by Suzanne Daub
In her waterfront studio on Easy Street, Nantucket, jewelry designer Susan Lister Locke transforms precious metals and gemstones into timeless pieces that capture the eternal beauty of the sea and sky and reflect the stories of those who wear them. In her gem-lined playground, she makes jewelry to be worn, loved, and lived in.
“My inspiration is the ocean and the sky and the gems…I’ve lived by the ocean my entire life, and every day the sky is different—fierce or mellow, cloudless, colorful, it’s ever-changing,” she explained during a recent interview.
Nantucket-born and now worn globally, this talented designer marries rich color with bold texture, transforming gold, precious and semi-precious stones, and pearls into pieces inspired by nature, meaningful moments, and the people who wear them. From iconic signet rings to custom, oneof- a-kind creations, her work reimagines timeless jewelry through a lens of personal expression and everyday elegance.
Browsing through her gallery at 28 Easy Street, clients see a variety of styles and a range of prices. “I started out doing a lot of sculptural designs,” she explained, “and I’ve moved toward more organic designs.” Her work captures the essence of coastal living while remaining sophisticated enough for any venue. Her rings, pendants, earrings, and bracelets are designed to integrate seamlessly into their owners’ lives. Whether it’s a pair of earrings that transition from boardroom to dinner party, or a bracelet that becomes a daily talisman, each piece is crafted to be both beautiful and functional.
Lister Locke’s custom creations range from reimagined family signet rings that honor ancestral traditions while embracing contemporary aesthetics to entirely original pieces that celebrate life’s pivotal moments. She works with different metals and an extensive palette of precious and semi-precious stones, selecting each gem not just for its beauty but for its ability to convey emotion and meaning.
“I have very high-quality gems—I use my gems as paints…I let them talk to me,” she explained as she displayed a breathtakingly beautiful ring she created around a rare Paraiba Tourmaline that shimmered with luminous color deep as a tropical sea. “Tourmaline is not rare,” she explained, “but this one is: there are only two lines in the world. It’s important to be open to options, not just traditional [stones]…I love emeralds and rubies and diamonds, but a gem should first and foremost speak to a person. They should wear the jewelry, it should not wear them!”
Susan Lister Locke’s approach to jewelry design is deeply collaborative, rooted in the belief that the finest pieces emerge from understanding not just what a client wants, but who they are. Her process begins with conversation— listening to stories, discovering passions, and uncovering the moments that have shaped her clients’ lives. This intimate approach allows her to create custom pieces that become more than accessories: they become tangible expressions of identity and memory.
“I get to know my clients’ tastes,” Lister Locke explains, “and I design to match their skin tone, hair color, eye color…I can source gems that clients want if I don’t have the size or shape or cut they desire—I’ll order in a selection they can choose from…I work really hard to make pieces that are unique: copying people doesn’t interest me at all. I want [my jewelry] to be pretty, and I want it to be worn…it’s wearable with a fancy dress or with a t-shirt. A box gets no joy out of them.”
It’s important to Lister Locke that she educates her clients, and she’s not shy about redirecting them to pieces that are better suited to their desires and their goals. “I want my clients to be part of the process—I’d rather have an informed client who understands what they are buying… it’s part of the relationship: integrity is very important to me.”
One of Lister Locke’s valued services lies in her talent to transform inherited jewelry pieces that carry sentimental weight but are outdated in design. Rather than allowing these treasures to languish in the back of drawers and jewelry boxes, she works with clients to honor both the original significance and their contemporary vision with an approach that is respectful and innovative. She carefully assesses each piece of estate jewelry, identifying which elements hold the most meaning—whether it’s a particular gemstone, an engraved detail, or the gold itself—and incorporates these elements into fresh, modern designs. This process allows families to continue wearing and celebrating their heritage while ensuring the pieces remain relevant for lifestyles of today.
In her gallery was a stunning necklace of cameos and baroque pearls that she had recently reimagined for a client. “A woman came in with a pile of jewelry in dated settings she had recently inherited,” Susan explained, “I took them apart and the pieces had new life… they retained the sentiment of the past, but now they’re wearable.”
While Lister Locke’s pieces are undoubtedly special, they are designed to be worn and enjoyed regularly rather than reserved for occasions. Her philosophy of “everyday elegance” means creating jewelry substantial enough to serve as statement pieces while remaining comfortable and practical for daily wear.
What sets Lister Locke apart in the world of jewelry design is her commitment to creating pieces that will endure not just in terms of physical durability, but in emotional resonance. Her attention to detail, from the initial concept through the final polish, ensures that each piece meets the highest standards of craftsmanship while remaining true to its intended purpose.
Susan Lister Locke offers something increasingly rare in today’s marketplace: the opportunity to own pieces that are not just beautiful objects, but meaningful expressions of personal history, natural wonder, and artistic vision.
Through her unique blend of technical skill, artistic vision, and deep understanding of what makes jewelry truly meaningful, Lister Locke has established herself as more than a designer—she is a curator of memories, a translator of emotions, and a creator of future heirlooms that honor both the beauty of the natural world and the stories of the people who wear them.
Susan Lister Locke Gallery • 28 Easy Street • SusanListerLocke.com
