We have an inspiring interview post for you today!
Susie Saltzman is the owner and designer of the namesake brand. She offers an alternative to a traditional fine jewelry purchase. The modern approach to timeless design embodies the brand mission – make beautiful keepsakes that celebrate unique and personal milestones.
We had several questions for Susie about how she started out as a jewelry designer, what every couple should know about rings, and how she finds inspiration in her clients to create something truly unique. Check out our questions and Susie’s answers below.
Tell us about your journey. How did your passion for jewelry begin?
I have memories as a little girl of rummaging through my nana’s jewelry drawers. I just loved getting dressed up. There was this thrill of discovering something new and feeling transformed when I stacked her bangles on my wrist or slipped a ring onto my finger. The act transported me to somewhere I had never been before… And so my relationship with jewelry began.
Over the years I would return to my love of jewelry but it wasn’t until I was finished with college in my early twenties that I really wandered down the path. I applied for a job in Product Development at Tiffany & Co. and got it! From there, my life was forever changed. I spent nearly two years training on the bench at night to learn jewelry fabrication; I pursued and earned my Graduate Diamonds Certificate from the GIA, and I just kept down the path that the passion and spark lead me. Years passed and my journey evolved…and here I am today, more passionate and in love with what I do than I have ever been. And so the journey continues…
What’s your Susie Saltzman brand’s philosophy?
My goal when designing is to dream up styles that are timeless but have a subtle special detail that sets them apart from other rings. It’s almost as if there is something different about my designs, that you cannot quite put your finger on…but that makes them feel as though I have designed something you’ve never seen before. I hope my designs feel thoughtful and intentional. I hope the experience each client receives also feels thoughtful and intentional. I personally work with each client I take on…and I choose to do this because I think the connection and exchange between the client and myself really enhances the experience and ultimately the feelings you then go on to associate with your piece of jewelry. There is care and attention put into each interaction. The brand is about personalization and empowerment so that I can be a trusted, educational guide through your diamond selection and design process. I should be removing the stress from the equation and replacing it with trust and joy so that your keepsake is packed with emotion, so that vivid memories are sparked every time you look down at your hand. This is my philosophy – listen, guide, deliver. And I feel so lucky that I get to be part of such a special time in people’s lives!
What’s a common myth about wedding jewelry?
That your diamond has to be set in white gold or platinum. This is a dated, traditional approach to designing jewelry…and while it can be argued that there are benefits to setting a colorless diamond in white gold or platinum, I think it’s far from mandatory. I also think it’s a much more complex conversation and one that can be addressed more cohesively by understanding (1) your stylistic preference and (2) the quality of your actual diamond, not just its grade on paper, but what it looks like to the eye of a professional and how it interacts with the light. Basically, I think whether you set your diamond in white gold/platinum or yellow or rose gold is a decision best made jointly with a trusted expert and your own personal input!
What are the top 3 things couples need to know when they come to you for their custom engagement ring?
1) Diamond Shape
2) Style or Design (ex. Solitaire vs. Three Stone Ring)
3) Finger Size (!!)
Can you tell us about one or two most exceptional designs you did? Who you made it for and what was your process.
Oh, this is so hard! The first ring I designed will always be special, because it was the catalyst for my whole business, and it is my sister’s ring.
When my now-Brother-in-Law asked to help him make an engagement ring, I decided I would counsel him through every step of the process. So first, I learned about what he wanted in a ring, walked him through the four C’s, and connected him with the best jeweler I knew in New York City. Then, I hand-selected the perfect diamond for my sister and had her ring handmade with special attention to detail.
I loved the experience so much that when my Brother-in-Law’s friends asked him where they could get the same quality and personal guidance, he sent them to me. As a result, I now draw upon over a decade of experience in the jewelry industry to help educate couples as they create the engagement ring of their dreams together.
Most rewarding part of your job is…
The connection! Words cannot properly express the privilege it is to get to be part of this very special time in a couple’s story. Also the creation itself. It’s always such a thrill to see the designs come to life. Those two aspects of the work never get old!
Hardest part of your job is…
Having to let go of the rings 🙂 LOL. But for real, sometimes it’s HARD!
Do you have a favorite type of stone, setting, cut, or type of metal you love to use for your jewelry? If yes, what are they?
I love an asscher cut diamond. They fly under the radar and a lot of people pass them up because they don’t look very large for their carat weight…but there is just something about the clipped corners on an asscher and the step cut faceting arrangement that steals my heart every time. I LOVE them!
If you could pick one couple in all of history to exchange ‘Susie Saltzman’ rings at their wedding, who would it be?
My daughter – which sounds ridiculous because she is only 3 right now, but I have dreams of being able to be there to walk her down the aisle…and designing her ring is, like, the ultimate dream. I can’t imagine a piece or an experience that could be more special for me.
Do you have a most treasured item in your personal jewelry collection?
I do! It’s a ring from my nana 🙂
Besides being a jeweler do you have other life passions? What helps you stay creative and not burn out?
Ah, ask me in a year and I hope I will have a better answer for you! 🙂 Burn out, for me has been unavoidable while building my business, but now, over a decade in, I am finally taking time to step away from the business. I have a small team that now helps keep our projects and mission moving forward and that helps me feel like I can breathe …like the whole thing isn’t going to fall apart if I step away for a family vacation, for example.
So, my other passions I am discovering are really life’s simplest gifts. Time with my daughter. Eating a delicious meal, drinking a glass of wine, exchanging conversations with those I love. Passion for me I think is more being able to be still in the moment to experience it. If I can see life that way then the simplest moments are the most passion-filled. And then miraculously, those passion-filled simple moments can be the most inspiring!
