{"id":14745,"date":"2025-08-27T23:23:42","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T23:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/27\/super-smalls-founders-on-making-luxury-jewelry-accessible-to-kids\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T23:23:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T23:23:51","slug":"super-smalls-founders-on-making-luxury-jewelry-accessible-to-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/27\/super-smalls-founders-on-making-luxury-jewelry-accessible-to-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Super Smalls Founders on Making Luxury Jewelry Accessible to Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sisters and Super Smalls co-founders Maria Due\u00f1as Jacobs (right) and Bianca Gottesman (left) have built their brand on the belief that luxury and play can coexist beautifully in children\u2019s lives. Courtesy of Super Smalls<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This Q&A is part of Observer\u2019s Expert Insights<\/a> series, where industry leaders, innovators and strategists distill years of experience into direct, practical takeaways and deliver clarity on the issues shaping their industries. In the competitive world of children\u2019s retail, Maria Duenas Jacobs<\/a> and Bianca Gottesman<\/a> prove that luxury and play coexist beautifully. As co-founders and sisters behind Super Smalls<\/a>, Maria and Bianca have transformed a simple observation\u2014that children crave magic in their everyday moments\u2014into a thriving brand that\u2019s reimagined kids\u2019 products since 2019. With their deep expertise in translating gemstone culture and jewelry heritage for young audiences, Observer spoke with the duo about how they\u2019re democratizing luxury through education, storytelling and hands-on play. Their latest venture, The Super Smalls Super Book of Gems<\/a>, is out in October 2025 under Union Square & Co.<\/p>\n

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What makes a gemstone culturally resonant, beautiful and meaningful across time? <\/b><\/h3>\n

A technical answer to this has to do with how gems are valued for rarity, durability and beauty. But beyond that, gemstones are powerful because they live in many worlds simultaneously. They\u2019re incredible natural marvels\u2014formed deep in the earth through heat, pressure, tree resin and starlight. They\u2019re also canvases for art and design\u2014cut, polished, and set to capture light and imagination, whether by an ancient craftsman, a house like Cartier<\/a> or a designer like Marlo Laz<\/a>. And then there\u2019s the layer that makes them timeless: sentiment. Gems are passed down, gifted, worn for protection or luck. They carry myths of superpowers, lightning bolts and gods\u2019 tears\u2014but also the very real memory of a grandmother\u2019s ring or a birthday treasure. T<\/span>hey carry the stories of our world.<\/span><\/p>\n

What made you want to create a book as the next evolution of Super Smalls, and why now?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Storytelling has always been our spark\u2014it\u2019s the passion running through everything we create. And of course, we\u2019re completely obsessed with magic, and just as obsessed with gems. We\u2019ve always imagined Super Smalls as a world built around joy, imagination and connection. A book felt like the perfect way to deepen that world. We wanted to give kids and grown-ups something to slow down with and explore together\u2014a shared experience that lives off-screen and sparks wonder. And honestly, gems are the original storytellers. It felt like the right moment to capture their magic in a new form.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did you think about translating tactile sparkle into the flat pages of a book? <\/b><\/h3>\n

We knew we couldn\u2019t just tell people about sparkle\u2014we had to show it. So we drew from the masters\u2014Cartier, Bulgari<\/a>, Van Cleef & Arpels<\/a> and other iconic houses and designers\u2014because who better to prove how raw stones become true works of art? Pairing those jaw-dropping pieces with rich photography, bold illustrations and playful, kid-friendly language lets us bring that tactile magic onto the page. Each spread is designed to feel like you\u2019ve cracked open a treasure box\u2014full of science, history and a little bit of wonder\u2014even if you can\u2019t actually touch the gems.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Educational\"Educational
A page from \u201cThe Super Smalls Super Book of Gems\u201d demonstrates how complex geological concepts like the Mohs hardness scale can be made accessible and engaging for young readers through vibrant design and kid-friendly explanations. Courtesy of Super Smalls<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In creating <\/b>The Super Smalls Super Book of Gems<\/i><\/b>, what surprised you most about the myths, meanings or misunderstood history of birthstones? <\/b><\/h3>\n

What surprised us most was realizing there isn\u2019t one fixed list of birthstones\u2014it changes depending on culture and history. In Western tradition, they\u2019re tied to the month you\u2019re born. In contrast, in many Eastern traditions, birthstones were matched to your zodiac sign or a celestial body, like a planet or star, believed to influence your life. The idea was that wearing a gem linked to your star sign or ruling planet would actually enhance your natural strengths\u2014like cosmic jewelry superpowers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ancient cultures believed gems could protect you, bring luck or even cure nightmares. Some legends are wonderfully wild\u2014like that amethysts could quicken your intelligence, emeralds could improve your eyesight, or diamonds could form when lightning bolts struck the earth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How do major jewelry houses like Van Cleef or Bulgari use narrative and fantasy to build value around stones? <\/b><\/h3>\n

Luxury houses are master storytellers. They know a stone is beautiful, but a stone with a story becomes unforgettable. Whether it\u2019s the tale of how it was formed, how it was found, who wore it or what it symbolizes, the depth and fantasy elevate it. Kids crave story and magic, too, and they deserve objects that come with meaning.<\/span><\/p>\n

What should a consumer look for when introducing children to fine jewelry or jewelry culture? <\/b><\/h3>\n

Kids are natural magpies drawn to sparkle, color and stories. So, the best way to introduce them is to focus on jewelry as a form of culture and storytelling, not just as something fancy or expensive. A birthstone ring, for example, connects them to history, science and even a little magic. <\/span>There\u2019s the natural, scientific marvel of how gems are formed, the art and design of how they\u2019re cut and set, and then the deeply sentimental layer of who wore it before you, or why it was given. Sharing those layers helps kids see jewelry as part of a bigger world of creativity, heritage and self-expression\u2014not something off-limits or intimidating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Two-page\"Two-page
The diamond section of \u201cThe Super Smalls Super Book of Gems\u201d combines luxury jewelry from high-end brands with accessible scientific information, making gemology education feel like treasure hunting rather than studying. Courtesy of Super Smalls<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How do you see the relationship between geology, gemology and storytelling evolving in an era of lab-grown stones and A.I.-enhanced design? <\/b><\/h3>\n

The world has been changing for millions of years, and most of the gems we see have taken centuries to form. They\u2019re a part of our planet\u2019s history\u2014and our own evolution\u2014so in a way, they\u2019re the wisest of us all. The people who cut and craft them, and all of us who celebrate with them or express ourselves through them, are really the keepers of their beauty and longevity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The magic doesn\u2019t disappear as the landscape shifts with lab-grown stones or A.I. design. There will always be awe in the natural wonder of how gems are formed deep in the earth or how humans have managed to emulate that. And there will always be beauty in turning them into something that captures light and imagination. A lab-grown diamond can\u2019t erase the centuries of myth and meaning, and A.I. can\u2019t replace the sentiment of a jewel passed from generation to generation. The science and tools evolve, but the human connection\u2014that sense of wonder, memory, and meaning\u2014makes gems timeless.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favorite underdog gem? <\/b><\/h3>\n

Citrine! We love it because it\u2019s yellow (sometimes golden!) and radiates happiness. It\u2019s been celebrated throughout history as a gem of positivity, confidence and creativity\u2014a little burst of sunshine you can wear. Most of the citrines you see on the market today are heat-treated amethysts or smoky quartz made to mimic that golden glow, proving how coveted the look of genuine citrine has always been. <\/span>It\u2019s one of the few gems that naturally shine in its golden hue without enhancements when you find the real thing. And for anyone who adores vintage jewelry, citrine is a star\u2014you\u2019ll spot it in bold Art Deco cocktail rings and glamorous mid-century pieces set in yellow gold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The jewelry industry thrives on exclusivity. How do you reconcile that heritage of \u2018hands-off luxury\u2019 with Super Smalls\u2019 mission to make it child\u2019s play? <\/b><\/h3>\n

That\u2019s exactly why we wanted to do it\u2014the emotions created by gems and jewelry shouldn\u2019t be off-limits to anyone. They\u2019re natural wonders and incredible works of art, but at their core, they\u2019ve always been about self-expression, memories and joy. Kids understand that instinctively: they see sparkle and just want to PLAY. Super Smalls was born from that impulse\u2014to take something traditionally seen as \u201chands-off luxury\u201d and reimagine it as \u201chands-on magic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And the way we do that is by translating the feeling of fine jewelry into playful, kid-first experiences: oversized cocktail rings that belong in a dress-up box, gem sticker kits and bead kits that let kids design their own \u201ccreations,\u201d or a book that pairs Cartier and Bulgari jewels with science, jokes and sparkle. We\u2019re not taking away from the heritage of fine jewelry\u2014we\u2019re celebrating it while showing that sparkle isn\u2019t off-limits. By giving kids tools to imagine, learn, experiment and create, we make jewelry culture feel like it\u2019s for them too\u2014because joy and imagination are the real luxury.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Dark-themed\"Dark-themed
Famous gemstones throughout history come alive through storytelling that weaves together science, legend and cultural significance. Courtesy of Super Smalls<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You made your name in a world where touching the merchandise was discouraged. Now you\u2019re letting kids wear it to preschool. What clicked? <\/b><\/h3>\n

Ha, so true! That\u2019s precisely what clicked for us\u2014realizing that the magic of jewelry doesn\u2019t come from keeping it locked away; it comes from what happens when people wear it. Jewelry is meant to be lived in: It marks our milestones, holds our memories and sparks joy in the everyday. Kids are the perfect reminder of that\u2014they don\u2019t overthink it; they pile it on, twirl around and let it make them feel amazing.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Super Smalls, we wanted to give them that freedom. Instead of \u201clook, but don\u2019t touch,\u201d we flipped the script to \u201ctry it on, play with it, make it yours.\u201d That\u2019s where the joy really lives, and our pieces are as durable as dazzling. Sparkle should never feel off-limits\u2014even in preschool.<\/span><\/p>\n

With a book now part of the mix, Super Smalls feels even more like a tiny empire of fantasy. Was the goal always to build a world, not just a product? <\/b><\/h3>\n

Absolutely. From the very beginning, the heart of Super Smalls has been storytelling through play. We wanted kids to have a way to express themselves\u2014not just by wearing something sparkly, but by inventing entire worlds around it. Putting on a necklace can be an express train to a make-believe experience\u2014suddenly it\u2019s your first day as President of the United States (my daughter\u2019s favorite pretend scenario!). A bead kit isn\u2019t just a craft; it\u2019s a starter kit for running your jewelry business. A ring can transform into a secret key that unlocks an imaginary kingdom. Suddenly, the ordinary is infused with unlimited possibilities and the energy to play.<\/span><\/p>\n

The more we build, the more we offer kids so they can build, too\u2014engaging with their creativity in new and surprising ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why the book felt like such a natural next chapter. We\u2019re giving kids a tool packed with science, myths and personal birthday connections\u2014something that offers digestible information and sparks curiosity, becoming a springboard for their own world-building. Super Smalls was never meant to be just a line of products\u2014it\u2019s always been about creating opportunities for kids to dream wildly, explore and see their own magic reflected back at them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is this about jewelry or giving kids their first taste of identity, performance and power? <\/b><\/h3>\n

I like your word power\u2014that\u2019s exactly it. For us, it\u2019s about letting kids feel capable and confident, and permitting them to play in their own way. So much of childhood is spent being told what to do, where to sit, when to be quiet. With Super Smalls, we wanted to create something that flips that dynamic, where the sparkle is theirs to command, and the stories they dream up are entirely their own.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jewelry happens to be one of the vehicles, but the bigger idea is about identity and expression, as you said. When a child piles on accessories, creates their own bespoke sunglasses or vanity sets, or sits alongside an adult to compare birthstones and superpowers, they\u2019re experimenting with who they are, how they want to be seen, and what brings them joy. It\u2019s theater, it\u2019s art, it\u2019s ambient education, it\u2019s a little experiment in selfhood\u2014wrapped up in play. That\u2019s what keeps it meaningful.<\/span><\/p>\n

Children are unpredictable product testers. What have your daughters taught you about design, branding or ambition that the fashion world never did?\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

They\u2019ve taught us that joy can\u2019t be faked\u2014if a product doesn\u2019t excite them, it won\u2019t excite others. They\u2019ve also reminded us that kids want ownership\u2014they want to create, remix, play their way.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a fine line between empowering young consumers and manufacturing desire. How do you think about aspiration without tipping into adultification? <\/b><\/h3>\n

This is something we take really seriously as founders and parents ourselves. Our goal is never to push kids to grow up faster\u2014it\u2019s to honor where they are. We want kids to feel powerful as kids, not mini adults.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does editorial still have cultural authority? <\/b><\/h3>\n

Yes, but it shares that authority now. It\u2019s less top-down and more community-driven. Kids might first spot something in a magazine, but the real connection happens when they experience it in their own lives. They then carry it into their circles, where it becomes part of a shared culture. <\/span>That democratization is exciting. It\u2019s more engaging because many more voices are involved. Authority looks different now.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s one luxury fashion truth that absolutely does not apply to kids\u2019 style? And one surprising rule that does? <\/b><\/h3>\n

The one that doesn\u2019t apply is minimalism. Kids want maximalist everything\u2014more color, sparkle, layers and fun. <\/span>The one that does: confidence is the ultimate accessory. Whether you\u2019re 5 or 55, wearing something that makes you feel amazing shows.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"From<\/p><\/div>\n