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Stories of custom designs, high-value sales, exceptional estates, and appraisals.
From Stick Pin to Diamond Necklace
Some projects are worth walking across town for. Being a New Yorker, sometimes there are delays in traffic and you have no other choice than to just walk.
A client of mine recently reached out about several pieces of jewelry she wasn't enjoying. She asked how I could help.
First, I sold some gold. Then, I restrung a strand of pearls. She also showed me a diamond cluster pin she wasn't wearing and wanted to know what she could do with it.
Wear What You Love
Some of the people I work with know exactly what they want in their jewelry. For example, a client of mine likes clean lines and an uncomplicated design.She was lucky enough that her husband gifted her a diamond tennis bracelet. Unfortunately, she didn't get much wear out of it, and it spent a lot of time in her jewelry box.
A Diamond Necklace Redefined
Recently, I met with a new client to appraise all of her jewelry. As we were talking, she showed me a necklace that never sat well on her neck.
It was made from an antique pin, with beautiful diamonds set in platinum. Though the design was gorgeous, the pin was hung horizontally and never sat well on her décolletage. We worked together to completely reimagine the piece.
Creating a Custom Ring from an Inherited Diamond
Over my three decades in the jewelry industry, I've met many other jewelry designers. We all have our own unique way of working, whether that be building our own lines of jewelry, representing other designers, or as I do, creating custom pieces.
Recently I was contacted by one of the designers I know. She has a friend who inherited a woman's diamond ring from his mother.
When Costume Jewelry Just Isn't Enough
What happens if you find a piece of jewelry with a design you love, but it is made of synthetic stones and base metal? This is what happened with one of my good clients. He likes to treat his wife to beautiful jewelry and she found this design. So he wanted to give her these rings made of real gold and fine gems.
The Jewel is in the Lotus | Om Mani Padme Hum
A client of mine loves to travel. She really likes South East Asia and the interesting jewelry found there. Sometimes, living in New York City, she sees jewelry that is inspired by these cultures.She bought a silver bracelet with a beautiful design. The letters are raised to give the impression of an intaglio design and spell out "Om Mani Padme Hum," or "the jewel is in the lotus," a key Tibetan Buddhist mantra.She loved it, but always wanted it in gold.
Contemporary Designs from Classic Pieces
What do you do when you inherit a collection that just isn't to your taste? This recently happened to a client of mine. She showed me several pieces (some are pictured below), and we worked together to custom create two special rings and a pair of earrings.
Emeralds: Romance & Rebirth
As Spring finally approaches, I notice all the seasonal colors like green, light blue, pink, and peach. My eye is always drawn to emerald, due to the intense color and because it is my birthstone.
Did you know emeralds are symbolic of rebirth, renewal, and vitality?
The Ruby Ring She Always Wanted
A great client of mine loves rubies. In fact, she wanted her engagement ring to be all rubies (but her husband wanted to buy her a diamond engagement ring instead). Recently, there was a special occasion in the family that she saw as the perfect opportunity to get the emerald-cut ruby ring she always imagined.
Measuring for the Perfect Fit
What happens when you inherit a piece of jewelry you know you will never wear?
This happened to my client who received a pair of rectangular, diamond gold cufflinks from her father. She was never going to wear them herself. Instead, she wanted to make a pair of unique earrings that would fit her style.
Giving Your Diamonds a Second Life
Do you have a piece of jewelry in your collection that reminds you of a time you'd much rather forget? In this case, yes. I had a client who had several pieces of diamond jewelry, including a diamond tennis bracelet, earrings, and a few smaller pieces.
From Just "Okay" to "Wow!"
A good client of mine who I've worked with a few times before had a ring that she wasn't really wearing anymore. She loves bright, vibrant colors and owned a blue topaz and gold ring. She loved the stone but never really liked the setting.It had heart-shaped cutouts and was a little wider than she cared for.
Finding Treasures in Your Jewelry Box
I worked with a dynamic Manhattan attorney who is a busy mother, who loves her jewelry, but doesn't have time to update her collection. She invited me to look at her jewelry box full of necklaces and earrings that she was no longer enjoying.
Oh Baby, What A Ring!
One of the pleasures of my job is creating custom jewelry for my clients and their extended families. A very good client asked me to work with one of her family members. He had inherited his father's gold and diamond ring, but disliked the style.
Turning a Family Heirloom into Four Contemporary Styles
Earlier this year, a former neighbor contacted me and told me her grandmother suddenly passed away. She was left with an antique diamond circle pin and requested guidance on how to maintain the integrity of the pin while turning it into several new pieces of jewelry that match her current style and taste.
Create a Hug You Can Wear
Many of my friends know that I create unique pieces of jewelry and some have a need for my unique services. This was the case for a good friend who commissioned me to create a custom ring for his wife. As a collector of stuffed bears, as well as I am, he had an idea of creating a ‘bear hug’ ring for his wife.
Blue Topaz Earrings Reimagined
When meeting with a client, we always seem to discover old pieces in their jewelry box. These pieces naturally come up in conversation and clients tell me they are not fully enjoying their entire collection.
Just recently I went to deliver earrings to a client. During our conversation, she mentioned how pleased she was with the finished product and wanted me to do more work for her.
From Antique to Contemporary
You never know what ideas you’ll come up with during a consultation. Recently, a professional came to me for two simple fixes: resizing a wedding band and turning a tie bar into a necklace. While we met and discussed the mechanics of her repair, she noticed the earrings I was wearing and placed a special request…
Diamonds are forever, but styles change.
Diamonds and gold don’t spoil, and when styles change to fit the fashions of the time, I help my clients re-imagine their jewelry. Here are three beautiful examples of re-imagined diamonds.
3 pieces in 1: redesigned sapphire diamond ring
One of my clients had jewelry made for her years ago that she never really wore. My challenge was to create one special bespoke ring that combined her taste and lifestyle with all the gold and gemstones she supplied to me.