Stephanie Albertson '84

Stephanie Albertson ’84 designs, creates, and markets jewelry. Her collection, Stephanie Albertson Jewelry, can be found in more than 40 fine jewelry stores and galleries throughout the United States. Stephanie creates every piece by hand, using a technique in which pure gold is alloyed into different gold caratage, formed into sheet or wire, and finally crafted into completed pieces.

Always interested in the arts, Stephanie graduated as an art history major from Rollins College. She moved on to study at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater in New York City and was successful as an actor and singer in a variety of productions over the next ten years. During those years, she also attended the Jewelry Arts Institute, focusing on ancient jewelry crafting traditions and principles. There Stephanie learned metalsmithing and the making of fine jewelry.

While immersed in her jewelry education, Stephanie also worked at Harper’s Bazaar magazine, where she spent many years on the editorial staff as the assistant to the editor in chief. A lifelong love of jewelry and a passion for her new craft convinced Stephanie to make a business out of her hobby. Having a full-time job in a creative industry that was owned and operated by a big publishing company offered Stephanie a thorough education in the skills necessary for running a business—marketing, publicity, retail distribution, and budgeting. As a small business owner, Stephanie wears many hats: overseeing design, production, quality control, marketing strategy, and sales.

In 2008, Stephanie’s work was selected for a traveling exhibition, Masters of Jewelry Design, sponsored by the Forbes Gallery, Forbes Magazine, and the National Jewelry Institute. Stephanie was named a Rising Star in 2009 by the Fashion Group International, a non-profit fashion industry organization with more than 5,000 members. In November 2009, December 2010, and December 2011, The Museum of Arts & Design in New York honored Stephanie with a show of her work throughout the holiday season. In 2010 Spanish Vogue named Stephanie’s collection in its international survey of the best in fine jewelry. Also, in 2012 she was featured in Lark Books’ “500 Gemstones,” a focus on contemporary designer jewelry and the growing popularity of colored gems.

Stephanie’s work is included in the collections of several jewelry collectors, including Madeleine Albright and Sheryl Crow, and she has developed a loyal following among fashion insiders and a growing list of celebrities.