After years of working as a jeweler, Jay Strongwater has revived the bejeweled objet, the crystal studded butterfly that alights on an enameled box, the malachite-hued elephant that carries a miniature clock on its back, the picture frame that looks like it’s purloined from the Tsar’s nightstand. “I’m fascinated by the idea of taking every day things and turning them into jewels for the home,” Strongwater says. “Beauty shouldn’t just be tucked in a dresser drawer.”

“With jewelry, the clasp has to be as beautiful as the necklace,” says Strongwater. “I feel the same way about everything from box hinges to picture frame stands. The back of my pieces have to be as beautiful as the front, the insides as enchanting as the outsides.”

What’s most wonderful about Strongwater’s pieces is living with them. They animate even the quietest corner of a room. They demand to be touched, admired, paid attention to. “They add surprise,” says Strongwater, “and the sense of delight you get when you happen upon a beautiful flower in a garden.”