My Philosophy and Custom Work Process

 

"What Stacey created is far beyond what I could have imagined.  Not only has it become a beautiful piece of art displaying my story, but the process itself has been incredibly healing and therapeutic."   

- Rebecca Frances Zacher 

"Together we developed my story into a striking piece of art...Now I have a unique piece of jewelry that is all my own - something that turns what was just a story into a tangible reminder of my experience and goals. Everyone should have such a special memento in their life."

- Lesley Curtis 

 

Unique and Bold Custom Jewelry

Jewelry is so much more than just pretty adornment.  Let's put it this way: what Humans of New York offers in the photography world, I aim for in my work. I believe in honest, bold, beautiful storytelling through the medium of jewelry. 

Custom jewelry provides a pathway to healing and celebration, where you and I work closely together to bring your vision to life - even if you can't see that vision just yet. Through conversation and a collaborative design process, we work together to create a work of art that you can wear everyday and pass down as an heirloom.

What Makes My Custom Work Different? 

You will not find any other jeweler that dives as deep as I do. The conversations you and I have in the custom process are more than just a simple back-and-forth. I specialize in life transition jewelry - loss of a loved one, job change, identity shifts, divorce. 

I offer up a space to talk about the complexities of your life transition.  Not only do beautiful design ideas inevitably emerge from that space, but it alchemizes your emotions in the process.  Through creating art together, it generates movement in your journey.  My custom work is also a celebration; joy and grief, like life and death, are two sides of the same coin and art can bridge that divide.

I don't shy away from the difficult stories that deserve to be told, and, together we create something beautiful and memorable.

You'll certainly see this in the customizable Memoir jewelry line, and in my custom portfolio page. 

I also have been through deep grief and life transition myself.   The loss of my sister is a huge part of my story, but so are many other forms of grief - I lost my father when I was young, I struggled with postpartum depression and had a baby in Covid, I lost a sense of identity as I transitioned from nonprofit work to jewelry work, I've had two miscarriages...I know what it feels like to grieve deeply, to feel stuck, to wonder what in the world you're supposed to do with such heaviness.  I also know how healing it can be to create something beautiful from grief, as the very first mourning ring I ever made was for myself.

This wisdom comes into our conversations and into the intuitive design ideas I bring into the process.

Jewelry that Harkens Back to an Earlier Time

I love vintage and antique jewelry, and it shows in my designs. I bring in unique details like hand-done engraving and filigree you often won't find anywhere else. I unearth design ideas that haven't been seen in decades or centuries. I work with a team of experienced jewelers right in Philadelphia. You walk away with a truly special and one-of-a-kind heirloom.  

Ideas for Custom Jewelry

Looking to be inspired or see designs I've made? Read about how:

• Cynthia and I worked together on a divorce ring.
• I designed a gorgeous engraved locket to honor one mother's lost son. 
• Jean and Todd worked with me on a special anniversary band.
• Kylene created a stunning emerald ring as a gift to herself with stones from her wedding band. 

The custom jewelry portfolio showcases other examples of creative designs, and the sky is the limit on what can be created.  Check out our testimonials page for the hundreds of reviews from customers over the years. 

Personalized Jewelry through a Collaborative Process

What you won't get from me is jargon, vagueness or closed doors - I'll break down the process into step-by-step and easy-to-understand pieces, and I will guide you through the creative flow.  I and my team help you choose the materials, precious stones and other elements that are perfect for you. Here is a glimpse into the custom process.

Custom Design Questionnaire 

It all starts with a few questions I send your way so we can figure out if we're a good fit. These questions help you to think more deeply about the piece you'd like to create, your budget and your timeline.  Some questions you may answer easily, while others may take a few conversations together to assess.

Contact us for your questionnaire. Curious as to our price point? Start first with reviewing the prices on the Memoir and Revival  jewelry pages and anticipate spending more than that as yours will be completely custom designed and made.  Price is entirely dependent upon complexity of the project and materials used.

Conversations

I'm a big believer that jewelry should be made collaboratively. Thus the design process is an open and engaging one, where you and I together co-create the design for your jewelry, and then my team and I work to bring it to life. This involves conversations by phone, in-person (if you're local) and by email, as well as a vision board we create.

Sketches & Iterations 

Once we agree on an estimated budget and have had sufficient conversations and visioning, typically after 1-2 conversations, you are presented with several sketches of potential designs. Then we narrow down your choices and move towards a final design.  For many designs you will also see a computer rendering of the piece to help you envision it in more detail.

Handcrafted in Philadelphia, PA

Once we come up with the design, each piece is handcrafted on Jeweler's Row in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from recycled metals and ethical stones.  We can also use metals and stones from pieces you no longer wear or which represent family heirlooms you'd like to redesign.

Intrigued to Take the Next Step?

I would love to work with you! If you are ready to take the next step, first see the Memoir Jewelry and Revival Jewelry lines for existing pieces which can be crafted to your story using custom enamel colors, engraving and gemstones.

If you prefer to design a custom one-of-a-kind piece together, please reach out on our contact page and take a peek at the custom work portfolio for ideas and inspiration.