No necklace or earring that Shannon Carney (shannoncarney.com) crafts is perfect, and that’s just fine with the Chicago jewelry designer. “When things come together naturally, that’s much more interesting than when things are perfectly clean,” says Carney, 29, of her one-of-a-kind pieces. The cornerstones of Carney’s three-year-old brand are resin and 18-karat gold, but her fall collection reinterprets her resin designs using novel materials such as vintage dress appliqués from Italy. Carney also draws inspiration from her surroundings, and her subtle-toned statement necklaces (pictured, $1,320) mimic the refraction of light on buildings near her Gold Coast studio. “Most of the gradation is washed out but with a punch of color,” she says. “It sounds really ugly, but I think I find a way to make it beautiful.” Available at Neapolitan (715 Elm St., Winnetka).

Photograph: Courtesy of vendor