Meet the maker
I make jewelry because we all deserve to adorn ourselves in a little everyday magic.
Hi I’m Nell, the jewelry designer & metalsmith behind Nell Lorraine Designs. I fell in love with the process of creating jewelry in my first metalsmithing class at Massachusetts College of Art and Design where I earned my BFA in 2010. Since then, my love for creating small, precious, intricate pieces of art has only grown. I create jewelry that is unique yet everyday wearable so that my customers can admire a little something beautiful in their day-to-day. I am inspired by the precious moments & things in life. Faceted gemstones, ethical diamonds and recycled metals come together to make each piece.
I am a mother to three incredible children who are the true muses behind my work. When not in my studio creating, I can be found at one of our nearby beaches with my kids in tow and coffee in hand.
Thank you FOr being hereCreating these pieces for you gives me so much joy. It is not lost on me that you chose me out of a sea of jewelers to create such a meaningful piece of jewelry for you. I love what I do so much and seeing your excitement is the icing on the cake!
PLEDGE TO GIVE BACK
I often feel that making jewelry is not helping the world the ways that are so needed so I aim to do my part and give back in the ways that I can. Giving back in my own community is EXTREMELY important to me is . Where I live right outside of Portland, Maine we have a very big asylum seeking/refugee community. Once a month I use a portion of my profits and take my children shopping for items that these families need and deliver them directly to the families. I also do winter fundraisers to collect donations to put towards purchasing winter gear for the children that are new to the Maine climate so that they can be warm and enjoy the snow like the rest of the children during our cold Maine winters. This is just a start in the dreams I have to give back to my community.
Q&A
Q: What is your return policy?
A: While I don’t offer returns, I do offer exchanges for a new piece of your choice or full credit towards a custom order.
Q: What is your turnaround time for custom work?
A: I am a one woman show, with 3 children, so I like to give myself a little wiggle room for “life things” that can pop up, but overall I would say 4-6 weeks from start to finish of a custom piece.
Q: Where do you source your diamonds from? Are you conscious of ethics of the stones you use?
A: I am VERY conscious of the ethics of the stones I use. I buy my diamonds from 3 trusted sources that make sure they know the origins behind each stone they purchase. I LOVE to use Canadian diamonds when I can.
Q: What is the difference between a lab grown diamond and a moissanite?
A: Lab grown diamonds & moissanites are completely different stones! A lab grown diamond is a diamond created in a lab instead of one that is mined from the earth. there is no chemical difference between a Lab Grown Diamond and a natural, mined diamond. They are both made up of pure carbon. A lab grown diamond is a great option for those we want to be eco conscious! A moissanite is a lab grown stone made up or silica & carbon. Moissanite stones appear more sparklier than diamonds because of their make up.
Q: Can I purchase your work anywhere besides your website?
A: Right now this is the only place to purchase my work! I personally don’t want to have to add the gallery markup to my work that I would need to in order to have it in a gallery or boutique. For this reason I sell directly through myself. I do plan to have a small gallery/studio in the Portland, Maine area in about 4 years!! So stay tuned!
