Common Era Honors ‘Difficult Women’ in Collection

At center is the Anne Boleyn “The Catalyst” ring in 14-karat yellow gold ($1,600) flanked by the Pandora “The Blamed” pendant in 14-karat white gold, left, and the Cleopatra “The Queen” pendant in 14-karat rose gold ($1,500)

New York—Common Era, a fine and demi-fine jewelry brand, has expanded its “Difficult Women” collection of pendants and signet rings, a perfect collection to explore during Women’s History Month and in honor of International Women’s Day.

The collection centers on 12 historically important women from across the globe who have been labeled “difficult.”

The brand said the collection is an ode to women who scandalized the world and defied the patriarchy.

“Some are cast as epic villains of history, some simply dared to think in a world dominated by men,” Common Era said.

“All of them deserve to be honored and celebrated by those who came after because being ‘difficult’ is often just another word for being fiercely and unapologetically yourself.”

The latest addition to Common Era’s “Difficult Women” collection is the Olga of Kyiv “The Avenger” pendant in 14-karat yellow gold ($1,500).

The newest addition to the collection is Olga of Kyiv, “The Avenger.” Her pendant debuted in late 2025 as a tribute to the Ukrainians fighting for their freedom, their land, and their identity.

Olga is known for being a fierce woman who protected her son and avenged her husband’s death, according to The Conversation.

She later was named patron saint of widows and converts in the Orthodox Church.

She joins Aggrippina Minor “The Strategist;” Anne Boleyn “The Catalyst;” Boudica “The Warrior;” Cassandra of Troy “The Prophet’”, Cleopatra “The Queen;” Clytemnestra “The Slayer;” Hatshepsut “The Pharaoh;” Hypatia of Alexandria “The Scientist;” Livia Drusilla “The Powerbroker;” Pandora “The Blamed;” and Sappho “The Poet.”

The pendants feature wax seal cameos of each woman with their name on the reverse. Pictured is the Sappho “The Poet” pendant in 14-karat yellow gold ($1,500)

Each woman is honored with a pendant displaying their cameo in the style of a wax seal while their name is engraved on the reverse.

There are also signet rings displaying the cameos of Anne Boleyn, Boudica, Hypatia, and Sappho, the bestselling women from the collection.

Additional signet ring offerings of the other women will be released in the future, Common Era said.

“My ‘Goddess’ collection launched in 2019 and is still a perennial favorite with customers, but I wanted to find a way to honor mortal women, real women who were often unpopular at the time, but have come to be viewed anew through a modern feminist lens,” said Torie Tilley, founder of Common Era.

“Many of these women were drawn from my personal admiration for their stories, particularly Livia and Agrippina, who sparked my love of history when I wrote a ninth-grade essay on Roman women.”

Among the four signet ring offerings is Boudica “The Warrior” in 14-karat white gold ($1,600).

A range of price points are seen in the collection, as the brand offers each pendant in 14- and 18-karat yellow, white, and rose gold as well as 18-karat gold vermeil.

The signet rings are only available in 14- or 18-karat gold.

The collection retails from $260 to $2,400.

While the 14- and 18-karat gold options are sold as just the pendant, the plated pendants also include a gold vermeil cable chain.

The Difficult Women collection first debuted in June 2024, with additional women added over time.

It is available on the Common Era website, along with a “Which Difficult Woman Are You?” quiz.

Common Era was founded in 2019 by Tilley. She created the New York City-based brand for women who share her love of ancient history, literature, and art, said the Common Era website.