Meet Jillian Sassone: The Brilliant Jewelry Designer & Founder Behind Marrow Fine

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

There’s nothing quite as intimate as jewelry. And for jewelry designer and founder of luxury fine jewelry brand Marrow Fine, Jillian Sassone, designing bespoke pieces transcends beyond the jewelry. What started as a passion project after her grandmother’s passing, Sassone has evolved Marrow Fine into one of the premier brands in custom jewelry creations that catapult fine jewelry into a modern era. Working closely with clients from start to finish of the design process, Sassone connects with them to ensure that their jewelry story is being told, whether through everyday personal pieces or statement styles. 

Haute Living sat down with Sassone to understand how the exclusive, custom design process works and how she continues to create a connection through fine jewelry.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

HAUTE LIVING: Can you walk us through the design process of creating custom pieces? In particular, this stunning ring?
JILLIAN SASSONE: Our custom process is collaborative in the sense that our stylist team and myself meet with clients, learn more about what they are looking for and what their personal style is, and then head to the design studio to bring their inspiration to life. For this specific ring design, we used white diamond melee around the bottom of the band and a sparkly white diamond oval as the main stone.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

Typically, I will design 2-3 different layouts (like I did for this project), and then the client is able to choose their favorite. From there, we move into production and create a CAD of what the design will look like in real life so that the client can get a good feel for their design before we begin actual production on the piece. About six weeks later, their dream piece comes to life.

HL: When designing custom pieces — what particular things do you look for from a client?  How do you find the balance between being the creator and adhering to specific needs/wants?
JS: Honing in on the client’s personal style/lifestyle is a key element of the process, so we can design a piece that seamlessly fits in with their everyday lifestyle.  We believe fine jewelry shouldn’t be for special occasions only, so we design for everyday wear. We also love to see inspiration they might have from nature, architecture, or even previous Marrow designs.

We won’t ever replicate a design; in fact, we literally break the mold of each custom piece — but we do use previous pieces as a jumping-off point if the client has eyed a specific stone color or setting style. It’s such a fun and rewarding process — our clients are so receptive and open, and that’s when the design magic truly happens.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

HL: What are some of the most popular custom requests you receive?
JS: We see a lot of heirloom reworks, which means we turn heirloom jewelry that has typically been passed down in a client’s family for generations into something more their style and wearer-friendly. 

We also see a lot of non-diamond engagement rings, which are always so fun to source stones for. It’s literally like a treasure hunt—we cast a net with our select vendors and see what beauties we can find. The feeling when you procure the right stone for the client is next level; it’s one of my favorite aspects of what we do.

HL: What jewelry trends are you currently seeing?
JS: Currently, toi et mois are very “in” right now, along with metal-heavy designs, which we love. Emeralds and rubies are also still having their moment!

HL: What are some of your current favorite pieces?
JS: I love this design from our latest linear capsule drop. It almost looks like pastel gumdrops, and I love the thicker band, so she’s a bit more of a statement than a traditional ring.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

This emerald ring design was inspired by the shape of a French mirror — we can’t seem to keep these one-of-a-kind styles in stock. The second they hit the showroom floor, they’re gone.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Marrow Fine

HL: What advice can you give to those starting to create their dream piece?
JS: Think about what aesthetic you are going for. Do you want something bold and dramatic or something more delicate and classic? Be sure to share your likes, along with your dislikes, with the designer you’re working with so that you end up with an heirloom quality piece you’re excited to wear everyday.