On a recent, hot summer day, Sharon Khazzam is in her studio, coolly sorting through a stunning array of stones – emeralds, peridots, tsavorites, and more, all perfectly arranged by color on meticulous trays. To call these creations of nature eye candy would be an understatement. They are a testament to the magic of fine jewelry and firmly sit at the core of the CFDA member’s philosophy.

“I am a gemstone collector, and have been for 20 years,” the award-winning jewelry designer says, the passion for her chosen metier reverberating through her voice. “I am constantly buying stones, even if I don’t need them. I just buy what I love. Whenever I have an idea, I can fulfill it myself. I don’t need to go out and find a stone.”

The approach has proven to be a formula for success—both in terms of sales and in the respect the designer has garnered from her peers.

Khazzam has been on a remarkable career trajectory that took her from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned a degree in jewelry design, to Asprey, where she was the sole in-house designer for eight years. With support from Asprey, she branched out own her own in 1993, and continued to consult for Fred Leighton and London Jewelers, among others. From 2001 to 2019, Khazzam made her mark in partnership with Barneys New York.

“Asprey hired me when I was 21,” she recalls. “After a year and a half, the president said, ‘we want you to design a collection.’ When I had my daughter and wanted to go out on my own, they were so good to me and truly supported me after I left.”

To the unsuspecting passerby, Khazzam’s Long Island space serves as an art gallery featuring a rotation of exhibitions that add a touch of culture to the town. To the lucky few – those with an invitation by her – said gallery leads to an airy showroom dipped in deep, moorish hues, cooper ceilings, a spiral staircase, and oriental-style rugs made from recycled bottles.

Gemstones are a central feature, not just in the artful jewelry creations on display but also in the way Khazzam charmingly embedded some in the reclaimed wooden floors as well as the furnishings. Take a good look and you will discover a turquoise, aquamarine or jasper peeking out from a tiny crack in the wood. “You will find these all over the place,” Khazzam offers. “It makes it more mine and unique. If I am going to be working here, it has to be a place that makes me happy and that, when I come here, I don’t want to leave.”

Her creative process starts with an idea, which she translates into detailed, museum-worthy drawings true to the size of, say, the bracelet, necklace, or brooch she intends to make.

“I have tons and tons of sketchbooks and each of these sketch books turn into pieces,” she says. “I have thousands of designs. Every single piece I have ever made in my life is one of a kind and has never been made again.”

She lays each stone onto the painting before she makes the jewel. Each piece is handmade and catalogued, and Khazzam keeps a permanent record in her studio.

And the record is extensive. Since the start, Khazzam made a name for herself with her signature unique pieces, including the Baby collection, which makes a statement for stunning gemstones in all different forms that “live together in harmony,” she says. Her Norma single earring – allowing wearers to mix and match pieces and express themselves in the designer’s aesthetic – brought a new philosophy to jewelry; then there is Tavous necklace collection of strong pendants of rays emanating from a central stones.

The studio visit ends with a moment that is true to the designer’s roots in the Middle East, where hospitality is paramount. Khazzam prepared a rich display of cakes, cookies, candied almonds, macaroons and dried fruits, and served tea. It was not just the perfect way to punctuate a delightful afternoon, but another reminder of the different worlds that collide chez Khazzam.

“How you select your gemstones, how you design, how you decorate your spaces, how you entertain, it is all part of your whole being,” she says. “If you have a certain aesthetic sensibility, it is all-encompassing.”