Alice Cicolini x Greenwich St. Jewelers Retailer Spotlight

If you would like to see her, please contact us to book an appointment.

The sacred architecture and patterns of the Silk Route are the inspiration for Alice Cicolini's jewelry. As her collections have evolved, inspiration flows from other locales from her travels and research, such as Venice, Lahore, Hampton Court Palace and the diamond workshops of Hatton Garden. Alice is always retaining a connection to her fascination for the way in which ideas and motifs change and adapt across vast landscapes - translating her respect for ancient tradition and cultures into wearable art.

.......Alice: "You have a big history, tell me how did it all begin?"

Christina: “Greenwich St. Jewelers was founded in NYC’s financial district in 1976 by our parents Carl and Milly Gandia. Jennifer and I grew up playing on the shop floor, spending afternoons watching our parents work in the store and at the bench. We learned early on that jewelry can transport you through time and space, creating irreplaceable bonds between people, moments and memories. 46 years later, G.St thrives in a new flagship location in Tribeca"

   Jennifer: "I first joined the business in 2003. After 9/11 I reassessed my career path and decided to use my marketing experience to help my parents recover."

Christina: "Jennifer’s impeccable taste was cultivated at Fashion Institute of Technology and refined in the fashion industry where she worked in PR and Marketing for luxury brands. Her first years at the store involved helping our parents rebuild their business. She thought her position at the store would be temporary, but her efforts soon evolved into identifying independent designers to carry, modernizing the infrastructure, and pioneering the digital marketing landscape to help the store appeal to new customers from near and far."

Jennifer: "Christina joined a few years later she finished her education in finance at Fordham University and honed her skills at other fine jewelry brands before becoming a GIA-certified gemologist."

Christina: "My desire to return to the family business began while watching Jennifer's journey and the impact she made, officially I joined the team in 2007, lending my precision to the business and inventory structure."

 Alice's notes: By combining their strengths, left and right brains, and working together with relentless dedication, Jennifer and Christina have taken the brand to new heights. Since they began their shared leadership, G.St has experienced exponential growth and industry accolades. 2022 marked a new chapter in their family’s legacy with the opening of a new flagship boutique in Tribeca, New York,  as well as being inducted into the National Jeweler Retailer Hall of Fame. In 2023 they received the Gem Award for Retail Excellence, honoring jewelers who go above and beyond to improve the way jewelry is sold.

 

Alice: “What is your jewellery philosophy?”

 Jennifer and Christina: “We believe that jewelry is magic. As passionate stewards of these powerful objects, our purpose is to seek out artists working at the intersection of intention and inspiration to represent both tradition and progress. We honor all that is extraordinary about jewelry with one unifying thread: that it moves you. 

 We’re delighted to help our clients, in person or virtually, to find the inspired jewels that shape their story, evoke a feeling and capture everlasting memories. We also believe in the importance of responsible sourcing, supporting mentorship, philanthropic causes, and evolving diversity and inclusion in the fine jewelry space.”

 Alice's note: Both Jennifer and Christina are dedicated to giving back, with Christina sitting on the board of directors of Diamonds Do Good and Jennifer on the advisory board of the Black In Jewelry Coalition and NYC Jewelry Week. Together, they look forward to the continuing work of making G.St a place for inspiration, inclusion, and celebration of the art of fine jewelry.

 

Alice: "What are you looking for in the pieces you present to clients?"

 Jennifer: "Artistry, interest, and that ineffable quality a truly special jewel has."

 Christina: "A unique twist to the expected - I love presenting jewels that are imaginative and demonstrate excellent craftsmanship."

 

Alice: "When do you know a piece has “clicked”? What’s the feeling?"

 Jennifer: "The client’s reaction is the biggest tell. Sometimes there’s delight and sometimes serenity, but the unifying thing is that when a jewel has found its owner it’s simply undeniable."

 Christina: "I always pay attention to their non-verbal cues. I know when a client keeps touching or going back to one particular piece that it is the one."

 

Alice: "What is the happiest / most satisfying jewellery moment?"

 Jennifer: "Most recently it was getting the ring you made for me! I’d been holding onto the gem, cut by our friend Jean Noel Soni of Top Notch Faceting for a few years, and decided I wanted her to make a ring with it after seeing the Jacobean collection. I love it so much and the collaboration of artists makes me so happy when I wear it."

 

 Christina:  "I had a client who was convinced his wife only wore classic jewels. I managed to encourage him to try a totally different look with a statement necklace. She loved it and has since then discovered so many creative jewels designed by artists to add to her collection"

 

Alice: "What is your most iconic jewel?"

 Jennifer: "A snake bracelet with an enameled head and emerald eyes that our father made for our mother. It makes me think of them in their younger days and makes me feel closer to them both. It’s also just such a cool piece of jewelry, the snake is articulated and it wraps around the wrist."

 Christina: "My diamond studs! They were a major upgrade and a treat to myself a few years back. I feel powerful when I wear them and they remind me that hard work needs a little reward!"