Meet our first Guest Editor

A conversation with Will

We’ve long been obsessed with Will Kahn, the crazy talented—and curatorial—mind behind Will’s Notebook. The editor and stylist has been detailing (by hand) some of the most compelling pieces in the market, breaking down their facets and features with his years of industry experience and expertise. Now, we’ve convinced Will to come onboard as our first Guest Editor, to help curate our collections and bring his trusted eye to Cast. Here, he shares his favorite jewelry trends, how to get the looks he loves, and what he sees on the horizon, exclusively with us on The Edit.

a lifelong love

“There’s just something about it,” Will Kahn says about his lifelong love of jewelry. The editor, stylist, and first in our series of Cast Guest Editors developed a passion for all things jewelry through his grandmother, a vivid sensory experience they shared that would stick with him to this day. Now, as the creative mind behind Will’s Notebook, an Instagram destination where Kahn curates trends, collections, and designers through hand-drawn infographics on his lined notebook, Kahn has become an undisputed arbiter of style.

As a thoughtful watcher and interpreter of the industry with flawless taste and unrivaled knowledge of fine and vintage jewelry, Kahn is the perfect partner to help us launch Cast. Through his decades of experience, he’s informed and understands the artisanship and craftsmanship evident in each and every piece—and the depth of talent of the designers that bring them to life. And most importantly, he shares in our excitement for big, bold, and beautiful jewelry, especially as seen in the collections on Cast. “This jewelry is so easy to wear and I can see it on so many women in my life,” Kahn says of what drew him to Cast and the partnership. “Plus I love the ethos behind the jewelry—committing to environmental and socially sustainable practices.”

Follow along as Kahn takes the reigns as our debut Guest Editor of The Edit and curates the collection as only he knows how.

"It's like the no-makeup makeup, but the jewelry version."

Will on Fine Jewelry

The investment pieces every woman must own: First, it would be a bold earring. In my estimation, women are not dressed without an earring. If you don't have anything else, just get an earring. It wakes you up—you look done, you look dressed. If you're not wearing a ring, no one notices. But I would notice if you're not wearing earrings. I think bracelets also go a long way in making a statement more than anything. And then layering necklaces are so important. And then rings, too—necklaces and rings all kind of go together.

On wearing colored jewelry: I believe everything has its place. I love color, but I also love non-color—there's such a place for each.

When you don’t feel like color: What I like about the bombshell collection is that it’s actually not color—not particularly statement pieces but for every day. They're just elegant, polished pieces that go into your wardrobe seamlessly. I think there's something really nice about that, finishing pieces that make you feel truly dressed rather than a big statement piece, and color tends to be a statement.

Big and bold or lots of layers? There's a place for both, obviously. In the world of fantasy that I create, I'm supposed to make things exciting, and I think jewelry editorial is about pushing the limits. And no matter how gorgeous it is, one bracelet sometimes just isn't enough in a picture. So, I like to push the limit and stack things, and it's more fun for imagery. In real life, there's both a moment for stacking and a moment for alone. Depends on you, depends on the event, depends on the day.

The art of everyday jewelry: I like to think of the bombshell collection, and probably a lot of other pieces, as no-makeup makeup, but the jewelry version. It’s not that they're not statement pieces, but the statement isn't, ‘Wow, look at my jewelry.’ It's just saying simply, ‘I am elegant. I am polished. I am dressed.’ And if someone then investigates, they see, ‘Oh, you look so nice right now, and it's because you have these great earrings on.’

A woman today who gets it just right: As far as modern women, I think Lauren Santo Domingo makes large and important jewelry look effortless and is genius at mixing styles of jewelry.

Men in Jewelry: Yes or No? There's a huge movement of jewelry that would typically be considered feminine, and not just little pendant necklaces. It’s pearls, it's color, it's really encouraging and interesting. It’s the blending of gender and the confidence of not wearing things that might be considered too feminine. I think it's a great example for people to be whoever they want to be and wear whatever they want to wear. I love it.

Will on Vintage Jewelry

The way I’d style it: It’s all very fluid. I think that what you [at Cast] are providing are the building blocks for your jewelry wardrobe. And then if there are vintage pieces, either bought from your site or mixed in through family members giving them to you, that's just more pieces of joy in your wardrobe. I don't think anyone should feel restricted to wearing only new pieces and not old pieces, or being precious about vintage. You need to just fully embrace them as a part of your life and your modern wardrobe.

Favorite vintage designer(s): Aldo Cipullo was amazing. He designed the Cartier Nail Bracelet, and when you look at his pieces, they're just as fresh as ever. He was a big proponent of jewelry during the day and it not being precious, and wearing it effortlessly, which is basically modern jewelry style as we know it—he was really the creator of that look.

Vintage jewelry style icon: I admire Milicent Rogers' collection of silver Native American pieces and turquoise. I’m also obsessed with Bunny Mellon's collection of Schlumberger.

will on style

Trend I’m most excited by: I feel that there's a silver renaissance coming and a big moment right now for silver jewelry. Companies like Tiffany and Buccellati are really pushing their silver in a way they never have before and there’s a rethinking of how everyone's looking at fine jewelry and precious jewelry. I also love that you can get scale from silver and wear bigger pieces than people could afford in gold, so I'm excited about that.

Gold or silver: Personally, gold. But for women, in general, both. I love it together.

Vintage or Modern: I guess I would say both, both mixed together. But if I had to choose, vintage because there's so much good already out there…but I really wouldn’t want to choose.

Favorite red carpet jewelry moment: This is oddly specific, but I really loved those crazy huge Lorraine Schwartz diamond earrings worn by Queen Beyonce at the 2020 Golden Globes.

To Gift or Self-Gift: Definitely both, but I think women now are self-gifting. That's the major trend. I love the idea of not having to wait for a piece, or for a man or partner to get something. And even the Rolex that I got myself when I felt accomplished, it was my own steam that got me there. Had someone purchased it for me, it wouldn't have felt the same, it wouldn't have had the same meaning to me. There’s that idea of waiting for something and that anticipation of maybe even saving up for it and building towards something. Not just to have everything immediately, but to wait and purchase it, thoughtfully, items that you're going to wear seemingly for the rest of your life, and then easily pass on to other people as you should. It's different from buying a pair of shoes because the shoes are not going to last, but all of this will.

Dog or Cat: Dog. Decidedly dog.