The certain je ne sais quoi that eludes so many while others ooze it effortlessly? PK Bijoux has it in oodles. And her irresistibly glamorous and distinctive assemblage art will add an immediate ooh la la to anyone wearing one of her necklaces, pins or earrings. It’s in the uncanny way she combines rare and vintage jewels, but it’s also in part to the stories each piece tells, tales of perfumed villas in Morocco, treasure hunts in Malaysia, velvety hotel rooms in Paris, a fraction of a rock anthem, a moment of meditative reverie. There’s the beauty of onyx, which warned Cleopatra of impending danger and opal, believed by bedouins to fall from the sky during thunderstorms.

PK Bijoux’s materials imbue each piece with an uncannily singular approach to her unique style. It’s a luxurious cacophony of rare and storied finds such as marcasite, kunzite, hematite, jade, coral, mother of pearl, aurora borealis, amber, a bounty of crystals and cut Austrian rhinestones and baroque vintage pearls. These are juxtaposed in eye-catching constellations that make you pause. It’s jewelry-making on an operatic style but executed in a meditative trance.

First and foremost, her pieces are exquisite and beautiful and intended for those who aren’t afraid to create a wave. But once you know some of their secrets, you will be even more entranced. There’s the glittering, sexy magnificence of marcasite, shining like dark silver diamonds in a moonless, velvety night sky. It can shimmer like diamonds and has been used in jewelry for centuries. In the Middle Ages during the plague, Marcasite was used for its healing medicinal properties. When Prince Albert passed away in 1861, Queen Victoria didn't consider diamonds as fitting adornments for mourning. She opted for Marcasite as a sparkly yet appropriate alternative. The gemstone Marcasite fittingly derives from the Arabic word "markaschatsa," or "fire stone.” With its metallic glint and fiery effervescence, marcasite has also been called Fool's Gold.

Equally beautiful, deliciously dark, and mysterious, Hematite is the red oxide (like rust) of iron and was used by American Indians in war paint and by Egyptians to decorate the tombs of is pharaohs. Hematite is a crystal and the word derives from the Greek for blood. While it’s a seductive shiny black, once you cut it open, it reveals a surprisingly iron-rich red core. It’s grounding, powerful and strong and commonly used in Feng Shui and Bagua energy work for its powerful yet calming energy. Experience rare marcasite via Crusade Crosses, a necklace starring six rare medium-sized vintage Marcasite crosses and one very large vintage Marcasite center cross. The Native Stone necklace is a love affair between Hematite and Marcasite. Dark, beautiful and mysterious.

Black onyx, an opaque, jet black crystal, is just as irresistible. Symbolizing protection, it was worn by Cleopatra, who believed that the crystal would sense negative energy and vibrate to alert the queen of potential danger – a helpful and handy tool during dangerous times when siblings were fond of poisoning each other. It’s also believed to absorb negative energy and get darker and deeper as it does so. Named after the Greek word onux, meaning "nail" or "claw", it occurs in a juicy onyx story involving the rascal Cupid. Once Cupid used his fabled arrows to cut the fingernails of Venus, his mother. As her nails tumbled from Mount Olympus into the sacred Indus river, they metamorphosed into divine Onyx.  PK’s Victorian Charm earrings are ravishing with rare silver metal tassels from the late 1800's and vintage clips with a gorgeous onyx center.

The Aurora Borealis crystal, famous for its theatrical nature, was beloved by Christian Dior.  The story starts with Manfred Swarovski and the Northern Lights. Swarovski discovered a novel method for covering the surface of crystals to transform them from shimmering green to beautiful blue, voluptuous violet, and ravishing red, and named them after the storied Aurora Borealis phenomenon. Dior was so taken by their unique beauty when he first spotted them that he embellished the lapels and necks of his evening gowns — widely regarded to be the most iconic of all costume jewelry creations by Dior.

Aurora Borealis stars on Naomi, a fantastic vintage baroque choker with Aurora Borealis crystal detail and a gold-toned vintage baroque filigree cross, inspired by the 1990 Versace Runway; and also on Rhinestone Buddha — Aurora Borealis vintage rhinestone starburst clip earrings with a separation drop Buddha head holding vintage gilded and rhinestone-framed shoe clips.

Gemologist and vice-president of Tiffany's George Kunz. Dr. Kunz was very enamored with the beauty of gemstones, traveling from the steppes of Siberia to Russia’s Ural Mountains to the vast expanses of the United States to source them. In 1902 he happened upon a luscious lilac-pink stone found in California that got his attention. The stone was a variety of spudomene, and one of his fellow gemologists christened it kunzite after the gem-crazed Kunz. And so Tiffany’s used kunzite in their design! Wear it to breakfast with abandon, such as via Antoinette, a gorgeous cut Austrian crystal bead necklace with sliced kunzite set in 24K, paired with a gold filigree bow with rhinestone detail and hand-fitted natural black baroque pearls.

Opal, also called Light of the World, Empress, and Pandora, is very rare, in fact much rarer and in some cases more valuable than diamonds. The Romans considered it the most precious and powerful of gemstones and called it opalu, translated as “precious stone.” The Bedouins, too, were enchanted. They thought that opal contained lightning and fell from the sky during thunderstorms. In fact, there’s a grain of reality to this myth. Opal is indeed the result of seasonal rains that drenched dry ground in regions such as Australia's Outback.

Baroque pearls play repeated starring roles in PK’s creations. Baroque pearls feature an irregular or non-spherical shape. Some are ovoid, pinched or curved in the most elegant and imperfect ways. The empress Farrah of Iran in 1967 donned a spectacular coronation crown with multiple baroque pearls. Baroque pearls can be quite more impactful due to their large and irregular shapes. These beauties were popular with Renaissance jewelers for their striking natural forms.  They are alluring in Petra, a strand of natural Baroque pearls with sliced Kunzite trimmed in 24K gold over metal; and in Amber Ruby —  the artist’s choice #1 with filigree and amber jeweled vintage crosses enhanced by rare dark Baroque pearls set in vintage Miriam Haskell fittings.

Not at all shy to mix it up, PK's creations might also feature vibrantly colored Bakelite, the first plastic made from synthetic components. Authentic vintage bakelite jewelry can sell for thousands of dollars. Invented by Leo Baekeland in 1909 for industrial purposes, it quickly caught the attention of jewelers, especially in the 1930s and 1940s when a wider range of gorgeous colors such as delicious yellow, butterscotch, red, and green became available. Coco Chanel was a famous fan! Chanel made bakelite haute couture in her 1927 accessories collection with fantastic bracelets. It was also popular with Hattie Carnegie and Elsa Schiaparelli, and Andy Warhol was a collector. Today, people still love large carved bangles, such as hinged ones called clampers and impressive, scene-stealing necklaces.

Among her favorite sources of inspiration, you will find myriad highly collectible Miriam Haskell pieces in PK Bijoux’s art. Haskell was an American designer of costume jewelry who presented fantastic and intricate yet affordable brooches, pins, earrings, parures, and more during the 1920 to the 1960s. Her high-society clientele included personas such as the Duchess of Windsor, Gloria Vanderbilt, Lucille Ball, and Joan Crawford who adored her handmade creations that bucked trends and moods du jour. PK Bijoux’s beautiful Service First pin boasts an original Miriam Haskell double lion pin signed, with a second rhinestone bow pin below holding a dark-wine ribbon with an original British Medal of Excellence.

Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli is a favorite muse. Coco Chanel’s greatest rival, she had her halcyon heydays between the two World Wars. She’s most beloved for her surrealist, at the time often shocking, designs, toying with opposites and contradictions — designs such as an oversized lobster on a dress and whimsical accessories such as a purse in the shape of a telephone. She collaborated with Alberto Giacometti on a suit with buttons created by the artist, with Jean Cocteau on an evening coat, and with over-the-top glamour queen Zsa Zsa Gabor and the French costume designer Marcel Vertès.  Clealry inspired, PK fashioned an exceptional piece called Golden Pearl, a dream of a necklace with a vintage waterfall drop from Elsa Schiaparelli, and an extra large oyster shell on a multi-strand twisted chain choker.

It's clear that when you choose a handcrafted, uniquely assembled piece by PK Bijoux, you delve into mystery, magic and lore, layers of meaning, exciting history, and symbolism. PK Bijoux doesn’t set out to create a certain way. The pieces come to her and find each other. A shark tooth might call for vintage Italian coral; marcasite might meet its match with Austrian cut crystals. It’s a world of excitement, glamour, sexy dark allure, and playful runway chic — always an entrée to scene-stealing moments, the start of stimulating conversations, an invitation to applause and adoration for your uncanny sense of personal style. The components themselves certainly have a lot to say on their own.