Maria Farber is a freelance jewelry designer. She has been working in this field for almost twenty years. Farber got her start by attending The Parsons School of Design, located in Lower Manhattan. She has worked for companies like Liz Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger, MONET, and Juicy Couture. In this interview, she outlines exactly what the job of a jewelry designer entails, and helps me imagine what a typical work day looks like for her. She also recounts her own views on jewelry, and how she has worked her way up in the industry throughout the years.
Hello! I am very excited to speak to you about jewelry design. Every girl loves jewelry, so what is it like working in this field? Where do you work and how did you end up there?
Hi, it’s a pleasure speaking to you as well. It’s definitely quite an interesting job because every day I’m designing something different, and get to meet representatives from a wide range of companies. First off, I spent several years making my way to where I am now. I got out of school and began designing for a few specific companies. In about 1996, I realized that working for a set company just wasn’t really for me; instead I decided to take on some freelance work. I started my freelance life as a model-maker. I designed and then carved wax models of jewelry, which were then to be cast. As soon as I started to have children I had to simplify my work load, so the model-making part of my job had to be dropped. Instead, I now envision and draw out the plans for different jewelry collections before handing off my designs to the company that requested them.
The freelance work I do has certainly been something I enjoy better because it gives me more freedom, and I have more time to spend with my family. I’m really happy where I am now in this field, especially because I’ve been granted the opportunities of working with amazing companies like Liz Claiborne, The Richline Group, and many more. Over the years, I have built up my reputation by producing good work, and sort of carved a niche for myself in a very small industry.
Wow, that is extremely interesting and prestigious because building a portfolio for yourself is a lot of work, and your job requires so much creativity. What exactly are the basics of your job? Can you go into detail about what it is that you do on a typical day at work?
Yes, I can definitely explain it to you. I work five days a week from 9AM to 5PM. When the day begins, I meet a client who starts to tell me about the next collection that their company is envisioning. By the way, a collection typically consists of a signet ring, 2 pendants, which include a dog tag and a large cross, as well as a bracelet.
Before getting to work, I inquire about a few important details like: who is the target audience, am I designing for a cool, biker guy or a sophisticated woman? I also ask about what kinds of stones I can use, say crystals, diamonds or perhaps faux stones with diamond accents. A few other things I must know are the sizes or lengths of the pieces that I am to make, as well as the potential prices for the jewelry I am to design. Finally, I ask the client about their inspiration for this collection because if they have an explanation or picture for me, it will help me brainstorm. Once they give me something to work off of, my creative juices start to flow.
I then start to draw my ideas. After this, I return to the client for their feedback on my plans. After some back and forth, I end up with a drawing that they approve of. At the end of a typical day, if I don’t have a collection done entirely, I’ll probably have at least all the rings and pendants completed.
Once my plans are finished, I have to create technical drawings for the pieces, which include side-views, stone weight, and the measurements in mm. These diagrams have to be universally understandable, so the factories which create them, wherever they may be, will have no questions to ask. Even though my clients will accept a typical line drawing, I like to improve my designs by coloring my illustrations, even depicting light and shadows; thus making my drawings as close to the real object as possible. I shade in my pencil drawings with 2 different shades of gray marker to depict steel and silver metals. Meanwhile, I use a white gel pen to create light; this shows where the light would strike the object if it were real. My favorite part of it all is making a tiny painting at the end for a “Wow!” effect.
That sounds extremely intensive, but also very unique and fascinating. Are there any drawbacks or difficulties when it comes to your job?
Well, the computer is a bit intimidating for me. I do my drawings by hand, and I take great pride in all of the work that I put in on the final illustrations. Meanwhile, many of the newly trained people in the industry are utilizing the computer as they work. It’s okay though because I’ve got something up my sleeve. I have actually been taking private classes in computer illustration to eventually catch up with the times!
Oh wow! I hope you learn to use the necessary programs, and that it helps improve your work. It really shows a lot of dedication that you are putting in extra time and your own money to learn how to use the computer as a designing tool. Can you also tell me about any particular experiences throughout the years that stand out in your memory?
As a freelance designer, I really enjoy working with such a wide variety of companies. For instance, I have designed bridal products with diamonds for Vera Vang. I have also created gold jewelry for Michael Anthony Richline, specifically for his lines at Kohl’s, Macy’s, HSN, etc.
One of the best experiences I had was working at The Liz Claiborne Company where we designed costume jewelry for many famous brand names. I also worked for MONET where I created the most fun brooches and keepsake boxes, which was amazing. They also had a license to create for the Juicy Couture brand. Therefore, I was one of the first designers to launch the Juicy bracelet charms. For the last 4 years, I have been working for SHR Simmons designing Hello Kitty jewelry and watches. My latest client is Movado Company where I get the opportunity to design for Tommy Hilfiger. There are a lot of other companies large and small that I have worked for. The kinds of jewelry that have originated from my pencil are so wide and varied that I could not name them all.
I think I could talk to you about your work forever, that’s how interesting all of this sounds. I mean, your designs have been sold at Juicy Couture, Macy’s and HSN, that’s really impressive. Out of curiosity, do you own a lot of jewelry?
Truthfully, I’m not obsessed with collecting jewelry. I think working with all these pieces kind of satisfies my craving. Compared to others, I probably have quite an assortment of jewelry, but I don’t really have any pieces that are extremely important, like an engagement ring. When my boyfriend told me he wanted to buy me an engagement ring, I refused and insisted that we use the money to put a down-payment on an apartment. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made.
Aww, that’s really sweet of you to consider the money for something both of you will enjoy, your apartment. It sounds like you have things under control not only in the jewelry business, but at home as well. Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you, and telling me more about the jewelry designing industry.
Absolutely, it was no problem. I’m glad to share all of this knowledge, so more people can learn about me and what I do. It is also a big honor for me to be interviewed by you about my freelance work, so thank you.
