We’ve all been there.

Stuck in a 4 o’clock meeting on a sunny day. Your boss, deeply entrenched in a discussion with himself about productivity and results. You, lost in a daydream: sunbathing on the rocky Croatian coast, shopping the bustling markets of Myanmar, and scaling Egypt’s pyramids.

Only a woman after your own heart can bring you back to reality. Jewelry designer Lauren Harper travels to far-flung locales — from Southern Africa to Southeast Asia — gathering unusual gemstones for her stellar collection (literally, as it’s worn by the likes of Katie, Courtney, and Cameron).

Burmese rubies, Columbian emeralds, and African sapphires hang from intricately constructed 22-karat gold necklaces, inspired by the art and architecture of her trips. Drop earrings that resemble a cluster of gold leaves, each leaf cupping a red ruby the size and color of a pomegranate seed. A multistone lariat that wraps four times, changing colors as it goes.

Extravagant and mesmerizing, these jewels don’t come cheap. Earrings start at $285, and necklaces run upward of $2,000.

See? We told you she’d bring you back to reality.

Available at Frances Heffernan, 810 Elm Street, Winnetka (847-446-2112); or Sweet William, 15 East 1st Street, Hinsdale (630-920-8444). To see styles, go to laurenharpercollection.com.