About us

One of the most astonishing gifts from the gods is the love of one’s profession. For both Laila and Ion--the jewelers behind Ionescu Jewels--this holds true because neither one can imagine having another career, nor a life without creating. Independently from each other they developed parallel passions for art, movement and nature, which they each studied in their own way.

The two artists met in NY in 1988, fell in love and began collaborating professionally.  Their meeting only in NY, after both left Europe, is quite uncommon since they are originally from the same region of Romania and were frequenting the same circles. They have been creating together unpredictable jewelry of unconventional beauty, supported by an acute aesthetic sense and consummate craftsmanship. Both are inspired by the magic and joy of being alive, which makes every moment a wondrous event.

 Widely known by top jewelry designers for their superb craftsmanship and a broad range of capabilities, the Ionescu team works on contracting projects for discerning designers. They also have their own body of work -“Ionescu Jewels" and “Laila Lore”- available through their website. Each artist has a definite, personal style: Ion’s designs are more conceptual and tactile-- aiming to elicit a “wow” reaction, while Laila’s work is more figurative, undulating, drawing inspiration anywhere from the flora and fauna to ancient runic symbols. A growing part of their business is constituted of bespoke projects for clients around the world. More and more clients want one-of-a-kind, custom pieces to reflect their uniqueness and Laila and Ion are able to materialize their clients’ desires.

Ion's rigorous traditional metal smithing training, steeped in age-old techniques, began in Romania and has left a mark on him as far as the precision and correctness of his craft.  He also paints-- and  studied martial arts from the age of thirteen. Today Ion is probably one of the most impactful T’ai Chi Chuan Chen style teachers and his stunning martial performance can be seen at www.formlesswarrior.org. 

Laila studied fine art both in Europe and in the United States. An eclectic career in the visual arts allowed her a familiarity with many artistic forms: from drawing to typography to sculpture and fashion. She considers herself a sculptor and her sculpture and jewelry collections as a conceptual dialog between dimensions. Her sculpture work has been exhibited in European and U.S. galleries and can be seen at www.lailafarcasionescu.com.

The New York Times Style Magazine has hailed the Ionescus as “style-makers,” and their jewelry has received many accolades and awards, including the first-place AGTA award for “Evening Wear” and the 2014 “Fashion Forward” award.

The synthesis of the Ionescu's diverse yet converging styles makes a formidable creative team and a solid marriage at all levels.