Hot Rocks

When Charlie de Viel Castel’s grandmother left him a raw diamond after she passed away, he had no idea it would lead him down an artistic path. “She was always encouraging me to pursue a more creative career,” says the French investor and founder of the new jewelry line CVC Stones. The idea for a necklace came to him on the beach, as he was recalling how he used to collect stones as a child, always searching for the perfect one. “I loved the idea of mixing a diamond with something organic, like a beach pebble.” It wasn’t long before he made his first prototype, sourcing gold chains from Germany, stones from beaches around the world, and diamonds from a dealer friend in Belgium. Available at the Webster and on ­Modaoperandi.com, the collection has already garnered an impressive following including the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Sienna Miller, Alexia Niedzielski, and Eugenie Niarchos. “My friends still can’t believe I’m making jewelry,” he says with a laugh. “But it’s so much more exciting than finance.”