Pieces for the cases...

Life has been hectic the past month!  There has been so much going on.  All good things!!  I have made a career move to Moyer Fine Jewelers in Carmel.  I will miss Hofmeister and everyone I worked with very much.  I am really excited to be apart of the Moyer family.  Here are some of the stock pieces I did for Hofmeister.

GORGEOUS brazilian cut rhodolite with channel set diamonds

Ruby with a line of diamonds

Perfect for the Holidays! Ruby snowflake with bezel set diamonds

Blue topaz pendant and earrings

Contemporary diamond pendant

Gorgeous blue sapphire pendant with pear shape diamond drop

Blue sapphire modern pendant with channel set diamonds

Here are some of the customer pieces I did for Hofmeister!! I hope you Enjoy!!

Coin bezel with gorgeous oval shaped stones

1.5ct cushion cut center with a timeless halo setting

Used all of her stones in a gorgeous one of a kind bracelet

Oval center engagement ring, diamonds are angled on the shank to give a gorgeous unique look

Filigree 3 stone engagement ring!

Hebrew dog tag

beautiful aquamarine pendant with channel set diamonds

Diamond, emerald, and ruby stackable rings with a rustic feel

Black and yellow diamond men's wedding band and thin diamond bands on either side of her ring

Rose gold wedding set using her stones of rounds and marquis

Gorgeous radiant yellow diamond center with a diamond halo and split shank

What Makes this job Exciting!

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   What makes this part of my job exciting is hearing all the stories of people's lives and why they are wanting a one of a kind piece, or how they got the precious stones that they have to recreate something spectacular.  I love helping people put those stones together from their family history into something that they will be able to wear and enjoy before they pass that piece of jewelry down to someone they love.  From a one of a kind engagement ring to a one of a kind pendant or bracelet, the stories are all so different.  

      I have just started to take pictures of the end result, so it was difficult to find some of my earlier designs as finished products.  I had to dig through our appraisal folder to find pictures.  here are some of these amazing stories!

 A young lady came into the store and had a gold fingerprint of her father attached to a very old and what she thought was an out dated bracelet.  Her father had passed away a couple of years ago and she had his fingerprint made with the dates of his birth and passing on the back.  Her mother had also given her a few pendants and rings with diamonds in them.  She wanted to recreate a new bracelet that she would be able to wear everyday to remember her father by.  I helped her come up with the perfect style that fit her personality.  It was a bangle with twisted metal (like the popular David Yurman look) with the row of diamonds crossing over each twisted metal piece.  The drawing didn't do this piece justice! (it was one of my first here at Hofmeister) This piece turned out absolutely beautiful thanks to our amazing jewelers.  We had also made a mold of her fathers fingerprint so if there was any wear to the fingerprint we would be able to recreate it for her.  The best part is when you deliver such an amazing piece.  Not only are they getting a new one of a kind creation, there is so much emotion and history in it.  It becomes so much more special than just purchasing a new piece from the case.  When I showed her her new bangle she burst into tears.  Which of course made me burst into tears, and before you know it everyone was touched.  It was exactly what she had imagined it would be.  These are the moments that I am honored to be apart of, these moments that not only they will never forget but I as well will never forget.

                  

      A couple came into the store and described to me that they wanted a ring that would describe their love in a vin diagram.  I wasn't quite sure how to interpret what they wanted into a functional and pretty piece of jewelry but she wanted this vin diagram so badly to showcase their 50 years together as a couple.  I even tried to come up with a couple of other ideas that would get that same message across.  She had it in her mind that it would be her single life, his single life, the blue stones would be their lives together, and the big blue stone would be the 50 years as a married couple.  I worked hard on this one.  Tried to rack my brain to come up with the most beautiful design I could.  Put decorative details on the shank of the ring and on the profile.  I even put the two rings at different heights to make it a little bit different.  She wanted it plain and simple.  Just the two rings coming together.  We made one ring of seed pearls that represented him, and one ring of diamonds to represent her.  Then we added blue sapphires to represent their lives together and a larger marquise blue sapphire as the 50 years of marriage.  I was really excited to show her this beautiful ring because it came out so well!  You really see the two rings coming together and it really represents their lives intertwining together.  She was sooo ecstatic to get her ring and fell absolutely in love!  She couldn't wait to show it off to her family and friends.  I loved hearing their story of their 50 years together full of joy and happiness.  I was honored to be able to create exactly what she had envisioned in her head of what the symbol of their love would be.

      A woman came into the store with a strand of pearls.  Her mother had given them to her, and on it already was a pearl enhancer that didn't quite meet her taste in style.  She loved the strand of pearls and really wanted to be able to wear it more often.  I talked with her for a while to get her style and came up with three different designs that I thought she would like.  She loved all three but the one that really caught her attention was the one that was modern but had a flare of antiqueness to it.  She was very excited to have a new pearl enhancer added to the beautiful strand her mother gave her.  Now she feels she will be able to wear it more often to remember her mother by!

      A couple came in looking for engagement rings.  She had told me upfront that she did not want the typical engagement ring with a center diamond.  I immediately thought of a band style ring.  They then pulled out several pieces of jewelry that had family diamonds in them.  They told me that it would be so special to both families and them if they could incorporate these diamonds into an engagement style that she loved.  The diamonds were from her fathers wedding band, and a ring that his mother had given him and another ring that her father had given her mother.  By using these diamonds it was like bringing both families together.  She wanted something different, that no other girl would have.  She liked swirls and asymmetry. I had done a few drawings for her and this is the one she fell absolutely in love with!  She thought it was exactly what she had envisioned and it was using a lot of the diamonds that they had brought.  The ring is finished and he has not yet picked it up yet.  He wants it to be a surprise of when he gives it to her.  I am sooo excited for him to pick it up and see the most beautiful finished ring.  He is going to be so excited to give it to her as a symbol of his eternal love.

      It brings a smile to my face everyday knowing that I am apart of those special moments.  Helping create a piece of jewelry to remember people's history by or just simply getting something so uniquely to them that no one else has.  

Bob Laidlaw...

Bob Laidlaw

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       The first 2 years I have been at Hofmeister I was a sales associate and customer service representative.  I worked closely with the current designer.  Patiently awaiting for my opportunity that would change my life!  Finally, that opportunity surfaced.  There was no hesitation.  Carter asked if I thought I could do it and that he saw so much potential in me.  I was nervous but ready for the challenge.  The next thing I knew Bob Laidlaw started right in with teaching me how to render beautiful custom pieces in a way I never thought I could.  I didn't realize the potential of talent that I had.  And I think I really surprised a lot of people as well. 



Critiquing me to the smallest detail

     Bob Laidlaw is one of the greatest designers in the Nation.  He worked at Hofmeister since the years of the Glendale store until about 2002. He traveled all over the states selling his designs and won first place in many designer shows.  It is such a privilege to be studying under him.  I will say he is tough.  He doesn't let me get away with anything less than perfection.  Knit picking to the smallest detail.  How would I get better if he didn't do that?    His biggest thing for me now is expanding my mind of design and making me faster at drawing.  I am a perfectionist so when I draw it does take me a little bit longer than he would like.  But i'm getting faster everyday.   There is a rhymn and reason to render drawing.  It has to be very exact with measurements of the stones and finger size and just actual size of the piece.  If it is exact then the shop will be able to create EXACTLY what you drew.  There will be no guessing or being unsure with a customer because you know it will be exactly what you draw.  If they love the drawing they will be even more in love when the piece comes alive!  With him critiquing my drawing skills he is also always critiquing my salesmanship skills and presentations.  Not only do I have to draw for a customer, I have to make it entertaining and exciting to be creating a one of a kind piece of jewelry for them.  Otherwise whats the fun in it!!  After working with him for many months I was finally promoted to the Custom Designer of Homfeister Personal Jewelers.  It is exactly what I dreamed of doing and I'm so excited to be apart of the special moments in people's lives that they will remember forever. 

My First Test Flight as Designer...

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        As soon as I graduated college I got a job at Jared the Galleria of Jewelry.  The location in Indianapolis had just opened up and as much as I was new to the Fine Jewelry world, so was Jared to Indianapolis.  It was rough at first competing with Hofmeister Personal Jewelers and Reis Nichols.  They had been apart of the community for over 30 years.  Hofmeister was known as the store that created the most beautiful one of a kind custom pieces.  And Reis was known for carrying high end fashion brands.   After learning a lot about the high end jewelry world,  I started testing my wings as a designer.  I had made a few doodles here and there, that were sent off to be CAD designed and I felt like I wasn't getting the experience that I wanted.  Being a custom designer you should feel apart of the process.  Sit down with the customer, talk about what they are wanting and the history of the stones they brought in, and what the special event in their life is.  I did have one opportunity to work with a customer on this level.

First Design at Jared the Galleria of Jewelry

A man came in the store saying he was soon to be celebrating his 10 year anniversary.  They both loved collecting stones from the countries they had visited over the years.  He had brought in emeralds, tanzanites, and white sapphires.  He had an idea for a pendant that I elaborated on and this was the design that was to become the memorable 10 year anniversary gift she will remember for the rest of her life.  It was a great experience that I will always remember.  He came in often to check on the process and take pictures of the whole thing.  We became friends.  It's such an amazing feeling knowing that you are going to be a huge part in the most special moments in people's lives.  He gave her the pendant on their anniversary and she came into the store to thank me for helping her husband create the most memorable pendant she had ever received.  This was such a rush, I loved it!!  I wanted more, I wanted to be that hero in people's lives.  One day, I walked into Hofmeister to look around and ended up being there for over 2 hours.  I was hooked.  I had talked with the manager and the custom designer at the time there and it was fascinating to hear the stories of their custom pieces.   It's exactly where I wanted to be and thats where I finally ended up in September of 2008.  My life at that moment was about to change forever.

It all started in Junior High...

My First Design     

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      I get my artistic talents from my mom.  She is extremely talented.  She always loved to help me on my art projects, & helped me come up with the most beautiful poster boards for speeches, etc.  Her creativity just flowed so freely out of her.  Even as a young girl I have always explored the world of art.  My mom always found me with these messes all over the kitchen or in my room, but amongst all the mess I sat up with what I considered my finest masterpiece!  I loved to draw, and paint, and create objects.  In Junior high I won the Silver Key for a drawing I did.  My teachers started paying extra attention to me, and always told the class, “watch how Sarah is doing it.”  After a while I started telling myself, maybe I really am talented.  I at that moment decided that I would pursue something in the arts.

         When I got to high school I discovered a class called Jewelry Design.  Mrs. Davis, who studied at Ball State in Jewelry Design and Metal-smithing started this amazing class.  I had never heard of such a class so I decided I really wanted to take it as an elective.  I FELL IN LOVE!  I loved trying to come up with the most outrageous designs.  I had a blast sawing out the metal pieces for fabrication.  I became the best solderer in the class.  I could cast like it was my job.  I created little boxes, pendants, rings, pins.  It was my favorite time of the school day.  It was almost like I was escaping to a different world of creation and fantasy.  The sky was the limit.

        Senior year came and I was trying to figure out where I should go to college.  I packed up all my designs and pieces and traveled to Bloomington.  There at the Indiana University Fine Arts Building I met with the head director of the Jewelry Design and Metal-smithing department.  She loved my designs so much that she became my sponsor.  I was set.  I was heading to Indiana University in the fall and I couldn’t have been happier.  Over the next four years I lived at the Art building, pulling all nighters for impossible projects that I just knew I could create.  A lot of my jewelry pieces are still at the art building on display.  I had a number of them entered into contests etc.  I had the most amazing time earning my degree of Bachelors of Art Major in Studio Art.  and this is where my journey to become the Designer of Sarah Ellen designs begins.