Ali Galgano is a jeweler and founder of Serpentine Jewels, a bespoke fine jewelry brand offering ready-to-wear fine staples and bespoke creations, rooted in high fashion. Serpentine operates a luxe, by appointment atelier in Downtown Greenwich, as well as maintaining offices in the heart of New York City. Ali’s draw to jewelry started with her mother, a former Neiman Marcus jewelry buyer who taught Ali how much a great piece of jewelry could enhance an outfit and be “infinitely more special than any other fashion accessory.”
“I’ve always been interested in how other people’s jewelry collections tell a story about who they are,” Ali says. After working in finance and publishing, she was seeking a more dynamic way to engage with the fashion industry and decided to embark on gemology school. There, she would learn about the fundamentals of diamonds and jewelry design.
“That’s where I really cut my teeth,” she said of earning her gemologist degree. Prior to Serpentine, Ali built and sold a fashion jewelry business and did engagement ring consulting on the side, an area in which she found she was in high demand. “No one knew how to navigate the diamond industry,” she mentioned. “I wanted to make sure people were getting something of great value as well as a meticulously-designed, couture-ish piece.”
In 2016, after having her first son, Ali started Serpentine as a private jeweler procuring the right diamond for the perfect engagement ring. Engagement and wedding band creation quickly turned into bespoke design work like heirloom resets and engagement ring upgrades, helping clients shape their jewelry wardrobes into thoughtful personal collections.
Providing “elevated, cutting-edge classics” is Serpentine’s specialty. Ali’s thoughtfulness and attention to detail has made her the go-to private jeweler in the area. “It’s about putting thought into the customer’s desired piece and doing it in a way that maximizes value, so the end result can last a lifetime.” Taking into account each client's lifestyle, interests and personal style, is what ultimately leads to the perfect piece of jewelry. Serpentine is also offering a new, signature ready to wear collection (by appointment) at the Serpentine Townhouse for those who seek instant gratification.
Ali finds her inspiration in all aspects of design, from architecture to antiques to fine art and interiors. Speaking to her maximalist aesthetic, Ali hopes to empower her clients by evoking “confidence and joy through the glamor of a Serpentine piece." She believes jewelry is an expression of individualism that can elevate an otherwise ordinary outfit.
Speaking to her signature aesthetic, which is bold, statement-making, and a particularly sophisticated gorgeous, Ali claims she hopes to evoke “first and foremost, confidence,” in the women and men donning her pieces. “You can be wearing the most simple, drab outfit,” she says, “and jewelry can make you feel instantly beautiful. Individuality is really important,” she adds.
“I’m involved in a lot of surprises,” Ali says of her work. “Whether it’s an engagement surprise, a husband giving his wife something for her birthday or a woman getting a bonus and deciding she wants to buy herself a piece of jewelry, being part of people’s special moments is my favorite.”
Since she loves what she does, Ali is always working, even when she is traveling, attending art openings, antiques shows and meeting with friends, who are also clients. She finds personal fulfillment in both garnering inspiration and bringing it to her jewelry collections.
“I feel great about the space I’m in,” she comments of her Greenwich atelier. “I can easily foster personal relationships with my clients and work with them on bespoke projects or help them shop while offering them a glass of champagne and a glamorous respite from their busy lives. I’m thrilled to contribute to Greenwich becoming a destination for high fashion.”
You can make an appointment to visit The Serpentine Townhouse at serpentinejewels.com.
Website: serpentinejewels.com
IG: @Serpentine_Jewels
“I can easily foster personal relationships with my clients and work with them on bespoke projects or help them shop while offering them a glass of champagne and a glamorous respite from their busy lives."
