The Making Of: The Icon Jewelry Collection
At Dune, we’re always exploring new ways to tell meaningful stories through jewelry, and The Icon Collection is one of our boldest expressions yet.
This ongoing collection was created to honor the women who shaped history not by following the rules, but by rewriting them. Inspired by the timeless truth that “well-behaved women rarely make history,” each design transforms the legacy of an extraordinary woman into a lasting, wearable tribute.
From ancient queens to modern trailblazers, these icons remind us that the strength, brilliance, and rebellion they carried lives on—in you.
The Inspiration
At Dune, we believe that every woman holds the power to shape history—gracefully, powerfully, and in her own unique way. That belief is at the heart of everything we do—and it’s especially close to home. Our founder, Holly Daniels Christensen, started Dune Jewelry at her kitchen table with one mission: to help people capture the places and moments that matter most. One woman, one dream, and a whole lot of heart.
The Icon Collection is born from that same spirit. It’s our way of honoring the legendary women who’ve come before us—those who’ve blazed trails, broken barriers, and left the world better than they found it. And it’s our way of celebrating the icon within you, too.
Each month, we release a new Icon design—thoughtfully handcrafted by our talented sand and element artisans.
These aren’t fleeting drops or limited editions. Icon designs are here to stay.
You can collect them, gift them, or wear them as a daily reminder of your own journey. They’re more than jewelry—they’re keepsakes filled with meaning, legacy, and strength.
So, how do we choose our Icons?
There’s no strict rulebook. We simply ask ourselves: Did she make her own path? Did she live with passion, purpose, and authenticity? If the answer is yes—she might just be next.
Meet the Icons (So Far)
April: Cleopatra
A legend of beauty, intellect, and power. The Cleopatra Luxe Dune Bar Necklace brings her story to life through a striking sterling silver design filled with sand from Alexandria and Giza, plus lapis lazuli—her favorite stone of wisdom and strength that she’d often wear as jewelry and ground into eyeshadow. A touch of gold flake adds royal shimmer, and the satin polish ties it all together.
It’s a sleek and striking talisman for the woman who leads with strength, intellect, and unwavering grace.
May: Amelia Earhart
Fearless, daring, unforgettable. The Amelia Earhart Ocean Waves Cuff captures her spirit in sculpted sterling silver, with texture that echoes jet streams in flight. Sand from her final takeoff point in the Pacific Islands meets ruby (representative of her signature red plane), aluminum, aquamarine, and apatite—symbols of the skies and seas she dared to cross.
An amulet for those who rise beyond convention, this limited-edition cuff pays homage to bold women who fly on their own terms.
June: Frida Kahlo
Colorful, courageous, and undeniably iconic. The Frida Kahlo Sun Necklace is inspired by her Sun and Life painting—a radiant piece filled with symbolism of creativity, fertility, and life. At its center: sands from the beaches of her beloved Mexico, emerald for renewal, rose for passion, sunflower for strength, aster for devotion, and forget-me-not for memory.
Carry Frida’s courage and cultural heritage in this vibrant heirloom—for the woman who blooms in full color and never dims her light.
July: Audrey
Inspired by one of cinema’s most beloved figures, this Icon Collection design reflects a woman who carried herself with sophistication, glamour, and unmistakable charm—an icon of fashion, film, and affection who defined an era of elegance on the silver screen and beyond.
Crafted in sterling silver, its bold cushion-cut silhouette features soft blue wrapping paper—a nod to a timeless moment in film history—paired with luminous white pearls that reflect Audrey’s wisdom and pure heart, and brilliant diamonds that capture her enduring light and compassion, expressed through a life of humanitarian effort.
For the woman who leads with poise and purpose, and knows true beauty begins within.
August: Aphrodite
Born of sea foam, made for the modern muse.
Nature’s artistry flows through this ethereal necklace, honoring Aphrodite, the Olympian goddess of love, beauty, and victory, said to have risen from the ocean’s foam upon a scallop shell. Baroque pearls connect to a sterling silver rolo chain, flowing with the rhythm of the sea, the cradle of her myth.
Sculpted in sterling silver, the scallop pendant frames a teardrop setting of larimar, amethyst, baby trochus shell, and mother of pearl, each an element of renewal, prosperity, and healing, and touched with gold flake that recalls the ancient Greek kotinos, the olive wreath of Olympic victory.
For the goddess who knows beauty is her birthright—and love, her legacy.
September: Stevie
Inspired by the legend who redefined what it means to be a woman in rock, this Icon Collection Marina Necklace channels Stevie’s untamed, bohemian spirit.
The bold round pendant, sculpted in sterling silver, frames a hand-finished composition of black lace and vivid blooms. Each detail reflects her essence: lace for her enigmatic aura, sunflowers and zinnias glowing like stage lights and her golden locks, and rose for the passion that fueled her art and voice. Together, they capture the duality Stevie embodied—ethereal yet raw, delicate yet defiant.
An amulet for the woman whose presence is mystical and magnetic, her spirit forever echoing the soul of rock.
October: Dr. Jane Goodall
Inspired by the life and legacy of Jane, this Icon Collection necklace honors a woman who listened to the language of the forests and devoted her life to protecting the natural world.
A constellation of softly rounded bezels reflects her spirit of curiosity and connection, each one holding elements that trace her journey. Sand from Tanzania and rare Tanzanite, found only in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, pay tribute to the land where her groundbreaking research with chimpanzees began. Obsidian, born of volcanic fire, reflects the clarity and discipline that guided her purpose, while verdant Malachite symbolizes growth, wisdom, and her enduring harmony with the living earth. Finally, ethically sourced diamonds—her birthstone—represent devotion, perseverance, and a light that continues to inspire generations.
For the woman who listens deeply, acts bravely, and leaves the world better than she found it.
November: Marilyn Monroe
An ode to the woman who redefined glamour, this Neptune Cocktail Ring honors Marilyn’s timeless grace and unapologetic spirit. Her light, unmistakable and enduring, continues to shimmer on and off the silver screen—immortalized in a design meant to reflect that same quiet brilliance within you.
Sculpted in sterling silver, this cocktail ring reveals a round setting of red glass and pink tiger’s eye, recalling her iconic fuchsia silk satin gown and gloves that came to define Hollywood’s golden era. Pink tiger’s eye channels courage and self-assurance, while the fiery tones beneath mirror the strength of her spirit. Floating diamonds glint like stage lights—a tribute to her unforgettable presence and the truth she embodied: no one can make you lose your diamond-like shine.
For the woman who wears her strength like silk and her imperfections like diamonds.
December: Dolly Parton
Crafted to honor a woman who rose from singing soulful country ballads on her Appalachian porch to becoming the queen of country music, the Dolly Parton Heart of Sand Necklace is designed to honor her iconic words “It’s hard being a diamond in a rhinestone world,” carrying the warmth of her story and the power of her shine.
Set in sterling silver, the heart holds a vivid blend of pink glitter, mother of pearl, pearls, rhinestones, and a natural diamond. Fringed guitar strings create a lyrical texture, echoing both her most cherished instrument and the classic country fringe that defined her early style. Each element reflects Dolly’s world of grit, grace, storytelling, and soul.
For the woman who shines like a diamond in a rhinestone world and moves to the tune of her heart.
January 2026: Betty White
Joy never goes out of style.
Inspired by the tropical spirit of The Golden Girls and Miami’s sunlit charm, this sterling silver hibiscus blooms with soft, dimensional petals, honoring a woman who proved that laughter only grows brighter with time. Each petal reveals delicate veining and gentle variations in tone, much like a pastel pink hibiscus flower. Luminous mother of pearl and blush-toned rhodochrosite glow from within, while flecks of gold rest along the inner edges of the petals, catching the light like moments of joy.
For the woman who knows laughter is the best medicine, joy keeps you young at heart, and life is always better when you don’t take it too seriously.
February 2026: Tina Turner
he made the world her stage, and commanded it.
Inspired by the Queen of Rock & Roll, this Sound Wave Ring captures the rise, fall, and reverberation of a voice that refused to be silenced. Sculpted in sterling silver, its flowing silhouette bends beyond straight lines, echoing a life lived outside the boundaries of expectation.
An electrifying tribute to Tina Turner, an icon who kept rollin’ on the river, this design features garnet for passion and fearless presence, obsidian for clarity and release, and a gold glow of power and protection. Three natural diamonds in evolving sizes symbolize strength forged through adversity, resilient, brilliant, and enduring.
For the woman whose presence is electrifying, whose strength reverberates, and who writes her own lines.
March 2026: Jane Fonda
From the red carpet to the front lines of change, these earrings echo the fierce spirit of a woman who refused to stay silent.
The fluid silhouette of the Jane Fonda La Mer Drop Earrings curves in sculptural, cascading lines that suggest movement while remaining strong and intentional. Within the design, rare Larimar reflects calm strength and resilience. Emerald recalls the bold emerald hues Jane Fonda wore throughout her iconic career, a stone long associated with renewal, wisdom, and fearless evolution. Classic pearls complete the composition with a quiet note of enduring elegance, echoing the poise she carried through every chapter of her life.
For the woman who speaks up, stands firm, and knows the power of being heard.
April 2026: Elizabeth Taylor
A ring as bold and glamorous as the woman it embodies.
Sculpted in sterling silver, this statement cocktail ring reveals an elongated oval setting filled with a cascading gradient of luminous pearls, brilliant diamonds, and rich tanzanite. Tanzanite reflects her legendary violet eyes, drawing the gaze with unmistakable intensity. Diamonds speak to her brilliance and extraordinary talent, a presence that shaped an era of film and held the world’s attention. Pearls nod to the storied treasures she made her own, most notably La Peregrina, once passed through royalty before becoming part of her iconic collection. Together, these elements evoke the opulence she favored, the magnetism she carried, and the rare ability to captivate without effort.
For the woman who lives for glamour, with a beauty and presence so striking it cannot be overlooked.
May 2026: Christina Koch
For the woman guided by moonlight, whose courage carries her beyond every horizon.
An ode to astronaut Christina Koch and the quiet power of exploration, this Icon Collection necklace honors her historic journey as the first woman to travel around the Moon. Its elongated ocean-current silhouette evokes the path of a spacecraft rising toward the moon.
Sterling silver holds a celestial composition of Blue Sandstone, Aquamarine, Jingle Shell, Carnelian, Gold Sandstone, and Gold Flake, with a single diamond representing the moon. Deep midnight tones shift into glowing gold, reminding us that courage is not the absence of darkness, but the light that carries you through it.
Why It Matters
We all have women who inspire us. Maybe it’s someone from history, maybe it’s your grandmother, or maybe—it’s you.
The Icon Collection is about carrying that inspiration with you. Wearing your truth. Owning your story. And honoring the women who helped make you who you are.
Each design is crafted by hand in the USA using real elements from around the world, chosen to reflect the spirit of the icon they represent. Whether you’re connecting to your roots, honoring someone you love, or just looking for a little extra courage—you’ll find it here.
Because when you wear your brilliance without fear, you don’t just remember history.
You make it.
Is there an icon you’re hoping to see? Email us: [email protected].
