SPOTLIGHT ON: GEORGIA ALEXANDRA
Upon discovering the importance of flowers to fine jeweler Georgia Alexandra we were compelled to discover more about the New York Creative. Prior to the world of precious gems, Georgia was a fashion stylist - contributing to magazines such as as VOGUE Brazil, VOGUE Russia, ELLE Greece, Vanity Fair Italy, Harper’s Bazaar en Espanol, New York Magazine, People and Surface.
Using her own unique insight, Georgia went on to create her own line of fine jewelry, looking to the subtle nuances of daily life, travels with her children, and the ever evolving backdrop of New York City for inspiration in creating fine jewelry that truly embraces its collectors. We sit down with Georgia to explore more about the captivating world of precious gems.
Hi Georgia - tell us about your journey to becoming a fine-jewellery designer? The birth of my son sparked it all really. There was a desire to celebrate his birth story with something that I could pass on to him in the future along with how he came to this world. And that something had to be very special. So it was decided: a small treasure, a ring. From there I fell in love with the idea of telling stories through jewelry and took a few years to get to know artisans and workshops in New York’s iconic diamond district. Once we started creating custom pieces for myself, it was a matter of time before I knew I had to share this journey with other women.
Your collections are exquisite - where do you draw your inspiration from? So much inspiration surrounds us every day! Nature's rainbow of colors across the globe, life’s milestones, celebrations and special moments, and especially our collectors. Each woman is an inspiration. And in this way, each piece is created to tell a story, some very personal and some just a shout out to the world.
We know that carefully sourcing gems is very important to you - can you share more with us about this? It’s absolutely my pleasure to share! It is too important not. Human rights, taking care of the planet and one another are each part of the story every piece of our fine jewellery tells even before it finds a forever home. We take extra care to work with responsibly sourced gems as much as possible. Also, repurposed diamonds and gemstones are one more way to lessen the impact of mining on our Mother Earth. As part of a group of like-minded jewellers called Ethical Metalsmiths we hope to bring these conversations to our collectors and the general public.
How does nature and the world of flora and fauna influence your designs? Nature and the world of flora and fauna are my most frequented sources of inspiration. Their colors in particular, that are found in incredible hues are often a starting point for designs. The shades of a petal from bud to full blossom can translate into a tie-dye enamel heart. Vibrant marigold, dahlia or rose pom poms bounce like bezel set diamonds on a pair of earrings from the new Dream collection or golden autumn ginkgo leaves cast a glow along a New York City Street and inspire a golden-hued citrine Shield necklace. Yes, nature is definitely a reservoir of creativity and inspiration. So much so that some pieces are posted on our social media alongside the hashtag #naturescouture and #morethanjewelry.
If it’s possible to choose - is there a piece in your collection which particularly resonates with you? Each piece is deeply meaningful and symbolic in its own way. If I had to choose just one, it would have to be one of our very first, the diamond Initials. They represent a loved one, a child most often. When a mother reaches out to create one or multiple diamond Initials, she shares her child’s name and a bit about them with so much joy! I’ll share a short story from a number of years ago that still fills me with joy today - a client ordered multiple initials for three separate necklaces. She said they were for her three daughters and daughter-in-law and they represent her grandchildren. We created each initial, each necklace with lots of love and delivered them to her. She travels very much so the next time we met was about a year later. To my surprise, she was wearing all three of the necklaces! I couldn’t help but ask if everything worked out ok with these gifts. She replied that she loved them so much, they felt like she had her grandchildren close by while wearing them and could not come to gift them.
And finally - we know you're an avid flower lover, do you have a favourite stem? Truly difficult to choose! Fragrant florals are amongst my favorites. The scents awaken memories of special moments and locations across the globe that inspire me. Lilac, gardenia, tuberose, peonies are just a few that make me smile and daydream.