by Julius Zheng, GIA GG

As children in Denmark, Joy and Sarah Haugaard read Astrid Lindgren’s The Brothers Lionheart together. They loved it so much that “Lionheart” became their private code word for how close they felt as sisters. Decades later, that word would sit above the door of a showroom in Manhattan’s Diamond District.

Lionheart is now one of the most quietly compelling names in fine jewelry New York has produced in recent years. It’s a family-run house built on storytelling, precious gold, and a belief that the best jewelry should outlive the person who first wears it.

From Copenhagen Calm to Manhattan Energy

The sisters moved to New York as teenagers. Joy arrived just shy of 16, initially to play soccer, but she soon found herself in the city’s jewelry trade instead. She spent nearly two decades sorting stones, sitting with artisans, learning production, and ghost-designing for other brands.

Then, in 2020, after Joy recovered from a serious illness, her husband Romeo Farid gave her a push she couldn’t ignore. A fifth-generation jeweler, he told her to stop waiting and live out her dream today. He also revealed a secret. Years earlier, he had quietly cast her first designs in 18-karat gold and tucked them away in his safe.

Joy’s first call was to Sarah, who had spent a decade building a life in Los Angeles. When Joy told her the new brand would carry their childhood code word, Sarah broke her new lease and moved back to New York.

Scandinavian Restraint, New York Boldness

Joy leads design, and her philosophy lives where two worlds meet. From Denmark, she carries an understated approach to beauty: clean lines, quiet elegance, and deep respect for craft. From New York, she absorbed boldness, ambition, and a love of symbols that carry real feeling.

The result is jewelry that feels intentional yet expressive. These pieces are rich in texture and meaning, but never fussy. Joy describes her work as a form of memory-keeping. She often notes that jewelry outlives us, so the story we put into it matters.

Her own style says a lot. She stacks multiple earrings, a wrist full of gold bangles, and two or three charm necklaces at once. It’s a tasteful kind of maximalism, and it shows how Lionheart pieces are meant to be layered, mixed, and made personal.

Sarah shapes the brand’s creative direction. She curates its visual world, its aesthetic voice, and the emotions each collection should stir. Joy calls her the person who can take a spark of an idea and turn it into a whole world. Together, the sisters also draw on a shared muse: their grandmother, a woman of striking style whose way of accessorizing still echoes through the Lionheart look.

Ethical Fine Jewelry, Made by Hands They Know

Lionheart’s commitment to ethical fine jewelry is personal, not just a marketing line. Most pieces are handmade in the brand’s own New York workshop by a small team of skilled craftsmen, including Romeo. For the larger, bolder chains, the sisters work with select Italian artisans known for generations of expertise.

Every diamond and gemstone is responsibly sourced, with traceability built in. Joy believes you should know the story of the materials you wear just as well as the story behind the design. Pieces are crafted in fine18K gold, and most are made to order.

The Collections: Stories You Can Wear

Each Lionheart collection begins with a symbol or legend that speaks across cultures and generations.

Cassandane is where it all began. Joy designed and copyrighted these fluted heart medallions in 2013, seven years before the brand launched. They were inspired by Queen Cassandane, the beloved consort of Cyrus the Great, whose death prompted public mourning across the Persian Empire. Framed by delicate beaded borders, the weighty medallions stand for love, light, and luck. In 2026, the collection celebrated its 13th anniversary, timed to Nowruz, the Persian New Year. Joy sees it as a tribute to female strength and lasting love.

Seasons™ is the brand’s patented, best-selling innovation. Each charm comes with 12 interchangeable gemstone discs, including lapis lazuli, malachite, turquoise, and mother of pearl. You can slide one in to match your outfit or mood. Motifs range from the evil eye and zodiac signs to the Tree of Life.

Serenity draws on ancient talismans and lucky charms. These pieces are made to embody protection, love, beauty, and manifestation. Wearers can choose the gemstone that speaks to them, whether that’s a birthstone or a favorite color.

Legacy is Joy’s most personal collection. Both sisters rode horses as girls in Denmark, and Legacy honors the grace and healing presence of these animals. The collection also gives back. The 13 Hands x Legacy charm donates 100% of its proceeds to 13 Hands Equine Rescue, a New York nonprofit that rescues and re-homes neglected horses. Joy visits the rescue often.

Aurelia, meaning “the golden one,” takes its cues from Byzantine art. Expect soothing symmetry, concentric circles, and textured gold, including stackable rings set with sapphires and diamonds.

Best Friend celebrates the animals who love us without conditions. It features a dozen 18-karat gold dog breed medallions, from Boxers to German Shepherds, set with diamonds or lapis lazuli.

Reign is reminder that every woman is a queen in her own right, the collection celebrates confidence, individuality, love, and personal style. At the heart of every design is the gemstone itself, with each piece thoughtfully created to highlight the unique beauty, color, and character of the stone.

Building Your Own Story

Versatility runs through everything. Nearly every piece is sold separately, so you can pair a handmade Lionheart chain with one or more charms. You can also add a medallion to a chain you already own. Necklace clasps use push-in connectors, which makes building your own look simple.

Praise From the Press

Lionheart’s rise hasn’t gone unnoticed. Forbes praised its “luxurious heirloom chic” and called its collections timeless and ageless. Jewelers of America highlighted the award-winning brand’s Cassandane milestone. Bizzita, in an in-depth interview with Joy, singled out the brand’s mix of Scandinavian simplicity and American storytelling, and its rare commitment to giving back.

Visit the Showroom

For Joy, the Lionheart showroom in New York’s famous Diamond District is more than a workspace. It’s her creative sanctuary. Clients can book a private appointment to try pieces on, see the craftsmanship up close, and learn how to style them.

The showroom is also home to Lionheart’s bespoke service. The process starts with a conversation about meaning. From there, Joy hand-sketches a design, refines it with the client, selects stones, and hands it to her artisans. Each custom piece blends the client’s story with the brand’s signature DNA.

A Legacy in Gold

Lionheart’s vision is simple, yet rare: modern heirlooms with soul. Joy hopes to open more Lionheart spaces, grow the bespoke work, and expand the brand’s giving, all without losing its intimate, handmade heart.

As she puts it, jewelry outlives us. With Lionheart, the stories it carries are made to last just as long.

This article is printed on Gem Spectrum print magazine: Issue #11 November/December 2026, page 14-19. Please view the flipbook here. Fullscreen and download features are available.