Growing up with my name, you can imagine I've had a certain affinity for all things crystal for as long as I can remember. Namely, when we were really young, my mom used to take my sister and me antique shopping around downtown Reno (Reno and antique malls go hand in hand), which usually ended up with my sister and I wandering around the brimming aisles, gazing into different cabinets, trying to figure out old toys and flipping through dusty books with notes and dedications written in them from years past (my personal favorite).

One particular antique shop though, had a dedicated crystal cabinet at the very back of the store, filled with different figurines, trinkets and, of course, jewelry. And oh, the jewelry! Each piece more delicately beautiful than the last -- I recall staring up at that case, imaging how each piece might look on, what dresses it would pair well with, what events I would be attending while donning them, building an imaginary collection that only I had access to. My own private jewelry box, if you will.

I suppose there's something very elegantly, decadent about crystal jewelry, right? The way it catches light, the way it feels more ethereal than other jewels -- more like stardust -- and what better authority than Swarovski, to make it feel incredibly modern and statement at the same time. I recently met up with the jewelry power house's creative director, Nathalie Colin, for a day of roaming around New York City, visiting some of our favorite haunts (hello Bryant Park!) and chatting about some of our go-to jewelry pieces for the season. Mine? Wrap around rings that look like they're just ever so slightly hugging your finger. Nathalie's? It was a tie between stacked bangles of different materials (leather  and crystal embellishments) and this amazing collar necklace.

Here's a peek at our afternoon...hope you enjoy!

This post was in collaboration with Swarovski. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

Photos by Emily Malan