Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra or Ali Nelson
Hi Alexandra or Ali, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started Everett when I was living in Brooklyn in 2015 while I was working for another Fine Jewelry Designer. I took some metal smithing night classes to get familiar with the basics of jewelry making and I also studied at GIA to receive my diamond grading certificate and get a better understanding of sourcing diamonds and what aspects to look for and avoid in my stone selection process. Before I lived in New York I briefly working for a fashion jewelry company and I loved the design aspect of that business however I knew I wanted to create pieces that had more history and longevity and ultimately decided fine jewelry and bridal jewelry were the paths I wanted to take. I moved to Los Angeles in 2018 and worked out of a showroom in Venice for a couple years before moving to my West LA showroom.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When I look back on the last 9 years in business, generally speaking it has been a smooth road. I know I made the right decision because I still love what I do and look forward to working and creating pieces for customers. Some of the struggles I’ve overcome usually have to do with the business side of things, I am not marketing or business minded and I do think that is so important to know because as much as I wish this job was just meeting customers and creating beautiful jewelry but there are so many other decisions to be made on a daily business like social media and content creation, customer service and all of that can get very overwhelming at times. Another big struggle is work/life balance. I have an almost 3 year old daughter and am having my second daughter at the end of June and when you have your own business you can’t really take a proper maternity leave and put all of your focus on raising your kids, so just finding that balance of making sure they get all of the attention they need while also keeping my business flowing has been a challenge.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a fine jewelry designer, I have a full collection of pieces on my website but I work primarily on custom engagement rings. I am known for creating non traditional engagement rings and working with unusual stones such as rose cut diamonds colored diamonds and gemstones. I am most proud of the fact that i get to make pieces for people at the happiest moments of their life, doing custom work isn’t always easiest process but it certainly is the most rewarding knowing that I can help be a small part in piece being work for a life time. What sets me apart is my customer service, attention to detail and (generally speaking) fast turn around. I truly prioritize each customer and hope to make them feel completely heard and understood through the whole process.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I was born and raised in LA (well the borderline of LA and Ventura County but I will claim LA until I die). I love almost everything about it, the culture, the fashion, the food, the entertainment. There is always something to do and if you’re every bored, that can easily be remedied. Take a 20 minute drive and find a gorgeous view of the city, the ocean or the hills. I love exploring, I love the architecture, I love the people (probably because my parents and most of the friends I grew up with in high school and college all still live here as well). What I like least is of course, the traffic. Also the crime, I would love be in Los Angeles for the foreseeable future and to open a brick and mortar some day however the probability of being robbed is to high and too much of a risk at this point. I know this is a common issue in most bigger cities and I am definitely a city girl so eventually I will just have to figure out a way to make it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://everettfinejewelry.com/
- Instagram: everettfinejewelry
- Facebook: everett
Image Credits
Laurel Hunzicker, Alexandra Nelson and Ren Pidgeon
