Her designs add the glitter to the wedding

STAFF WRITER

GLOUCESTER — As a child Nancy Larson would take apart her mother’s jewelry and create new designs.

Today she’s a successful gemologist, master goldsmith and diamond setter whose talents include designing jewelry for private clients, bridal parties, proms, galleries and shops.

Brides are looking for jewelry to compliment their gowns and their bridesmaids’ dresses, she said of the latest rage.

“Brides bring me a swatch of their fabric. There’s not a fabric or color I can’t match,” she said.

Wedding trends have taken on new dimensions in the 21st century. Ceremonies and receptions are moving away from childhood hometowns to places far and away. Bridal fashions have evolved to include hints of color in the traditional white bridal gown, and prints and black dresses for attendants.

The classic strand of pearls, once the traditional bridal accessory, is being replaced with dazzling clusters of crystals, beads and other jewels made specifically to match the bridal ensemble.

Shimmering Austrian crystals, elegant freshwater pearls, beads and colorful handmade glass bobbles are being transformed into unique necklaces, earrings and bracelets for the bride and her ladies-in-waiting.

“Beads are flying out the door,” said Larson from her third floor studio in the Blackburn Building on Angle Street.

Larson has several orders sitting on her work table, waiting for completion.

One bride ordered deep rubycolored crystal necklaces and earrings for the 13 attendants who are part of her October wedding. Another wanted a simple combination of freshwater pearls and crystals for earrings and necklaces for her wedding party.

Prices vary depending on what a customer wants, Larson said. “The sky’s the limit,” she said, but she will work with any budget and medium from glass to diamonds, producing elegant and distinctive designs. “It’s about creating pieces of jewelry — from Swarovski crystals to beautiful pearls –– creating an heirloom for a bride,” she said. “They feel special when they come here.”

Larson has a small library of bridal books and jewelry ideas for clients to browse through. Knowing the style and neckline of a dress helps when picking out a necklace or earrings.

She said often brides are not sure what they want. Sometimes a bride who has a strapless dress will say she wants a simple necklace, but when Larson shows her how a pair of cluster earrings will bring out the woman’s graceful neck and shoulder lines and highlight her face, she changes her mind, she said. “I know right away what they need,” she said. “They think they know, but I can hone in on them.”

Larson also creates rings with diamonds or precious stones for engaged couples, she said. She is delighted to be a part of couples’ engagements and other uplifting occasions. “People leave here hugging and kissing,” she said.

Just as popular as the wedding jewelry craze is accessories for prom dresses, Larson said. From sparkling chandelier-type earrings to beaded necklaces and bracelets, proms are big business and orders continue to flow in.

Larson grew up in Nahant, working at several jobs after college before deciding to enroll in the Gemological Institute of America in Santa Monica, Calif. where she received her degree as a master goldsmith and diamond setter.

She has built a reputation as a fine jewelry designer during the last 20 years, displaying her works at area galleries, exhibitions and in retail shops she has owned in Marblehead, Beverly, and Rockport.

In 1998, she took a position with DeScenza Diamonds in Boston as a designer and sales consultant and continues to showcase her creations in the Peabody store. Brides and couples can place orders at DeScenza but Larson says she can really get a feel for what people want when she meets them in person.

During July, she will be exhibiting her bridal designs at the Sawyer Free Library at 2 Dale Ave. in Gloucester. She can be reached by calling 978-317-6470.