You ever notice how special the number twelve is? It’s regarded as the number of completion, as you can see with the number of months in a year or hours on a clock. In our case, this month marks the 12th Anniversary of GLD and the beginning of the next chapter. Back in 2015, visionary founder and CEO Christian Johnston had the idea to create jewelry for anyone to shine, because everyone deserves to look, feel, and be their best. With just $1,000 and this ambitious dream, he started GLD in his college dorm room. Today, the brand ships to over 220 countries worldwide, holds official licenses with every major U.S. sports league, has over 2.5 million followers across social media, and has created moments that are cemented in history.
To celebrate twelve years, GLD is bringing back the iconic pieces that built the brand to where it is today, year-by-year, with one drop per day starting with year one on October 15. On October 29, we’re dropping the limited Anniversary Collection. Email and SMS subscribers get early access to pre-order, so make sure to sign up HERE to be the first to shop. Now let’s get into each year, starting from 2015.
Twelve GLD Drops: Year-By-Year
Every year since 2015 has been full of memorable moments, innovative new drops, and opportunities to keep pushing the needle to grow. There’s so much rich history that’s a part of GLD and GLD’s a part of, so we’ll highlight a bit of each year and what we’re exclusively re-releasing.
Year 1: 2015
Christian Johnston started GLD in his college dorm room with just $1,000. The idea was simple: make quality jewelry at an accessible price point so everyone can shine and build something new for the culture. The Year 1 Collection is what started it all and set the tone for everything that followed. We dropped pieces like the Saint Michael Coin Pendant, the Memento Mori Coin Pendant, the Compass Coin Pendant, and the GLD Chief Coin Pendant, which we’re bringing back on October 15. GLD is also known for some of the flyest pieces of merch, which we’ll also re-release starting with the GLD Flannel Top.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 1 COLLECTION
Year 2: 2016
After starting up in Pittsburgh, PA, the brand started taking off in year two. We made custom 1-of-1 pieces for icons including 15 custom diamond Free Bandz pendants for Future in August of that year. GLD landed co-signs by Pittsburgh legend Wiz Khalifa, dropped our custom packaging, and partnered with Playboi Carti for an iconic collaboration. In 2016, we dropped the Pittsburgh Pirates Official MLB Logo Pendant and the Large Crucifix Pendant in Yellow Gold. GLD also introduced pieces that were never seen before in the market, like the Yellow Gold Plug Pendant, which we’re bringing back on October 16 along with the GLD Miner Tee. Sign up to pre-order the Year 2 Collection here.
Year 3: 2017
In 2017, GLD went even bigger. So much so that we had to pack up the operation and relocate to the first Miami, FL headquarters. This is the year when GLD became the official jewelry partner of Rolling Loud and started making the large custom festival pendants you still see today. Another highlight of the year was when we collaborated with Trippie Redd to create his 1-of-1, $100,000 “14” pendant and chain. This is also the year we dropped the Diamond Oval Clustered Tennis Chain in White Gold, Micro Clustered Rosary Chain in White Gold, and the Iced Mini Clustered Tennis Necklace. To celebrate 2017, we’re bringing back the Clustered Tennis Chain in both Yellow Gold and White Gold and the GLD Don’t Die Wondering Tee, which will be available on October 17.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 3 COLLECTION
Year 4: 2018
Year four proved GLD was here to stay. In 2018, the brand started to pivot beyond hip-hop into the sports market, icing out rising stars like Micah Parsons when he was just a freshman at Penn State. We also tapped in with NBA legends like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant to make custom 1-of-1 pieces for them, laying the groundwork for the soon-to-be NBA partnership. GLD has never fully stepped away from hip-hop, however, as 2018 was the year when we collaborated for the legendary collection with Juice Wrld. Some of the best pieces we dropped that year include the Baguette Prong Set Cuban Chain in White Gold and the Iced Butterfly Diamond Prong Cuban Necklace. To celebrate the fourth year, we’re bringing back the Official Iced 14 pendant in both white and yellow gold, the Diamond Prong Cuban Chain in Yellow Gold, The Calabasas Tee, and the Diamond Prong Link Bracelet in White Gold. The exclusive re-release for these will be on October 18.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 4 COLLECTION
Year 5: 2019
2019 was another huge year. This is when GLD became the official jewelry partner of the NBA, announcing it with multiple NBA players including Danny Green after the Toronto Raptors won the 2019 Championship. We created custom iced-out pendants for every team in the league and even landed a partnership with Marvel Comics. Basketball wasn’t the only sport GLD tapped into that year. We started icing out several college football players and first-round NFL draft picks, making us the go-to jewelry brand for rising NFL stars. This is the year we launched the collaboration with Polo G and also made him a custom $30,000 goat piece. Some of the best pieces we dropped in 2019 include watches like the Iced Alpha Era, the Visionary Gold Watch with Plain Case & Steel Band (my personal favorite piece that I wear every day), and the 40MM Perennial Era® Skeleton Watch. It’s only right that to celebrate this year we bring back the 42MM Iced Alpha Era, 12MM Miami Cuban w/ 65MM Carabiner Pant Chain, and the GLD BGU hoodie on October 19.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 5 COLLECTION
Year 6: 2020
2020 had everyone at home, but that didn’t stop people from wanting to shine. This year launched GLD to a new level, with Forbes calling us “The Nike of Men’s Jewelry.” 2020 was when GLD solidified the official partnership with the NFL by dropping both logo and helmet pendants. Even though live concerts were on pause, GLD still tapped in with the biggest stars in music including Justin Bieber and Cardi B. The Diamond Ball Star Mariner Chain was one of 2020’s best, and we’re bringing back the Iced Ball Chain in White Gold and the GLD Free The Trap Tee to celebrate the year. They will be re-released on October 20.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 6 COLLECTION
Year 7: 2021
Every year since GLD started, the brand has grown exponentially. In 2021, we expanded our GLD Premium line with fine jewelry selections including moissanite, solid gold, and lab-grown diamonds. We dove further into the sports world, this time into baseball, by officially partnering with the MLB for a collection that features all thirty MLB teams. One of our day ones, Micah Parsons, entered the NFL as a first-round draft pick and continued to shine for the next step of his journey. Some of the most notable pieces we dropped in 2021 include the Iced Crown of Thorns Chain and Bracelet, and we’re bringing back the Iced Barbed Wire Chain in a couple of colors and the GLD Pound of Green Tee to highlight the year on October 21.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 7 COLLECTION
Year 8: 2022
In 2022, GLD kept pushing the needle. We collaborated with Fivio Foreign for the exclusive “Demon Time” capsule collection and iced out everyone from Kehlani to Jimmy Kimmel throughout the year. Our colored gemstone chains like the Multicolor Mixed Oval Cut Tennis Royal Stones Chain, Colored Gemstone Pearl Chain, and the Floating Multicolor Stone Necklace were the pieces that people loved the most, so it’s only right we bring back the Multicolor Mixed Oval Cut Tennis Chain on October 22. We’re also re-releasing our classic Picasso Tee and the Floating Orange Multicolor Stone Necklace to celebrate 2022.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 8 COLLECTION
Year 9: 2023
In 2023, GLD stayed consistent in showing up across sports, fashion, music, and beyond. We made more intricately designed Rolling Loud pieces for artists to wear on stage and concertgoers to shop, turned up our presence across sports including a Super Bowl activation partnering with Bud Light and Subway, and made even more pieces that have never been seen before. Some of the top pieces of the year include the Gothic Mariner Chain in White Gold and the Diamond Infinity Flower Bracelet, and we’re bringing back the Baguette Cross Evil Eye Chain and the GLD Wallet Chain. These are set to re-release on October 23 and will be selling out fast, so make sure you sign up to pre-order.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 9 COLLECTION
Year 10: 2024
2024 was a special one for GLD because this marked the 10-year anniversary of the brand. The year was filled with special moments like being the first brand to ever offer a high school NIL deal in Florida when we signed Jaime Ffrench, our exclusive pop-up at Super Bowl LVIII, and the partnership with Lil Durk for the exclusive OTF jewelry collection. Our watch collection really stood out in year 10, so we’re bringing back some of the best pieces including the 39MM Visionary Fully Iced Case in a variety of colors and the 39MM Visionary Iced Pink Stone Band Watch. We’re also re-releasing the Classic Canvas Backpack and the GLD No More Privacy Zip Up Hoodie. Don’t miss the exclusive year 10 re-release on October 24.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 10 COLLECTION
Year 11: 2025
In 2025, we were everywhere. Literally. We created the medals for the X Games, custom All-Star game pieces, custom Super Bowl pieces, 1-of-1 pieces for WNBA players, and a lot more. We showed up at every major moment across sports, music, and fashion, and if I were to mention them all, this blog would actually become an e-book. We capped off an action-packed year with an exclusive capsule collection with fashion icon Bloody Osiris. We had numerous new drops, but 2025’s best pieces include the Diamond Cluster Mariner Teardrop Pink Lariat Chain and the Diamond Puffed Mariner Chain. To commemorate the year, on October 25, we’re exclusively re-releasing the GLD World Tour Tee, GLD Black and Yellow Hockey Jersey, and the Diamond Multicolor Cluster Mariner Chain in White Gold.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 11 COLLECTION
Year 12: 2026
GLD keeps turning it up every single year, and in 2026 we’ve already done more than any in the past with some time still left on the clock. We’ve been a part of even more moments across fashion, music, and sports, collaborating with the tastemakers and leaders across each category while dropping our own exclusive collections. We recently designed and dropped the Gotica collection, Forme Prive, and we got a few more in the stash, so stay tuned. Through the year, we’ve released Rick and Morty and Baseball Lifestyle 101 collections, and just dropped our exclusive capsule collabs with IDK New York and Malik Nabers. The Exclusive Anniversary Collection for year 12, however, is something completely new. It features some never-before-seen pieces and drops on October 29, but you can get early access to pre-order by signing up HERE. This is one you’re DEFINITELY not gonna want to miss.
SIGN UP TO PRE-ORDER THE YEAR 12 COLLECTION
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the GLD 12th anniversary drop?
GLD is celebrating 12 years by exclusively re-releasing iconic pieces from every year of the collection, one drop per day starting October 15. The Year 1 Collection through the Year 11 Collection are re-releases of the pieces that built the brand. The Year 12 Collection drops October 29 and features never-before-seen pieces built for the next chapter of GLD. Email and SMS subscribers get early access to pre-order every drop.
How do I get early access to the GLD anniversary drops?
Sign up for GLD’s email and SMS list to get early pre-order access to each year’s collection. The Year 1 Collection drops October 15, with a new collection dropping daily through October 25. The Year 12 Anniversary Collection drops on October 29.
What is the Year 12 Collection?
The Year 12 Collection is an all-new drop exclusive to GLD’s 12th anniversary. It features never-before-seen pieces and drops October 29. Email and SMS subscribers get first access to pre-order the collection before it goes live to the public.
How long has GLD been in business?
GLD was founded in 2015 by Christian Johnston in his college dorm room with $1,000. In 12 years, GLD has grown to ship to over 220 countries worldwide and hold official licenses with every major U.S. sports league, including the NBA, NFL, MLB, WNBA, NHL, and NCAA. It has over 58,000 verified reviews on Trustpilot at 4.5 stars and has created moments across sports, music, and fashion that are cemented in history.
