Natalie Ziegler is a jewelry designer known for her unique designs. Her use of precious and semi-precious stones, pearls and metals turns her designs into works of art. She was born in New York City and raised near Boston. Her road to jewelry designer was anything but straightforward, though. She got her MA in American Foreign Policy and Economics at Johns Hopkins SAIS from 1984 to 1986. She also has a BA in Psychology from Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. From July 1986 until July 1994 she worked in TV news as a senior researcher at CNN in Atlanta, Georgia and Washington, DC.
In 2001 she began a company called Commonwealth Imports. Its purpose is to supply US designers and jewelers with raw materials to use in their designs. Coming into daily contact with all these various stones made Natalie realize that she wanted to do more than just import them. She also wanted to play around with the shapes and colors to see what would happen. From that desire came her own line of designer jewelry which is upscale yet affordable. The designs are both colorful and feminine. They are sure to be a favorite in your jewelry collection.
Timeless Aesthetics
Natalie’s designs are tailored to be “classic” rather than “trendy.” They work with your wardrobe year after year without going out of style. Her signature “look” is made of semi-precious stones and pearls. She leans towards the briolette cut in a lot of her designs. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, a little background is in order.
Briolettes are drop-shaped stones that have been used in jewelry design since the early 17th century. They were very popular during the Victorian era and are popular once again.Their multi-faceted cut is what gives them their lively sparkle. They can be drilled to be used as beads or hung as a pendant from their tips.
Lasting Value
Natalie blends her colorful stones into works of art that will last for years. If she’s making a beaded or wire-wrapped piece of jewelry she will often complete it in a few hours. On the other hand a cast piece can take months before it’s finished. Her ideas can come from a gorgeous sunset or a vase of flowers. She has an eye for bringing together different colors and textures and making it work! To see examples of Natalie’s designs please visit our website.