important business meeting or the most formal of evening events. The hues associated with this style of jewellery are mesmerising, with blues and greens that can bring out the colour in your eyes, to echo the palette of your outfit or to add captivating contrast to dark dresses and suits.
Sourcing Materials from the Sea
You have many options for wearing jewellery crafted from traditional metals and gemstones. Pendants, earrings and charms depicting marine wildlife or seashells are readily available in gold, platinum and silver, allowing you to express your fondness of all things coastal in the jewellery style that suits your taste.
Sea glass has become a popular, budget-friendly stone alternative in sea-themed jewellery. Created when clear and coloured glass is ‘weathered’ by their time spent at sea and on the shore, the abrasive nature of sand and stones and a chemical reaction between the glass and the salt water produces a frosted effect and buffers off the sharp edges. The result is a beautiful tumble stone effect that clever jewellers use to make often whimsical feeling pieces.
The urge to pick up seashells from the shore never leaves us. A shining example of exquisite symmetry and natural patterns, seashells can make the ultimate upcycled material for creating earthy jewellery. There’s always something fun about seashell jewellery, from gentle nods to the shore with tiny shells to striking, bold contemporary pieces using large shells.
Pioneering jewellers are making a statement using sea plastic to create beautiful eco-jewellery. If you’re looking for ethical pieces that speak to your beliefs, jewellery crafted using plastic cleared from the ocean will tick all your boxes. Gorgeous jewellery is always a talking point, and you’ll relish the opportunity to raise awareness and champion the use of this recycled material.
Sea inspired jewellery can add the sprinkle of magic that finishes off an outfit, and if you’re ready to imagine the sound of breaking waves and the feel of warm sand beneath your feet, dive into our ten ocean inspired jewellery ideas.
Ten Ocean Inspired Jewellery Ideas
Are you looking for a gift for a loved one who yearns for the beach? Or do you crave jewellery pieces that remind you of tropical holidays or childhood days spent staring into rockpools? We’ve cast our nets and found some of 2023’s most exciting sea jewellery.
It’s the look many aspire to achieve on holiday, from the tousled beach wave hair to the floaty tunics and linen shirts. To complete the look, find ocean themed jewellery that encapsulates that casual, sun-kissed beach feel.
Showcasing the colours that epitomise the boho beach look, Buy the Sea’s Sea and Sand Silver Fish Bracelet is a must-have for achieving this look.
An absolute classic and one that will allow you to nail this style with just one accessory, the cowrie shell necklace, like this offering by Ariti Jewels Greece, works a treat alongside both daywear and smart-casual evening wear on holiday. Meanwhile, nothing says beach boho quite like an anklet and Booboo London offers an affordable piece full of rockpool charm.
Your ocean jewellery can still sing the song of the ocean without featuring sea creatures or being crafted from a material washed up on shore. The ocean, a necklace crafted from turquoise, silver and 9ct gold is a superb illustration of how the colour of a gem can evoke images of the ocean.
The Blue Moon ring by Saltwater Souls boasts a captivating moonstone whose iridescence will remind you of the pleasure of turning over a seashell to find a mother of pearl hidden inside. The hues of aqua shades within the gemstone are subtle yet deep, making this a piece you can wear informally and formally to share your ocean adoration.
Hoop earrings remain on trend in 2023, and this cute pair by Yemaya from The Beach Boutique are alive with the colours of the ocean thanks to the amazonite beads. The different shades replicate the beach ombre effect of the ocean meeting the sky at the horizon on a beautiful sunny day. A great daytime into evening earring, you’ll want to take this pair away on foreign beach holidays.
If you think seashell jewellery will look amateurish, think again! Saltwater Souls has mastered the art of simplicity in their Cowrie Cove sterling silver seashell necklace. A necklace to wear when relaxing on the beach, this is the height of informal sea jewellery. Saltwater Souls has nestled a tiny cowrie shell into recycled sterling silver to produce their understated Barricane Summer ring. A piece that feels steeped in mermaid lore, it is a ring for the young and the young at heart.
If you’d prefer your ocean jewellery to take inspiration from seashells, you can make a statement with a bold piece such as David Koma’s Seashell Necklace in Gold.
Suppose you’re not swayed by the value of the stones in your jewellery. In that case, sea glass offers a charming aesthetic that can add natural femininity and softness to formal outfits and interest to your daytime style. The Salt Tribe necklace by Saltwater Souls is a prime example, producing a boho look during the day and adding allure to your evening attire.
Spindraft’s Sea Glass Ring not only sparkles with the colours of the ocean, but its wavy hammered band also adds real character. The Skagen Jewellery Sea Glass Stainless Steel Necklace fits the brief if your style is a little more refined.
If you want your jewellery to transport you on dreary days to the warmth of summer, this light-hearted style is for you. Tesshin Craft Co’s Beach Dangle Earrings capture the movement of waves ebbing onto the sand and would make an excellent gift for the younger jewellery wearer.
Buy the Sea’s Sea and Land Lampwork Pendant is brimming with briny charm and would make a fitting piece for those who embrace the cottage-core aesthetic.
Heart-shaped jewellery is always a lovely choice when buying a present for a loved one. Capturing the seaside in the ever-popular jewellery icon of the heart, Buy the Sea’s Sea and Sand Glass pendant is a bold piece that features both the colours and motifs of the ocean, cleverly worked in glass.
Beach Art Glass offers a decidedly informal Ocean Waves Heart Pendant, with its suede cord and funky, young colours on the pendant, making it a fitting accessory for lazy days on the beach. Delicate and incredibly cute, Beach Art’s Sea Spray Heart Drops Earrings are superb daytime earrings.
Seek the contemporary wave design if you’d like to get a little more abstract with your ocean inspired jewellery. Unashamedly boho and budget-friendly, Pineapple Island’s Flow With It stacking ring features both a wavy band and a sweet wave motif.
Unique and sure to be a talking point, Royal Mile Silver’s Ocean Wave Set is inspired by the sun reflecting off waves. Just as unique, Buy the Sea’s Frosted Sea Pendant Necklace will catch admiring glances with its wave of melted silver droplets.
Salt Water Soul’s Wave Dancer pendant necklace boasts frosted sea glass enrobed by funky wire waves. This piece would work particularly well with a summer dress, making you feel formal enough to eat out after a day by the surf.
Fish may not sound like the most obvious choice for attractive jewellery works, but we’ve found plenty of cheeky pieces that will have you longing for plunges into turquoise lagoons. Bring the shoals you snorkel through on your beach holidays into everyday life with the witty Upstream Adjustable Ring by the Empowered Jewellery Co.
SkyeSyns’ Fish Shoal Necklace replicates all the shimmers of the sun’s light reflecting on a shoal in this unusual piece. Meanwhile, the adorable and budget-friendly Silver Fish and Shell Bangle by Alison Baxter Jewellery helps you bring a hint of sea themed jewellery into your daywear.
An item of jewellery featuring someone’s favourite marine animal makes a fantastic gift, such as these precious Sea Turtle Earrings by Juliet English. If you’d like a necklace you can personalise with a birthstone, The Handmade’s Sterling Silver Dolphin necklace will be a big hit with the dolphin fan in your life.
Marine animal jewellery is a simple way to turn a pared-back outfit into a desirable beach look, as demonstrated by Mony’s simple Sterling Silver Starfish Necklace.
If you like to make a statement with your accessories, turn to ocean jewellery for new ways to stand out. Ed Bahdanau’s Chunky Seashell Earrings are bold and contemporary and would make an excellent accent piece if you’re power dressing.
Buy the Sea’s Abalone Sea Necklace brings all its impact through the use of a natural shell, shining with ocean hues thanks to mother of pearl.
If you have a big personality, Laura Homemade Jewellery’s fabulous Jellyfish Dangle Earrings will tell people everything they need to know about your character. Or consider these colourful Eco-Beach Earrings by Inspire Tides, made using recycled beach plastic.
With so many sea inspired jewellery ideas, you can bring the ocean to your outfit whether you’re at work, out on the town or ankle-deep in the water at your favourite cove.