Hello Hamptons gentlemen….have you started to think about Valentine’s Day yet? Well, I hope so! If you are looking to give a gorgeous gift while you “give back” at the same time then you should check out the beautiful collection of baubles from Monique Pean Fine Jewelry.

Monique creates sustainable fine jewelry inspired by indigenous cultures. Seems like every industry wants to become more eco-friendly~ so why not fine jewelry?  If it’s important for you to live this way of life then you will be thrilled to ogle over the incredibly inspired jewelry that Monique creates from recycled gold and fair-trade diamonds. This is not a girl who is playing around with a jewelry kit~ Monique worked at Goldman Sachs prior to becoming a designer.

“I’ve been making jewelry since I was a little girl, but I began designing professionally four years ago. I have always been passionate about all mediums of art and my fine jewelry business allows me to combine my love for art, business and philanthropy. I don’t have any formal training. Jewelry design was just a hobby, but then I started getting stopped by buyers who were interested in what I was wearing, so I decided to take a chance and pursue my love of design. Working at Goldman Sachs prepared me for running my own business and I constantly utilize the finance and accounting skills that I learned while working there,” she shared with Glamour magazine.

Gems and fossils found in Alaska by natives fishing and hunting in melting ice due to climate change have also become part of Peans collection; after spend time learning ancient jewelry crafting practices from Alaskan artisans, Monique brought back 20,000 year old remnants of walrus tusks and other rarities and transform them into pieces of fine jewelry that rock the red carpet! The most fabulous part? 10% of all proceeds from Pean’s jewelry goes right back to the people that inspired it all.

**Monique Pean Fine Jewelry can be found at Barney’s, Barneys.com, and for more information go to www.moniquepean.com

Monique’s chic chunky rings, delicate diamond rimmed earrings, statement cuffs won her a CFDA award. Here are some of my favorite pieces from Monique’s Spring 2012 collection: