With a few beads, a dream and a ton of hard work, Saskatchewan designer Rachel Miekle started Hillberg & Berk in 2007.  Her handcrafted semiprecious stone pieces are not the only reason we admire Miekle; to date, Hillberg & Berk has contributed $500,000 to national and international organizations to help women around the world work toward making their dreams a reality.

Cypress bracelet, $225, hillbergandberk.com.