Wear the Waldorf: Artist creates jewelry from chandeliers of historic NYC hotels

PHILADELPHIA -- John Wind, artist by birth and trade alike, stumbled upon a treasure trove in the remnants of an auction selling off pieces once belonging to the Waldorf-Astoria and Plaza hotels in New York City.

It was there that he bought his very first chandelier, and thus was born the magnum opus of his jewelry creations: The Grand Hotel Collection.

This collection strives to link the past and the present through vintage pieces and modern design using the crystals of those Waldorf and Plaza chandeliers.

"This is different than just making a pretty piece of jewelry," Wind said of the impact of his collection, which has drawn a variety of customers across the country. "The customers are finding themselves in these chandelier crystals."

Wind and his small team continue to create gorgeous jewelry by hand in his studio in Philadelphia.

You can find yourselves in his jewelry, too, through the shop's website, johnwind.com.