In the mid 1970's Susan perfected her metalsmithing techniques, and with several colleagues opened a jewelry school in SoHo. A few years after, she opened Byzantium, a classical jewelry gallery. It was there in 1982, that Susan Reinstein met her future partner, Brian Ross.
Brian, a marine biologist, discovered the beauty of gemstones during a 3-year bicycle journey through Europe, the Middle and Far East in the late 1970's. He lived in India for a year and was taught his trade in the magical city of Jaipur. Travels through Kashmir, Burma, Ceylon and Thailand expanded his knowledge of cutting, mining, and purchasing gemstones.
Susan also traveled to India in 1983, and as a guest of the Indian government,
she was part of a design team advising artists and craftspeople on ways
they could produce art and products that would be acceptable for sale
in the West. That year, Susan and Brian began developing a collection
of jewelry together and in 1985, they opened the first Reinstein/Ross
store in SoHo. Two years later they opened another store on East 73rd
Street, which houses a full workshop where all Reinstein/Ross jewelry
is fabricated by hand. There are no molds, models, or wax carvings used
in the production of our jewelry.
Susan and Brian frequently travel to Asia and return with a wealth of
gemstones and precious beads, from glowing carved pale emeralds to vivid
orange, pink and purple sapphires as well as Burmese rubies. These timeless
gems in combination with the custom-alloyed 18, 20, and 22 karat gold
and platinum help create the exquisite handcrafted jewelry. The collection
is vast, ranging from simple hoop earrings with changeable drops, to complex
bejeweled and granulated objects such as boxes, picture frames, belt buckles
and knife handles. Custom orders are available including setting your
stones in our designs.
Reinstein/Ross was voted the number one contemporary jewelry store in
New York by the 2003 Zagat Shopping Guide, and our classical jewelry is
often featured in magazines, movies and fashion events. To experience
Reinstein/Ross fully, please visit us at our New York locations.
