Q & A with Jewelry Designers of Jemma Wynne

What started off as a friendship, turned into a business team with Jemma Wynne jewelry emerging. The jewelry line is every bit of the duo and proves that two is better than one. Jemma Wynne is a collection of sleek bangles, bold gemstone rings, tourmaline slice pendants, and cool earrings. Since its launch in 2008, the line has gained enormous popularity and has celebrity fans.

Gem Gossip got a two-perspective look, with both designers answering the same questions–take a look:

[photo: Stephanie {left} & Jenny {right}; designers of Jemma Wynne]

Stephanie: For Fall we did a capsule collection of Angora Agate. We purchased the entire lot of stones in existence. There are no more left and the pieces that came of them are really chic. I am REALLY excited to design some amazing one-of-a-kind pieces for spring. I think the next group is going to be some of our best yet!

Jenny: Since we had such an amazing response to our limited-edition tourmaline collection over the past year, we decided to introduce small limited-edition capsule collections into the line which highlight truly unique stones that Stephanie and I source from around the world.  We recently purchased a new lot of stones for our Spring 2012 capsule collection, so our focus is now on designing the perfect pieces to showcase them; the creative juices are already flowing!

Stephanie: We have a bunch of styles that are always popular, but any of our bi color tourmaline styles and our bangles are our best selling styles so far.

Jenny: Definitely our bangles!

Stephanie: I have two that particularly stand out in my mind. The first one is seeing our first press appearance in W magazine! I remember looking at the page in disbelief and thinking, after years of reading all the fashion magazines, I couldn’t believe we were in THE W magazine.  It was so overwhelming, I cried 🙂 The second was seeing The First Lady Michelle Obama wearing our earrings. I knew she had borrowed a bunch of our pieces from a store in Chicago, so I checked the internet for pictures of her every day. I came across picture of her while searching on my phone in a pair of hoops that looks very similar to ours. I ran home turned on my computer and screamed when I saw the picture in full size! I called Jenny, ” MICHELLE OBAMA is wearing our earrings!!!!!!”  She is such a fashion icon, and knowing that she chose our design was such an honor. I felt like a proud mama. 

Jenny: I would have to agree with Steph as those are two of my standout moments as well.

Stephanie:  We have come so far as a brand and team of designers in a very short time since our launch.  If we could keep up the pace of the growth we are experiencing now, that would be amazing.  We are so grateful for the support we have had from our family, our friends and from those in the industry that have taken a chance on us.  We hope to become a sustainable brand that young women aspire to own. It is an incredible feeling to see our jewelry in stores and on pages of magazines, sitting next to designers that I have grown up admiring my entire life. In that sense, my dream has already come true—but we still have so much ahead of us and I’m excited to see what’s to come!

Jenny: We are so appreciative of all of the success we have experienced at such a young age.  In our business, there are not many fine jewelry brands that are designed by 20-somethings.  Jewelry is our passion, and to be able to have a thriving business doing what you love is THE ultimate dream.  What girl doesn’t want to work with diamonds every day!? But our main goal is to keep the business building– to keep our distribution expanding to the best stores around the world, and to build a name as designers and as a brand that strongly recognized by the industry and with consumers.  

Stephanie: Of course I fall in love with every piece of jewelry we make and have extreme separation anxiety when we sell our one-of-a-kind pieces. But aside from that, I have two very sentimental pieces that are truly my favorite. The first one was passed down from my grandmother to my mother, to me. It’s a charm bracelet that has three charms engraved with the initials and birthdates of my mother and her two brothers. Each charm was given to her by my grandfather when each of the children were born. There is a fourth charm that has my grandparents names, and the birthstones of my mother and 2 uncles in the form of a calender. And the fifth charm was passed down from my great-grandmother. It’s an engraved locket she was given by her three grandchildren that she wore as a necklace. The chain is beautiful and everything thing about it feels so special. It is definitely a conversation piece and brings back amazing memories of my grandmother.

The second is my engagement ring. Getting engaged to my husband was one of the most special days of my life. He proposed on a deserted beach in Southampton and I grabbed the ring out of his hand before he had a chance to put it on my finger! We still laugh about it to this day. Jenny kept the secret for 2 months while she was making the ring for my fiance! The diamond is so stunning, an octagon shaped emerald cut set in a simple platinum basket with split prongs. It’s so simple, yet beautiful at the same time. I smile every time I look at it. 

Jenny: It is very hard to choose a favorite…but I would have to say that one of my favorites is the first bangle Stephanie and I ever made.  I paired a rare one of a kind rubelite pear shaped stone with an oval rose cut diamond- both set in a simple bezel on each end.  I have been asked to sell it many times, but I don’t think I ever will.  I love owning our very first Jemma Wynne piece- it has become very sentimental to me as it is a reminder of how we started together.

My other favorite is a vintage deco ring with two aquamarine marquis stones that my mother purchased for me 8 years ago.  There is a story behind it of course…I cannot remember exactly when this ‘tradition’ began, but when I would travel or go back to college every year my mother would hide a small piece of jewelry amongst my things to find once she was already gone with a note wishing me luck on the new year.  Though I am not sure it was my mother’s intention, but this definitely sparked a true love of jewelry within me.  During one of my mother’s visits, we walked into a small store which had a tiny case of vintage jewelry in the center.  I immediately spotted the aquamarine deco marquis ring and fell in love with everything about it.  I knew I had to have it.  I went back to ‘visit’ it numerous times and the last time I went in the sales associate told me someone had bought it for their wife and she was sorry since she knew how much I loved it.  I know it sounds ridiculous because it is just a piece of jewelry, but I was devastated.  About 6 months passed and I was unpacking my things back at school when I found a little black box with a note.  I opened the box and there was the ring!  I couldn’t believe my mother had pulled off such a surprise and kept it a secret for so long.  It is definitely a piece I will pass down to my daughter one day.