About the Artist

1880x970 px

Gems at the Heart

“A part of our brains ignites when we look at a verdant, lush landscape, a delicious dessert, or a luminescent gem. As humans we all share that same child-like, wordless joy when we experience beauty. I want to connect people to that feeling and remind them to tap back into that sense of magic in their everyday lives.”

About Me

I'm Jennifer Hillyer, and I'm the designer and goldsmith behind my namesake brand: Jennifer Hillyer Jewelry.

I've had a passion for special rocks for as long as I can remember. My collection eventually reached a critical mass, and so I taught myself to solder so that I could set some of the stones from my collection into jewelry.

I especially love the hunt for gemstones. Bringing rare, unusual, and underappreciated gems into the spotlight is one of the great joys of my work. The other is connecting people to the gemstones that speak to them, and reminding them that they are worthy of (and have earned!) fine and beautiful things.

I began my career as the very first female goldsmith at the master model workshop at David Yurman. There I learned at the elbow of some of the most talented master jewelers from across the globe, and was inspired to someday create my own line of fine jewelry.

In my work, I use the ancient method of lost wax casting, in combination with modern digital 3D modeling to bring ideas to life. Above all, my work is an expression of reverence for the balance and beauty of natural forms, and the deeply human joy that can be found therein.

When not in my workshop, you can find me at the gym pumping iron, or at the dog park with my furry boy Oswald.

My Materials

Solid Gold

Solid Precious Metal: Solid Gold is infinitely recyclable. It is also waterproof, tarnish-proof, and durable enough to last a lifetime. I want your jewelry to last a lifetime or two or five. For this reason, I don't work with gold-plated, vermeil, or any material that is less than heirloom quality.

Ethically sourced gemstones: I am strongly committed to working with gem dealers who are close in the supply chain to the source mine and who are enthusiastically transparent about their practices. In my sourcing, I am always critical of "too good to be true" prices, and avoid stones that come from regions that are known to have questionable or dangerous mining practices. I am a proud member of the Ethical Metalsmiths Community and always looking to expand my knowledge.

Certified Recycled Materials: All of the raw gold, silver, and platinum used in our designs is SCS Certified Recycled. That means that our suppliers are third-party monitored for responsible practices, and must complete routine audits to maintain their certification. Read more about our Ethos below.

Ethos