In her high school yearbook, Tamsen Ann Ziff — who goes by Ann — was named most
likely to leave her jewelry to Zsa Zsa Gabor. And that would be a lucky thing
for Ms. Gabor, as jewelry designer Ziff fabricates stunning one-of-a-kind
pieces using gemstones, diamonds and precious metals often mixed with unusual
materials, including meteorite and dinosaur bone.
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Meterorite, diamond slice, pink spinel and ruby earrings.
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A native New Yorker, Ziff grew up surrounded by creativity.
Her mother was the American soprano opera singer Harriet Henders and Ziff was
captivated by the special jewels her mother wore. As a young woman, Ziff was
interested in handcrafts and she would make hair ornaments and necklaces from
wood or ethnic beads. She evolved into a collector of Art Deco jewelry, as well
as minerals and precious beads. This, in turn, led to a desire to create
jewelry that expressed her personal style and she began stringing the beads she
collected into necklaces. Encouraged by her late husband, the publishing
executive William B. Ziff, Jr., her talent for designing necklaces grew from a
hobby to a business.
Madison Avenue Via Denver
“My husband took me to the Denver Gem Show. It was a tiny show
and he bought me diamond, sapphire and emerald beads. Then we went to Tucson
and he said, ‘Just buy the best-quality beads, don’t worry about whether it
will sell,’” recalls Ziff, whose family and friends were buying the necklaces
she was making. She began consulting with jewelers and took her passion for
design to the next level by adding earrings, bracelets and rings to her line.
In 2010, Ziff, who had amassed an extensive collection of
gemstone beads, decided to open a store. She found a space on Madison Avenue in
New York City’s chic Upper East Side shopping district and opened Tamsen Z,
where she showcases her full collection of jewelry, as well as a number of
gemstone sculptures and minerals that she has acquired over the years.
The street windows beckon visitors into the store with
mesmerizing jewelry and gemstone carvings. Once inside, the store has a modern
opulence that is both understated and comfortable. Shades of purple on the
walls and furnishings soothe the soul, while low- hanging contemporary
chandeliers highlight gemstone carvings and mineral specimens that are
displayed in custom-made cabinets alongside jewelry bursting with colored gems
and diamond accents. The details in the store decor reflect the theme of
collectible gems right down to the gemstone door handles and amethyst gem
railings on the staircase leading to a private loft sitting area. An avid
admirer of lapidary artist Bernd Munsteiner, Ziff says he has been a hero of
hers since she first read about him in the 1970s. Ziff met Munsteiner on a trip
to Idar-Oberstein, Germany, where he lives. She was invited to his home and it
was there that Ziff found many of the carvings and sculptures that are part of
her private collection on display in the store.
Of her own work, Ziff says: “I have been a collector of
minerals for many years and if something is pretty and interesting and it mixes
well together, I will use it.” Ziff, who describes herself as unorthodox in
style, says when it comes to clothes, she is primarily influenced by color,
which is a dominant theme in her jewelry as well. While color is a big
influence in her creations, Ziff says her designs are inspired by everything in
her life…and she has a very big life. Besides her jewelry, Ziff is the
chairwoman of the board and managing director for the Metropolitan Opera, as
well as a vice chairperson on the board of directors for Lincoln Center and she
is on the board of trustees for Carnegie Hall. In addition, she is the founding
chairperson of the board of directors for the Smile Train, an international
charity that helps children born with cleft palates, and is active in a number
of other philanthropic causes as well.
Design and Gems
Ziff counts René Boivin as one of the great designers of all
time, but she also says that good design is indefinable. “It’s a matter of
mood, or is something beautifully balanced? Much of what I do is asymmetrical.
When I make something, I will leave it for a few days and then go back to it.
If it still looks good, then it is good design. Sometimes a change is needed.
All of my pieces are one-of-a-kind because of the stones. I may use the same
beads again, but I will change the bead pattern in the piece,” explains Ziff
who, despite her busy schedule that also includes time for her large family, still
strings the bead necklaces that are sold in her store.
Opal is a favorite gem for Ziff, who is attracted to its
multicolors, variety of types and the organic feel of the gem. When it comes to
diamonds, her preference is mostly for diamond beads — specifically the
soft-colored opaque diamond beads. “Diamonds have become an everyday stone in a
way they never were before,” she notes. “People wear diamond pavé with jeans.
Diamond beads have a more casual feel than what diamonds used to be; you can
wear them with a lot of things and to a lot of places. Most of my meteorite
jewelry has black or white diamonds mixed with them because it makes it more
wearable.”
It is Ziff’s love for color and the unusual that informs her
collection and enchants those who are lucky enough to see it. “Everything about
me is color-oriented, even music can present different colors in your mind,”
concludes Ziff. And who would know that better than the daughter of an opera
singer?
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - June 2012. To subscribe click here.