Meet The Black-Owned Jewelry Brand That Was Born From A Love Of Travel

Ten Wilde’s wanderlust-inspired pieces are made for everyday glamour.
The Medallion pearl necklace and Brooklyn hoops pictured with Tenisha Wilde, owner of Ten Wilde.
Ten Wilde, Courtesy of Ten Wilde
The Medallion pearl necklace and Brooklyn hoops pictured with Tenisha Wilde, owner of Ten Wilde.

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Tenisha Wilde didn’t start making jewelry with the intent of running a business full-time. The artist, designer and passionate traveler began making and selling adornments at festivals with a friend to subsidize her wanderlust. But in 2016, after a few years of exploring new countries and cities, Wilde formally launched Ten Wilde, a website selling affordable gold-plated, gold-filled and solid gold jewelry.

Through her work, Wilde wants people to express their personalities, style and values. She also hopes people feel inspired to buy these items for themselves.

“Traditionally, men would buy jewelry for women, or receiving jewelry would be a special-occasion-only type of thing,” she said. “I think breaking out of these gender roles or societal norms in this way and purchasing jewelry for oneself can be an act of self-love, which is really important because after self-love comes confidence! I encourage everyone to buy themselves that jewelry they’ve been eyeing, in the name of self-care.”

Ten Wilde’s eye-catching pieces have garnered the attention of consumers and celebrities alike, including Vanessa Hudgens and Tracee Ellis Ross. Still, Wilde said that running a small business — especially as a Black woman in America — isn’t all glimmer and gold. There was no blueprint for launching Ten Wilde, and its success took years of trials, tribulations and leaving shady web browser platforms that hindered brand growth.

“I encourage everyone to buy themselves that jewelry they’ve been eyeing, in the name of self-care.”

- Tenisha Wilde

“So much of what I’ve done and the decisions I continue to make have to do with following my intuition and believing in myself,” she said. “Ten Wilde is a minority woman-owned small business that I’ve entirely bootstrapped to six figures, which I’m really proud of. Growing up, there really was no representation of this in the media, so it just came down to putting a lot of trust in myself and the process. There’s no one but yourself holding you accountable, and that also takes tremendous discipline and resilience.”

When asked what keeps her going, Wilde’s optimism radiates.

“At the end of the day, I just chose happiness, which has blossomed into this beautiful thing,” she said. “I hope to inspire others to do the same with whatever that looks like for them.”

1
Ten Wilde
Pearl initial necklace
When it came to this pearl initial, Wilde said she "knew my customer would love it as much as I did. It has this classy old-money aesthetic that makes for the best gift at an affordable price. I mixed the initial with different chains until I sourced the perfect match for it. As soon as I added it to the website, it became a hit."

The pearl initial necklace is available in all 26 letters of the alphabet. It comes with a gold-filled ball chain that's adjustable from 16 inches to 18 inches.
2
Ten Wilde
Medallion pearl necklace
"I absolutely love the look of pearls next to gold...," said Wilde. "I had already been using [this] hammered coin pendant on a simple chain necklace and thought it’d make for a flawless ... centerpiece between perfectly rounded pearls. [This] necklace has now become one of the bestsellers and is favored for all things bridal and anniversaries."

This necklaces features 5 millimeter white natural pearls on a gold-filled lobster-clasp chain that's adjustable from 14 to 18 inches.
3
Ten Wilde
Brooklyn hoops
“The Brooklyn Hoops were also formed out of a love for shapes and textures. I wanted to create a classic gold hoop, but with a twist. Our rope chains are diamond cut, which... gives them this extra shine that reflects so beautifully in the sun. I wanted to design something similar with these 'cuts' or edges, but in hoop form, and boy do they sparkle!"

These tarnish-free hoops measure about an inch and a half in diameter and are lightweight and water-resistant.
4
Ten Wilde
Vila lariat necklace
When designing this necklace, Wilde said she "wanted to create a stunning and intricate lariat that looks expensive but is still affordable... Since I already had all the components to create this piece, I was able to play around a lot to get the final result, and I absolutely love how it turned out!"

This lariat-style necklace features marquise-shaped cubic zirconia bezels and a gold-filled chain that's adjustable from 14.5 inches to 18 inches. It’s finished with a gold-filled lobster clasp.
5
Ten Wilde
Gold-plated snake chain
"You can never go wrong with a simple chain and it's crucial to have pieces like this in the Ten Wilde line," Wilde said. "They layer flawlessly with many other gems. It’s like the perfect pair of jeans but in accessory form, and really just speaks for itself."

This gold-plated chain is 16 inches long.

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