As I get older and move up in my professional career, I begin following several rules. After all, appearance does matter at work, in addition to your talent, intelligence and hard work. That means designer handbags (nothing from Target or Forever 21), polished nails and no cheap costume jewelry. I love a good trendy $5 necklace from Forever 21 or Charlotte Russe as much as anyone else, but you also need quality pieces that will remain in style and last.

But if you want affordable designer jewelry, you don’t have many choices. I love my Tiffany’s, but it’s true that it’s incredibly common to see the same”Return to Tiffany’s heart necklaces and bracelets on every woman on the street.

My new obsession for high-quality jewelry at a reasonable price is Jordana Adrienne. Jewelry designer Jordana Adrienne works with jewelers in the Jewelry Districts of LA and NYC to design and craft classic but funky pieces. From a Hamsa symbol necklace to a chevron pattern bangle, an open whirl ring and a chevron split ring, these pieces are sophisticated and classic, but also show off your fun personal style.

I’ve been wearing my sterling silver asymmetrical bar necklace, and found that it really goes with anything and everything. I want all the other pieces now to style!

I interviewed Jordana about the inspiration behind her designs, how she creates her pieces and why she decided to donate a portion of sales to charity (from the American Red Cross to Save the Children and United Way).

BNL: Why do you make each piece available in different metals (18k gold, 18k white, 18k rose, sterling silver)?

JA: I make each piece in different metals because every person is unique and has different tastes and preferences. I feel by offering my customers the options of materials it helps them style themselves in a way that fits their personality.

BNL: Your pieces are full of cutouts and incomplete circles. Why is this, when whole circles are usually symbolic in jewelry?

JA: Im glad you asked this question and noticed the distinction. I actually have something called synesthesia and most of my pieces are designed around music. I know it may sound a bit strange, but my designs are unique in the sense that sometimes I have no idea what I am going to create because each melody turns itself into a unique pattern of lines or shapes. I sort of use the term organic symmetry, and tend to lean towards architectural designs but once again that just depends on the day.

BNL: Are you working on any new collections?

JA: I am constantly working on new designs and collections and am currently putting together some new collections as well as a piece for the Spectrum Awards.

BNL: What inspired you to donate a proceed of sales to charity? How did you select these particular charities?

JA: I always have been a firm believer of giving back to the community and feel that it is my responsibility to show my appreciation to those that have helped me along the way. Over the years I have done several marathons, all of which have had particular charities attached to them, and I felt a connection with those runs and saw the impact they made on the individuals that they were for.

BNL: I’m intrigued by the fact that you work with the LA Jewelry District. Can you walk me through a typical day working with them? Do you go down there and collaborate in person? Do you send your sketches and they do the rest?

JA: When I go Downtown to the LA Jewelry District I make my rounds at all the many stone dealers and setters, as well as meet with clients, so I am pretty much all over the place. No one day is ever the same. As a designer and metalsmith, I am very keen to the fabrication process for everything and usually hand sketch out everything myself. Until recently, I was hand-making every piece myself, but it became counter-productive to do everything myself. If I am at the bench all day long, that gives me little time for trunk shows, designing and meeting with clients. However, I do still make a lot of the originals myself out of melting down the metals or lost wax process. I love to be connected to my creations, and feel at least for the first piece, no one can envision the piece like I can.