Several young and talented Magyar designers create cool jewelry that affordably enhances a variety of outfits, providing almost anyone with the opportunity to add pizzazz to their look for a friendly price. Check out these fresh Hungarian brands that feature numerous decorative pieces available for less than 10,000 forints at an assortment of independent boutiques found citywide.
The carefully handcrafted jewelry of Lilla Balázs is playful, unique, and easily recognizable. The earrings and necklaces can be combined in myriad ways, and can serve as the crown jewels of any outfit from casual to elegant. Balilla pieces are available in several stores scattered around Budapest, although in September the brand’s HQ moves into a new showroom, where huge discounts await Balilla fans for five days (September 10-14).
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Where to buy: Balilla showroom: Budapest 1084, Német u 13, buzzer 64, 2nd Floor, Apt. 5; Buda Designer Boutique; My Day Collection; The Garden Studio; Treasure; Retrock
Prices: necklaces: 6,500-10,000 forints, bracelets: 4,500-8,000 forints, rings and earrings: 2,500–8,000 forints
Nise was established about a year ago by two young craftswomen, Eszter Győri and Gyöngyi Varga. The brand name comes from the word resin, and hints at the basic material of Nise jewelry, though exotic tree types and silver can also be found among the ingredients of these refreshingly unique accessories. Our favorite collection, Geom, was inspired by the geometric shapes of Art Deco decorations, and was made using both handcrafting techniques and machinery. Smaller earrings are perfect for everyday wear, while necklaces – which are a little bit on the expensive side – will surely help you step up your accessories game.
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Where to buy: wonderLAB, Mono art & design
Prices: earrings: 3,000-4,000 forints, necklaces: up to 25,000 forints
Many jewelers are inspired by nature’s unrepeatable irregularity, including Bianka Bori, who put together an entire earring collection based on the characteristic shape of ginkgo leaves. The earrings, which are a perfect fit for extra short and long hair, are available in two sizes and in silver-plated and a pair of gold-plated (yellow and rose) editions.
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Where to buy: wonderLAB
Price of the smaller earrings: 7,500 forints
We were already fools for Orsi Kállai’s jewelry, but then came her raw crystal collection, RAW, which put us on cloud nine. Disclaimer: these are not your run-of-the-mill accessories – they are guaranteed to make the wearer stand out from the crowd, whether you’re wearing a white T-shirt with jeans or a designer cocktail dress. The collection is a combination of low-key and larger-than-life pieces; the common denominator is the way beams of light create a kaleidoscopic effect on smooth metal surfaces and the gracefully rugged crystals. If you’re looking for some long-lasting accessories that you’ll love for years to come, you can never go wrong with URSHA.
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Where to buy: wonderLAB
Prices: bracelets: 6,500 forints, pearl earrings: 5,900 forints, teardrop-shaped statement earrings (grey-gold): 6,900 forints, statement necklaces: 8,500 forints, slim necklace with pyrite: 7,500 forints
If you’re looking for minimalistic jewelry, look no further. Personal Perception demonstrates the beauty of clean shapes and raw materials, which is no coincidence, since the designer, Dániel Illés Pálfi, is an architect. This exquisitely elegant collection has all the accessories you need: necklaces, bracelets, and earrings made of silky-smooth oak and stainless steel or copper.
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Where to buy: Insitu, Mono art & design, Magma
Prices: 5,000-8,000 forints
Zsanett Kincses lives the concrete life, so it’s not at all surprising that her jewelry pieces are made of the same material, which is often labeled boring and rigid. With her talent and high-flying imagination, Zsanett breathes new life into concrete, creating meticulously detailed geometric masterpieces in her workshop. Zsanett’s rings and medallions are available in multiple shades of gray, and she’s also experimenting with pastels and a variety of vivid colors.
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Where to buy: Fian Koncept, Mono art & design, WAMP
Prices: upon request
