Peridot Blog
Gold like Satin and Stones like Stars: Q&A with Jewelry Designer Caroline Ellen.
Designer Caroline Ellen's jewelry is at once modern, luxurious and timelessly classic. For the New York City native, designing jewelry is an art form akin to sculpture: hands-on and intense. "My father was a violinist and my mother had a passion for dance. From them I learned early on that the process of creating is as important as the creation itself." Working out of her NYC studio, Caroline formulates her own alloys to create special colors of gold and handcrafts each piece of jewelry. Whether sketching or working at her bench, she is always imagining who will wear each piece. Caroline's work is always identifiable by its unique, hand-finished patina and classically inspired shapes. Caroline's design philosophy is to find beauty in simplicity--each piece is handmade and hand finished, usually in 20 or 22 karat gold--Caroline is particularly drawn to unusually bright stones, such as fancy sapphires and light-colored emeralds, and to the rich color of high-karat gold, and each hand finished piece has Caroline's unique satin finish. Her pieces are stunningly gorgeous and eye-catching, and in honor of Mother's Day, we decided to interview Caroline--we believe that a piece by her would be truly perfect for a gift for mom!
[caption id="attachment_363" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Champagne Diamond "Laurel" Ring[/caption]
Champagne Diamond "Laurel" Ring[/caption]
-What is your favorite piece of jewelry? I wear my flower pendant on a 22K gold chain every day.
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Signature Gold and Diamond "Flower" Pendant[/caption]
-What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate!
-What was the first piece you ever designed? The 22K gold chain that I wear every day. When I finished jewelry school, the first thing I wanted to make was a classic and simple chain. I made about ten samples with links in different sizes and thicknesses before I settled on the proportions of this one.
[caption id="attachment_368" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Dorian-Cut Quartz Earrings[/caption]
-Five random items on your desk: Pigma Micron pens in .005, Rhodia notebooks, a filofax (yes, I still use paper), and my super duper architect's drafting lamp. What more do you need? Paper, pens, lighting.
-Artists you’re currently listening to: Stevie Wonder and Ravel.
[caption id="attachment_365" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
20 Karat Double Pave Diamond "Lentil" Earrings[/caption]
The Caroline Ellen Mother's Day Trunk Show will take place at our Greenwich and Larchmont locations this coming weekend. Come join us as we toast champagne to some exciting news...the July opening of our new Peridot boutique on Palmer Avenue in Larchmont!
Greenwich
Friday, May 9
10AM – 5:30PM
112 Mason Street
Greenwich, CT 06830
203.629.3900
Larchmont
Saturday, May 10
10AM – 5:30PM
134 Larchmont Ave
Larchmont, NY 10538
914.833.7333
Signature Gold and Diamond "Flower" Pendant[/caption]
-What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate!
-What was the first piece you ever designed? The 22K gold chain that I wear every day. When I finished jewelry school, the first thing I wanted to make was a classic and simple chain. I made about ten samples with links in different sizes and thicknesses before I settled on the proportions of this one.
[caption id="attachment_368" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]
Dorian-Cut Quartz Earrings[/caption]
-Five random items on your desk: Pigma Micron pens in .005, Rhodia notebooks, a filofax (yes, I still use paper), and my super duper architect's drafting lamp. What more do you need? Paper, pens, lighting.
-Artists you’re currently listening to: Stevie Wonder and Ravel.
[caption id="attachment_365" align="aligncenter" width="600"] 20 Karat Double Pave Diamond "Lentil" Earrings[/caption]
The Caroline Ellen Mother's Day Trunk Show will take place at our Greenwich and Larchmont locations this coming weekend. Come join us as we toast champagne to some exciting news...the July opening of our new Peridot boutique on Palmer Avenue in Larchmont!
Greenwich
Friday, May 9
10AM – 5:30PM
112 Mason Street
Greenwich, CT 06830
203.629.3900
Larchmont
Saturday, May 10
10AM – 5:30PM
134 Larchmont Ave
Larchmont, NY 10538
914.833.7333
Peridot in Elle Magazine!
New York's own Caroline Ellen was featured on Elle.com's 50 Fall Editors' Fall Favorites. We carry this gorgeous Labradorite and 20 Karat Yellow Gold Pendant Necklace exclusively at our Greenwich location--and let me tell you--it looks GREAT on.
