Nails of New York: Hannah Peck
How did you choose your nail look and mani color? I chose the design because a perfect red with a violet undertone like this one always complements the whites and blues in a diamond, making it look brighter and cleaner. And the silver sparkle because yolo.
In one word, how does your mani make you feel? Energized
What's your earliest nail memory? Like any self-respecting 90's kid I spent half my formative years in a suburban shopping mall. On the third floor was a nail salon with blinding fluorescent lighting and on the back wall hung this massive triptych of three perfect hands with a full set of two-inch, red acrylics, each cradling a single perfect strawberry. I was OBSESSED with these photos. At 11 years old, in a brazen act of midwestern delinquency, I snuck out of some Freddie Prinze Jr. movie, and made a b-line to the third floor to get my own set of extra long, square-tip talons. The finished result was beyond my wildest dreams and, although I was busted at volleyball practice two hours later, it was one of the most thrilling acts of rebellion in my childhood.
What inspired you to dream up Juli? After getting engaged I was shocked by three things; how filthy a diamond gets when it's on your hand everyday, how significantly that grime diminishes the beauty of our diamonds, and how inconvenient and useless old-school jewelry cleaners are at maintaining fresh, sparking, daily-wear diamonds. I learned from my dad the importance of using the right tool for the job. In this case, there was no right tool. So I invented one. The result is juli.
What’s your favorite piece of jewelry and why? That's easy - my engagement ring. It was my first piece of grown-up diamond jewelry and, like most special things, the emotional significance grows with each passing year. The little thrill I get when a flash of light from that diamond catches my eye, or when it casts little rainbows on the roof of my car during an otherwise boring commute, is just an instant mood-booster.
What are your favorite spots in NYC? 1. The windows of the big jewelry stores on 5th Ave., especially during the holidays. Very rarely do I actually enter a store, but I begin dissolving into a hyper six year old about a block from Cartier and it's just downhill from there. I need to be sedated.
2. The Polo Bar, around the corner from Harry Winston, is the ideal place to calm down with a martini or three. It's also the perfect spot to peep some of New York's most fabulous, glittering, candle-lit jewelry. You'll see pieces from a recent Christie's catalogue casually peeking out from folds of silk and cashmere at three o'clock on a random Tuesday afternoon. For me, fine jewelry is a spectator sport so seeing it out in the real world is my equivalent to a celebrity sighting.
2. At the end of the day I am a downtown girl and I have always loved Greenwich Village which is decidedly less precious than its sister village to the west, and one thousand-percent my vibe. And now that outdoor dining has taken hold? Fogetaboutit. Posting up in Washington Square Park with the tiniest buzz after a three hour brunch at Joseph Leonard is my forever favorite Sunday activity.
Three things you're obsessed with right now? As always, I am eternally obsessed with the JULI diamond brush and Juli is about to launch a new product specifically designed for cleaning your hard-to-remove diamond jewelry while you shower. I've been using it at home for the last month and I could not be more obsessed.
Cynthia Erivo. She is my supreme muse and I cannot get enough of everything she does - her work, her style and her insane command of fine jewelry. I just worship her.
MAGAZINES! A few months ago I reactivated my print subscriptions to all of my favorite magazines after I hit critical mass with the sinkhole that is social media and the mindless scrolling of the feeds of strangers. It has been such a delight and I cannot recommend it enough!
