.png)
Noor Shamma's interest in understanding the complexities inherent in everyday simplicity allows her to look beyond the obvious and see within and around. Noor developed a passion for jewelry and all things beautiful at a very young age. Her brand articulates a harmonious rapport between classic and contemporary. Noor's inspirational references reflect the concept of unity in diversity through unique patterns and minimalist motifs. Her jewelry collections capture personal stories interwoven with art, identity, and emotion; and are expertly made by the most skilled artisans in New York City and beyond. The jewelry is absolutely gorgeous! Celebrities who have worn Noor Shamma include Jasmine Tookes, Brittany Xavier, Ginger Zee, January Jones, Amber Heard, Kayla Cromer, Lauren Zima, Jessica Alba, Audrina Patridge, Nastia Liukin, Lucy Hale, Whitney Port, Devon Windsor, to name a few. Noor Shamma has been featured in multiple renowned publications and media outlets through product placements, editorials, and interviews; these include Harper’s Bazaar US, Harper’s Bazaar Singapore, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia, Tatler Magazine, British Vogue, Vanity Fair UK, Chicmi, Exhibition News UK, Retail Jeweller, Grazia Russia, Instyle Russia, and many more.
At Noor Shamma, Environmental Sustainability is very significant. The brand believes in the importance of our contribution to a world that grants a better future to our environment and improved quality of life for everyone. Therefore, they are committed to embracing sustainable practices to monitor their impact as a business through conserving natural resources, reducing energy usage, carbon emissions, and carbon footprint. The company, therefore, use recycled and conflict-free metals in their efforts to produce sustainable jewelry. Their suppliers are certified by the Responsible Jewelry Council. Responsible Mining ensures the protection of human rights and the environment; all the diamonds are sourced from countries that comply with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. At Noor Shamma, they are dedicated to responsibly sourcing the best quality diamonds with the highest integrity.
For this week, Noor Shamma Jewelry is our Gem of the Week, and Gemma Magazine could not be more thrilled! So lets jump right in!
What inspired you to start making jewelry?
Like art, jewelry is a form of self-expression. Growing up, I developed an interest in understanding the complexities inherent in everyday simplicity. This element has pushed me to look beyond the obvious and see within and around. I majored in Design Management, but I have not studied jewelry design. I stumbled upon this by chance, and I immediately fell in love with the whole process of designing jewelry and working with talented craftsmanship who bring my designs and concepts to life. A few years ago, after developing an interest in jewelry design, I got GIA certified in Applied Jewelry Professional, which helped me better understand the craft and industry.
Your jewelry is sustainable, correct? Yes. We are committed to developing the right partnerships and embracing sustainable practices to monitor our impact by conserving natural resources and reducing energy usage, carbon emissions, and carbon footprint. We responsibly source the best quality diamonds and gemstones with the highest integrity, and we use recycled and conflict-free 18-karat gold in our efforts to produce ethical and sustainable jewelry. Noor Shamma is also a member of Ethical Metalsmiths.
Your jewelry is so intricate and is very detailed. Do you feel the pieces tell a story? Absolutely. Jewelry always comes with a story — it is timeless and sentimental, and I get to share my artistic interpretations through this precious medium. Every piece is a labor of love, right to the finest detail.
What keeps you motivated? It fluctuates a lot, but what usually helps is looking back and reminding myself of how far I’ve come, and manifesting the things I want, and telling myself I am so close to achieving them.
How do you balance such a busy schedule? Regardless of how hard I try to balance the different aspects of my life, I’ve come to realize that there’s no such thing as balance. There are times when my full-time corporate job dominantly takes over my schedule. At the same time, my jewelry business is a priority (based on the season, design and production phase, events, and so on). Sometimes it’s family, and other times I need to be with myself and read a book by the pool or close my eyes in stillness or cross-stitch (my form of therapy). There’s no formula to balance a busy schedule, but I have a routine, and that brings me so much comfort and helps me allocate time for work, business, family, and myself to the best of my ability.
What are some elements that you are inspired by when designing your jewelry? Architecture, needlework, pattern, and motifs.
Do you enjoy collaborations with other artists? Yes, I very much do. It is so wonderful to work with other creative individuals, and I’ve been very fortunate to feel a sense of support and rapport with many fellow artists in my life. To date, I’ve collaborated with several talented artists whose work I love and admire — ceramist, event planner, sculpture (carver), to name a few, and there’s more to come!
In order to keep up with Noor Shamma, you can follow them on social media.