BY ELLEN BURSTEIN

 

Custom engagement ring designer offers a truly bespoke experience. 

Susie Saltzman, owner and chief designer at Susie Saltzman Fine Jewelry, creates one-of-a kind engagement rings that are modern yet timeless.

 

 

The Manhattan jeweler helps couples source their center diamonds and custom design their ring. She also creates wedding bands, earrings, and necklaces.

Engagement rings are a significant financial and emotional purchase, which can be stressful without the right guidance, she says.

Saltzman, 39, strives to turn the designing of an engagement ring into “a stress-free process filled with thought, intention, love and joy.

“The majority of the clients that I work with, this is usually one of their most significant investments to date,” she says. “They can be overwhelmed and not know where to start.”

About half of her clients work together as a couple. “I like to think that we are removing the stress from the situation and functioning as a trusted knowledgeable friend who’s really guiding them through the process.” 

The designer sees clients in person and virtually from around the world. “I like to think that the experience is so personalized that you hardly feel the distance.”

Covid had little impact on her business because she was already working virtually. “When Covid initially hit, there was a bit of trepidation. I think people were hesitant about making a big investment like this, but 2020 turned out to be my best year yet,” she said.

A single Jewish mother, Saltzman lives in Brooklyn with her three-year-old daughter, Isla.

Her job in product development at Tiffany’s was a springboard to her solo career that began 10 years ago. 

Originally from northwest of Chicago, Saltzman went to the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and studied fashion merchandizing. As graduation approached, she became more interested in 3-D product design than apparel. Her first job out of school was at a cosmetic and fragrance company. She helped them with product development and packaging design.

At night, she would bead jewelry while watching TV as a way to relax. “I liked working with my hands and the more I did it, I thought I wanted to learn how to make real jewelry.” So she went to school at night and developed the manual skills for working with different types of fine jewelry. Then she applied for the job at Tiffany’s on a whim, never thinking she would get it. “That set my path for hopefully what will be the better part of my life.”

The fine jewelry industry offered her the connections and opportunity to explore custom design and fabrication. “When family and friends (and eventually strangers) asked for help navigating their search for the perfect engagement ring, I was able to help them.”

She doesn’t deliver just a piece of physical jewelry. “I think the intangible and arguably more important part of what we’re delivering or creating with our clients is a memory and experience, an heirloom and a keepsake.”

She says she finds inspiration for her work in nature, architecture, watching her daughter grow up and in the small moments of each day. “I also find a lot of inspiration in the clients I take on, weaving their personal stories into the design.”

Many of her clients come to her through word of mouth. Others see her creations on Instagram (@susiesaltzman) where she balances educational content with showcasing designs. “Many are underwhelmed by what they are seeing in retail stores. I think that we’re inspiring them and showing them beautiful design, helping them understand what the experience looks like. It’s like a peek behind the curtain.”

The price point starts at $425, but the majority of custom rings she designs are in the $15,000 to $40,000 range. All the materials used are sourced through environmentally responsible producers. The design process usually takes two to three months.

“Many couples want secret, intentional details infused in the ring, for example a small set diamonds underneath the center stone. The secret design details make it feel special,” Saltzman says.

A big trend disrupting the market is lab grown diamonds. “I’ve launched a separate company that specializes in luxury lab grown diamonds,” she says. “It’s a real diamond with the same composition as a natural diamond, but they are offered at a fraction of the price of a natural stone.

“My goal first and foremost is to really understand the couple that I’m working with, what their values are, what is important to them in a ring. Then I like to advise them on how to maximize their budget.”

“For me, it’s really about the connection that makes it so special for me. It’s not just designing jewelry. I’m really helping people mark a moment in their lives. The bonuses they get are hopefully a gorgeous piece of jewelry that they’ll forever love and cherish. It feels like I’m helping them tell their story. It’s a real honor to me.”

To learn more about Susie Saltzman Fine Jewelry, go to susiesaltzman.com. Her lab grown diamond specialty store is  reverencejewelry.com