Issa Rae’s latest venture is a dazzling new jewelry line with Cast

Cast founders Rachel Skelly and Eric Ryan had a short list of people they wanted to partner with since starting their jewelry line in 2021. At the top of that list was actor and creative multihyphenate Issa Rae. So when the moment came to pitch Rae on a partnership, Skelly says the opportunity was a “dream come true.” It turned out Rae was already a fan of Cast, drawn to the jewelry company’s creative perspective and its approach to brick-and-mortar stores. Together they are launching the Braeve Collection, a dazzling result of their creative collaboration. All the diamonds used in Cast’s jewelry are grown in a lab, making them not only sustainable but also less expensive, and promoting the founders’ vision of encouraging women to curate their own fine jewelry collection.  Rae’s collection was inspired by her own connection with jewelry. “I think of jewelry as armor, and that comes from the initial superficial notion that you kind of have to show up and like there is a bar to fashion and there is a bar to luxury,” Rae says. “I would put on my jewelry and feel like . . . I’m ready to face the day and I’m Braeve to face whatever comes my way.”  The Braeve Collection is made up of gold and silver pieces, including arm cuffs, hoops, and necklaces. Angular and symmetrical, the rings and cuffs are great for stacking, so wearers can create their own unique looks. The large, thin hoop earrings are available in both 14-karat gold and sterling silver, each with rows of Cast’s house-made diamonds on both sides, so they gleam at any angle. [Photo: Courtesy Cast] Cast is known for its iconic flip ring. The ring’s pendant can be customized with different colors on each side; with just a slight push, it smoothly flips over to become a different ring. This inspired Rae’s statement piece: the Braeve pendant.  It’s a unique take on the flip design because the pendant has two pieces that flip. “I wanted something in this collection to represent me that I could wear daily,” says Rae. “I love the flip pendant ring. But if I had it in a necklace form . . . I could express like ‘Oh, if it’s turned this way, you know to approach me. If [it’s turned the other] way, you know, leave me the fuck alone.” Both pieces of the pendant are 14-karat gold on one side and black onyx on the other, with a strip of Cast-created diamonds down the center. Wearers can choose from three different looks: all gold, half gold and half black onyx, or all black onyx.  Reflecting on the versatility and luxury of her new line, Rae expresses her eagerness and nervousness about the launch of this high-end collaboration. “This is the most luxurious thing that I’ve collaborated on, and I’m a bit nervous about that aspect,” she says. “Just because you’re asking people to really open their minds up to . . . invest in what they want.”  All the jewelry in the Braeve Collection is available now on the Cast website, in Cast stores, and exclusively at select Nordstrom stores as well as online at Nordstrom.com.