“I believe that jewelry should be beautiful, well-made and affordable,” says designer Dena Varble of the aesthetic and eclectic sense that has inspired her to create a line of semi-precious, pearl and beaded jewelry known as Dena Varble Designs. “My philosophy applies to women of all ages. Jewelry should be fun and be both functional and durable enough to be worn every day. The best part of my jewelry is that it looks fun and edgy on a 20-year-old, yet the same jewelry looks elegant, sophisticated and refined on women 50 plus.”Varble’s artistic approach to designing jewelry grew from her “crafty nature.” “I became entranced with the way different gems sparkled and captured my interest, and the way seemingly mismatched gems and beads could work harmoniously together when given the right design to showcase each beads natural beauty.” This statement expresses a great deal about Varble. Varble grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut, and after a bout with skin cancer at 28 years old she moved to South Beach, Miami to “get happy again,” Varble’s natural love of different art mediums became a natural progression to jewelry design. Varble draws inspiration for her designs from the gems themselves. “When I see a stone in the raw, I envision what it will become.”Varble moved back to Connecticut in 2000 and shortly thereafter moved to New York City. While designing under her Maiden name of Dena Gurewitz she gained recognition for her designs when her work appeared in the pages of Math Stewart Weddings in the spring of 2004. Martha was so impressed with her designs that she included them on an episode of Martha Stewart Television in which she showcased the wedding Varble designed the bridesmaid’s jewelry for.Combining semi-precious stones, beads and pearls with Swarovski crystal, she finishes each handmade piece with an eclectic twist. The result is a fun, polished and sophisticated look.