Nestled in the serenity of Tuxedo Park, Elisa Gilbert’s creative universe is as poetic as the jewelry she crafts. As the Founder and Creative Visionary of Vivienne Charles Fine Jewelry, Elisa carries forward a remarkable multi-generational legacy steeped in artistry, storytelling, and reverence for nature. Drawing inspiration from her parents—both artists—and generations of metalsmiths and watchmakers before them, she has transformed personal history into a living, breathing brand where each piece tells a story. From courtroom to carving bench, Elisa’s journey from law to fine jewelry is one of reclamation, passion, and a deep desire to create beauty that endures. In this conversation, she shares the intimate inspirations behind her collections, the soul of her studio, and how Vivienne Charles continues to craft wearable poetry rooted in the natural world and shaped by legacy.
Vivienne Charles Fine Jewelry blends art, poetry, and nature into such sculptural, wearable pieces. Can you share the inspiration behind founding the brand, and the meaning behind the name Vivienne Charles?
Vivienne Charles was born from a personal moment of clarity. Upon my father passing, I realized something invaluable was slipping away. A lifetime indeed, several lifetimes of legacy, generations, steeped in artistry, and infused with memories of golden afternoons spent together creating was fading away with him. Vivienne Charles Fine Jewelry acknowledges that history. The brand is named after my parents Vivienne, a talented New York fashion illustrator, trained at Parson’s School of Design and The School of Industrial Arts, who brought her own vision to the family tradition and Charles, my father, who studied at Music and Art and Pratt Institute and whose love of art and materials led him to weave precious metals and stones into charming and beautiful tangible poetry. The original studio was a culmination of curiosities explored by not just Vivienne and Charles, but also my grandfather and great-grandfather who were also eccentric watchmakers and metalsmiths. The original studio was a hub of activity where anything you could dream of was possible and certainly where the arts were valued over most anything else. After spending months cleaning up the generations of my family’s life efforts, I realized this was not just remaining “stuff” relegated to occupy space in some storage facility. Its
heart was still beating, and every small box was full of future. This “stuff” was all that came before me and was still alive in me.
Vivienne Charles is part of a multi-generational legacy in the jewelry world. What does continuing your family’s tradition mean to you personally, and how has that heritage shaped your vision for the brand?
For me, crafting jewelry is like reading an ancient story out loud, each piece becoming a chapter in our family’s ongoing narrative. My great grandfather was a watchmaker whose intricate mechanisms spoke through the language of time. My grandfather, a silversmith turned goldsmith, found ways to turn the ordinary into a prized possession, and my father, a sculptor and architect, connected any project into an opportunity to produce a wearable dream. These people left me a rich tapestry of skills, aesthetics, and integrity. I design not merely jewelry but reflections of deep personal preferences and objects with meaning. My family history of skills and intimate familiarity with materials allowed me to venture into this field not as new designer, but as a continuation of generations of experience, and vastly enriched by the hands of those who came before me.
You originally pursued a career in law before transitioning fully into the jewelry world. What inspired you to leave law and follow your creative path? Was there a particular moment when you knew it was time to make the change?
For thirty years I pursued a very interesting and rewarding professional career in the law. The journey while engrossing and at times exciting, was never entirely fulfilling. During my time practicing law, never fully abandoned creating. Having a creative background means never soothing that irritant the inspires movement and exploring what can be. The pivotal moment was clear and poignant. When my father passed, leaving behind a workspace full of tools that held untold stories and unfinished dreams. The decision was less a transition and more a reclamation, a return to my artistic roots. For me, the law never quite captured the essence of what makes us human; jewelry, however, does. Each piece reflects what I feel most humans value, an opportunity to timeless connection to share beauty.
What has been your favorite part of working in the jewelry industry? Are there aspects that reignite your passion for your craft?
The enchantment lies in seeing an ephemeral idea transform into a tangible, wearable reality. My greatest joy emerges in the solitary moments of discovery. Finding creative solutions to technical puzzles or encountering a delicate intersection where form meets function. I find it especially thrilling when my own creative challenges take me down paths that I realize my father once tread. Reaching a solution to a problem that I think is so clever only to see the undeniable evidence that my dad was here already and that’s why he had this inexplicable thing at his bench. Waking up to why my dad did something a certain way or used a particularly weird device that I never fully understood before. That laughable “ah ha” moment that makes me feel like he has been sitting in the room waiting for me to figure it out. It provides an unspoken yet palpable connection that inspires me daily.
Nature plays a strong role in your designs from birds and bees to oceanic and botanical motifs. What draws you most to these natural elements, and how do you translate their spirit into jewelry form?
Nature provides infinite inspiration. Functional beauty, ever changing yet timeless. By way of example, bees are beautiful curious creatures that provide insights into symmetries, subtle patterns, and an enchanting parallel vital world. I create jewelry that draws attention to these subtle details in nature. Whether a jeweled bee alighting on golden honeycombs or frogs poised atop carved gemstone leaves through ancient techniques, of lost wax casting, wax carving and use of gemstones, I pay tribute to the wonder that surrounds us. This allows me to share my intricate observation with the world and connect with someone who also appreciates or through my jewelry comes to appreciate these same details.
Your workshop is almost an extension of your creative ethos with boulders, natural textures, and an organic, earthy setting. Can you share the inspiration behind the design of your studio space? What atmosphere were you hoping to create your creative process?
My studio is designed to echo the harmony of nature and creativity. Tucked away in Tuxedo Park, NY, the main studio is a small cedar structure with windows everywhere and modeled after a Balinese tea house, nestled above the serene waters of Tuxedo Lake. The lapidary workshop is a two-story treehouse, with two large oak tree trunks running through it and a polishing shop is housed in a sunlit greenhouse behind the tea house and shielded by a giant rock. I believe if you enjoy the beauty around you on a daily basis your work life itself is intrinsically rewarding. My studio setting allows me to immerse myself in beautiful surroundings this way I can enjoy each day while crafting pieces that not only reflect nature’s elegance but also carry the tranquility and inspiration of their birthplace.
When you design a piece, do you start with the materials, the story you want to tell, or
the emotion you want the wearer to feel?
Every piece is a little different on this score. Sometimes I find a beautiful thing and it inspires me, the most difficult projects are the ones that start from an emotion. To create a narrative the emotion must follow another thing and so on. In this way the process starts deeper in your core. The easiest projects are those that are inspired by an observation or experience. Regardless, each creation begins with a narrative. It is the story, be it whimsical, romantic, or reflective that first captures my imagination. From there, materials become characters in a tale; gold whispers tradition, gemstones illuminate personality, and textures convey emotion. The end result of the journey is an object of jewelry that evokes feelings, tells a story, and enhances a shared experience.
Your new collection, Birds, Bees, and Things from the Sea, feels like a poetic journey through nature’s beauty. Can you walk us through the inspirations behind these pieces?
Birds, Bees, and Things from the Sea is an ode to nature’s gentle and sometimes playful whispers, a collection born from intimate observations of the tiny wonders around us. The jeweled crickets sing softly beneath a celestial sky, the great whale and the manta ray buckle are tributes to the large champions of the essential parallel world beneath the sea, one that I think everyone secretly admires and wishes to live a life of more intimate acquaintance. The starfish series along with the seahorses and mermaids all share a universal appeal that speaks to the child in us. The bee variations reflect the many aspects of life we frequently take for granted. The frogs…well, I have a personal love affair with frogs, fat frogs, long skinny frogs, bumpy frogs big-eyed colorful frogs, handsome frogs, silent frogs, loud bullfrogs, dancing frogs… they are funny and cute and subtle and whimsical, and some might turn into a prince. Each piece is a vignette, capturing a fleeting moment of natural splendor, preserved forever in precious metals
and gemstones.
Jewelry often marks personal milestones and carries deep emotion for the wearer. Is there a particular piece of jewelry you feel the most connected to?
The Prince Charming necklace resonates deeply with me. Originating from the innocent desire to create a playful frog sculpture, it evolved organically into an emblem of hope, transformation, and finding joy through perseverance. This piece captures an important sentiment of life’s journey, everything worth doing is worth a real effort, sometimes you have to try many variations before you find your own happy ending.
Where do you find your greatest sources of creative inspiration today—whether that’s places you visit, books you read, art you admire, or moments in everyday life? Can you talk about something that offered creative inspiration recently?
Inspiration breathes everywhere from historical masterpiece of the past like a Buccellati mushroom salt and pepper shaker, to the lively fauna around my studio. Inspiration visits me in unexpected moments, perhaps in the silhouette of a laurel leaf, a new and real-world connection to a fable or mythology, or the poetry of architecture. Recently, preparing designs for the prestigious “Brillante Jewellery Design competition” ignited my creativity anew, pushing me to create a piece that combines the natural beauty of two very different cultures infused with sophisticated storytelling, exceptional craftsmanship, and international appeal. Each design became a testament to global culture harmonized with my personal artistic vision.
Looking ahead, are there any exciting new projects, collections, or collaborations on the horizon for Vivienne Charles that you can share?
We are thrilled about our upcoming participation in the Singapore competition, an esteemed event that draws elite designers worldwide. For this project, I have envisioned designs marrying intricate narratives from nature, science and contemporary elegance. This venture is not merely an entry into a competition; it is a global conversation of artistry, luxury, and heritage, perfectly capturing the essence of Vivienne Charles Fine Jewelry. We are also unveiling a new line of links and mythology based sculptural works.
How do you personally define success—both as an artist and as a guardian of a jewelry legacy meant to last for generations?
Success is measured not just in recognition but in resonance. It means creating timeless heirlooms cherished across generations, pieces that spark dialogue and evoke deep personal connection. To successfully preserve and innovate upon my family’s jewelry legacy is not only a
personal triumph but a joyful continuation of our collective story. When I attend an event and see anyone wearing a piece that I created I am personally thrilled. But I also feel great pride and success when my closest friends and loved ones really enjoy something I am making. I feel that alone brings value to their lives and is something I can share.
What is your personal and professional mantra?
Create, experiment, and embrace the narrative unfolding in each piece. Jewelry is a journey, and each step taken is another verse added to our poetic legacy. Beauty connects us across generations, cultures, and time, embrace it, celebrate it, create it, and above all, share it happily
with the world.
With each handcrafted piece, Elisa Gilbert honors the past while envisioning a future where beauty is both personal and profound. Her work at Vivienne Charles as an artistic bridge—connecting generations, celebrating nature’s quiet wonders, and preserving stories in sculptural form. As the brand looks ahead to international competitions and myth-inspired collections, Elisa remains grounded in her guiding ethos: to create with heart, celebrate legacy through craft, and share joy through jewelry. For collectors and connoisseurs alike, Vivienne Charles is not just a brand; it is a testament to love, lineage, and the transformative power of design.
