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Boston's Best Places For Handmade Jewelry

It's everyone's favorite gift-giving season and what is everyone's favorite gift to receive? Jewelry, of course! A handmade piece of jewelry makes that special gift just that much more meaningful. So forget about those mall stores. Get something as unique and special as the person you're giving it to.
M. Flynn
(Photo from M. Flynn/Facebook)

M. Flynn
40 Waltham St.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 292-0079
www.mflynnstudio.com

M. Flynn is the joint collaboration between two sisters. After years of jewelry classes, Moria and Megan made the jump from hobbyists to shop owners. Today they create custom jewelry and rework vintage pieces, and their work can be found in fine boutiques. Their Boston-based business includes a Waltham Street showroom where you can find many of their pieces and the works of other unique artisans. They also have an online shop that is open for business whenever the jewelry buying bug might hit you.

Related: Best Boston-Based Fashion Designers

Gifted
(Photo from Gifted)

Gifted
2 Dartmouth St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 716-9924
www.madebymarie.com/Gifted

As you can probably tell by the name, Gifted is so much more than just a jewelry store. Featuring a lovingly curated collection of handmade items, you'll find that the jewelry selection is top notch. The jewelry here trends toward casual items that will quickly become your everyday favorites. The collection includes everything from hand-blown glass earrings to clever little pendants to colorful bangle bracelets. With a selection that's always changing, it's worth a stop in to see what's new and what you simply can't bear to live without.

Cambridge Artists' Cooperative
(Photo from Cambridge Artists' Cooperative)

Cambridge Artists' Cooperative
59A Church St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 868-4433
www.cambridgeartistscoop.com

The Cambridge Artists Cooperative Gallery features work from more than two hundred local artists and artisans, many of them jewelers. It's a great place to shop if you know you want handmade but don't know exactly which artist or style you're looking for. In the co-op, you'll find such talented jewelers as Heather Wang, who mixes fine metals and natural inspiration to create one-of-a-kind jewelry creations, and Mary Ann Babula, who uses fused glass in geometric shapes. With more than two floors to wander through, you'll want to block out enough time to search through all of the treasures at the Cambridge Artists Cooperative Gallery.

Beatrice Kim
(Photo from Beatrice Kim)

Beatrice Kim
www.beatricekim.com

After studying art at New York University and gaining her experience in the fashion industry at Marc Jacobs, Boston-based designer Beatrice Kim began her own line. Using natural materials ranging from leather to tree nut pendants, Kim's jewelry is unique and sure to draw attention. She was named one of Boston's up-and-coming jewelry makers by the Boston Globe in early 2013 and has gone on to surpass all expectations since then.

Related: Boston's Best Jewelry Stores

Society of Arts and Crafts
(Photo from Society of Arts and Crafts)

Society of Arts and Crafts
175 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 266-1810
www.societyofcrafts.org

If you've ever checked out the annual jewelry exhibit at the Society of Arts and Crafts and wished you could bring every piece home with you, here's some good news. This organization also has a retail space. And that retail space is chock full of jewelry. If you love handmade and love variety, it's a great place to shop. There's everything from ultra-conservative minimalism to outright bling to be found.

Renee Mallett is the author of several books about art, culture, and New England. She was the owner and director of an art gallery and has written about arts and entertainment on a national level for several print and online journals. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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