Behind the Custom 18K Ruby Encrusted Pin Designed by Brent Neale for Ilona Maher

The one-of-a-kind piece will be a topic of conversation just like its new owner.

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by Eres. Necklace is custom by Brent Neale. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Brent Neale jewelry is rooted in “the belief that true luxury is unique, surprising and fun.” Three characteristics that also perfectly describe U.S. women’s rugby player Ilona Maher, whose time at the Olympics was a topic of conversation on and off the field. Though Neale didn’t know much about women’s rugby nor has she met the 28-year-old athlete, she was as captivated with her as much as everyone else. As the mother of an 11-year-old son and 9-year-old twin daughters, she was able to quickly understand that the bronze medal winner with Team USA has “the qualities you want your daughter to have and all the things you look for in a best friend—sharp, confident, funny and self-aware.”

When SI Swimsuit asked Neale to design a custom piece for Maher’s digital cover photo shoot for the September issue, she accepted and then called her own best friend, Amory, with the news. “She asked what I was going to make, and I said a ruby lipstick,” Neale shares. “Olympic rings or a rugby ball were way too obvious and pave Rubies always remind me of Dorothy’s magic Ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz.”

The gold pendant, which can be worn as a pin or necklace, has a small “SI” engraved on the side along with the Olympic rings, but the main focus is to reflect Maher’s signature red lips. “It seems like lipstick for her is a part of her magic,” Neal adds.

Neale’s own magic crafting extraordinary pieces began as a hobby during her time studying political science at Johns Hopkins University. “I was always drawn to jewelry because of the stones and my love for color,” she says. “And because it looks good on everyone. There aren’t sizing and fit issues as is the case with ready-to-wear.”  

Ilona Maher was photographed by Ben Watts in Bellport, New York. Swimsuit by Eres. Necklace is custom by Brent Neale. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

During the summers and after graduation, the Baltimore native would sell her jewelry at a store where she worked in East Hampton. One day, a woman who worked for a large company that did private label toy and craft products inquired about the pieces and designer. From that conversation, Neale was hired to do product development for children and adult jewelry kits. “That was my first job; I worked there for two years, and during which, I studied for the LSAT.”

Following her passion, she ultimately chose to enroll at the Fashion Institute of Technology for jewelry design instead of going to law school. “I realized that everyone in that industry (product development and design) had gone to school for it,” Neale admits. “I didn’t have that background.”

Regardless of initially not having the proper schooling for this career, her innate talent is what has set her apart and made Neale a household name. Each piece is as exceptional as the next. “My creative process is very different each time I work on a collection,” she explains. “Sometimes it is based on a feeling or a concept; sometimes it is art-inspired and sometimes it’s simply based on wanting to use a specific cut or type of stone. The best part is seeing it come to life from a sketch.”

Her pieces vary in style, but each item that ranges from necklaces to rings to bracelets speaks to the wearer. “Jewelry is a form of expression just like clothing or art in your home or the music you play,” she notes. “I hope people feel good in our jewelry. I hope it makes them feel confident and happy.”