Jewelry Boxes: My Bracelets Keepers

Paige Novick has her own line of costume jewelry, but she also designs fine jewelry, so she is well versed in the wearing and storing of both.When it comes to her personal jewelry boxes, she divides her pieces into two categories: not, as you may imagine, large and chunky versus small and delicate, but wear now and store. Jewelry she favors now, whether costume or fine, rotates often and needs to be easily accessible.I tend to go for open trays and boxes or travel cases by Clos-ette, said Ms. Novick, 48, who received a Rising Star award last week from Fashion Group International, an industry organization. And I like to err on the side of whimsy, with things that are quirky and colorful.Pieces that are not in rotation at the moment are stored in luxe, utilitarian boxes, she said, made by companies like Elizabeth Weinstock and Smythson. The more compartments, the better.At a time of year when giving or receiving jewelry is more than a possibility, Ms. Novick went in search of appropriate containers for storing it.At Flair, in SoHo, she found a wealth of options that were like jewels, in and of themselves, she said, referring to the liberal use of exotic materials and lavish ornamentation with crystals and, in one case, a silver alligator. These feel like movable sculptures and are such objects of beauty that you want to have them on display.The Giraffe trinket dish that Ms. Novick found at Anthropologie was at the other end of the aesthetic scale, but equally useful. This is perfect for delicate pieces you want at your disposal, like rings or little studs, maybe an ear cuff, she said. And its cute and makes you happy.She found another animal motif, a Hippo by Deborah Bump, online at Exhibit Moderns shop on 1stdibs, but this time it was the artisanal element that spoke to her: I love the fact that its wood, looks chic and sophisticated, but is practical and functional.At Michele Varians shop on Howard Street, Ms. Novick picked out a concrete box with a walnut top that had a very urban feel, she said, and was a nice juxtaposition of cool concrete and warm wood.It was also the most masculine container she chose and, she said, would be appropriate for cuff links or mens brocelets.But the box that Ms. Novick finally succumbed to, in honor of the approaching holiday, was a heart-shaped shagreen one that she found online at Aerin.This is not your average heart, she said, referring to the exotic material. And it would be a good place to store any metals that might oxidize if left out in the open on a tray, she noted, because it had a cover.Beyond that, she added, Its small, cute and sculptural: It hits all the right notes. RIMA SUQI