Rebecca Rau Jewels Unveils the THEN & NOW Collection, a Fusion of Ancient Artifacts and Modern Adornment

A rare collection blending rare ancient artifacts with modern gemstones previews at M.S. Rau in New Orleans, followed by an exclusive NYC Jewelry Week collection launch.

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rebecca Rau Jewels announces the debut of the inaugural THEN & NOW Collection, a striking new series that bridges the worlds of antiquity and contemporary design. Drawing upon genuine historical artifacts spanning from 1200 BC to 1880 AD, each piece integrates ancient treasures with modern gemstones, precious metals, and pearls. Every jewel is a celebration of human history, reinterpreted through Rebecca Rau's distinct eye and reverence for craftsmanship.

Founded by designer and fourth-generation antique dealer Rebecca Rau, the brand is rooted in her family's legacy at M.S. Rau, the renowned New Orleans gallery known for its world-class art collection, rare antiques, and jewelry. Having grown up among relics of history, Rebecca developed an instinct for beauty that feels both scholarly and intuitive.  After earning her master's degree from Sotheby's Institute of Art in London, she traveled extensively across Europe and Asia, acquiring rare jewels and objets d'art, while cultivating her curatorial sensibilities. With THEN & NOW, she translates that lifelong fascination with the past into wearable works of art that transcend time.

"I'm drawn to the tension between resilience and permanence. THEN & NOW bridges centuries through shared human impulses: creation, adornment, and ritual. These pieces remind us the concept of beauty is ever-evolving, but the handmade objects continue to have an immediacy and gravitas, particularly when they've survived many centuries," says Rau.

Among the jewels, the Reimagined Jasper necklace lies at the heart of the collection. This Renaissance-inspired statement centers on a 1st-2nd Century AD cut brown-jasper fragment, framed by unheated orange zircons and Umbalite garnets. Tahitian grey pearls lend quiet depth, while the pendant hangs from an 18k yellow gold French "book" chain, circa 1865. A dialogue between eras, it is a jewel that bridges centuries, a meeting of ancient form and nineteenth-century grace.

The Glowing Glass Necklace offers a luminous counterpart, its rare Gothic pendant of early glass and high-karat gold radiate with a light that feels celestial. Dating to 14^th Century Europe, it glows with the softened brilliance of time, suspended from a modern 18k paperclip chain that transforms the piece into the present. It feels like a secret passed through centuries, rediscovered and made personal again.

The Criss-Cross Necklace, inspired by its ancient Bactrian amulet that dates to c. 1200-800 BC captures the mystery of vanished civilizations. Its four-spoked votive wheel, symbolizing the sun and celestial motion, once carried sacred meaning across the Greco-Bactrian world. Rau preserved its vivid green patina, surrounding it with pink spinel, rubellite tourmaline, and sapphire, anchored by a baroque South Sea pearl. It hangs from a Victorian lariat chain, transforming a relic of devotion into a modern jewel.

Finally, the Protectrice Necklace reimagines a 13^th century Spanish gilt-bronze harness, once perhaps part of a noblewoman's girdle or a horse's ceremonial armor. Adorned with an 11.68 carat no-heat pink tourmaline and Tahitian baroque pearls, the piece carries echoes of chivalry and ceremony. Its burnished gold surface bears witness to centuries of touch and ritual, now reborn as an intimate emblem of protection and grace.

THEN & NOW is an act of preservation through reinvention. Each one-of-a-kind piece holds a conversation between what was and what might be, between the craftsman of another age and the artist of today. Rebecca Rau's work reminds us that jewelry, at its most profound, is a vessel for memory, story, and the enduring pursuit of beauty.

The collection will make its debut at a preview in New Orleans at M.S. Rau on October 24th and 25th, 2025, coinciding with the gallery's 'Treasures of Tiffany' exhibition opening. It will then travel to New York City Jewelry Week (NYCJW) for an exclusive launch event on Thursday evening, November 20^th, from 5:00 PM–9:00 PM, where attendees will have the opportunity to view the pieces in person and meet the designer. RSVP is encouraged for both events. Following the New York presentation, select jewels from the collection will be available for private viewing by appointment at the Rebecca Rau studio in New York or at M.S. Rau in New Orleans. To view the collection, visit www.rebeccaraujewels.com, and to contact the designer call 504-475-4266 or email [email protected].

About Rebecca Rau Jewels

Rebecca Rau Jewels, the eponymous brand launched by 4th generation antique and jewelry dealer Rebecca Rau, is a celebration of human history, craftsmanship, and the legacy of spirituality within bodily adornment. It dissolves the distance between museum and wearer, transforming artifacts once kept behind glass into intimate, living works of art. Through her pieces, Rau reminds us that the impulse to create and ornament the body is as timeless as humanity itself.

SOURCE Rebecca Rau Jewels