That a jeweler’s first boutique should be impeccably designed, down to the bronze logo embedded into the marble floor, should come as no surprise. At Foundrae, attention to detail extends to exquisite antiques, a gorgeous landscape painting by Tyler Hicks of BDDW, porcelain sculptures by Kate MacDowell and Juliette Clovis, and a wall of books that can be checked out—they even have library-style cards tucked inside the cover. As for that logo in the floor, Foundrae founder Beth Bugdaycay was surprised with it as a birthday gift from her husband, Murat. They own the building, but the boutique was a long time in gestation, so he wanted to prove he was committed to it.

The line is best known for its cigar-band rings, pendants, and charms, predominantly based on a collection of symbols meant to serve “as a tool for self-discovery and self-expression.” To that end, pieces can be customized by the jeweler toiling at a bench dating from the 19th century.

P.S. The name Foundrae is a portmanteau of “found” and “Rae”—because Beth Bugdaycay loves found objects and Rae is the name of one of her grandmothers. It’s pronounced found-ray, and I’ve added it to the Tribeca Pronunciation Guide.

Foundrae is at 52 Lispenard (between Broadway and Church); 212-231-9898; foundrae.com.

Recent New Kid on the Block / First Impressions articles:
• Jason Scott
• Common Point
• Alton Lane
• SLT
• Innovation Shades
• Nova Octo
• Ortuzar Projects
• Y7 Studio
• Club Pilates
• Lymbr