Pamela Zamore says she is a natural collaborator, a trait she’s honed as an avid art collector and over her pre-jewelry careers as a copywriter and interior designer, and working with others toward a common goal is part of what drew her to jewelry.

Being a collaborator involves sharing ideas, resources, and expertise, as Zamore now does when working closely with her Rhode Island jeweler to turn her sketches into pieces for the Pamela Zamore Jewelry brand.

“I design jewelry that is timeless, elegant, and modern that can take women anywhere. I am averse to trendiness because in an increasingly disposable world, I value things that stand the test of time but that also are of this moment,” says Zamore, who’s based in Boston.

She grew up in Connecticut, with three siblings, in a household where cultural experiences were emphasized. Her family often went to New York City, as well as to Yale University or elsewhere in New Haven, Conn., to see art shows and plays.

Zamore’s father was a pioneer in open heart surgery. She describes her mother as a woman of strength and generosity—and says her mother’s style and 1970s glamour are influences on her work today. An early but powerful jewelry memory is a silver and turquoise cuff her mother owned, a handmade piece that Zamore says exuded beauty and power.

While she was double majoring in art history and communications at the University of Florida, drawing became more than a hobby for Zamore. She went to Paris after graduating in 1990 and worked at an art gallery on the Left Bank.

Following that formative Parisian experience, Zamore spent seven years as a copywriter at the Boston-based marketing agency Bronner Slosberg Humphrey (now known as Digitas).

“I was a very good writer, but it became increasingly clear to me that I was primarily a visual person and that I should alter my path to reflect this,” Zamore says. “After I had my boys, I went back to school to study interior design and for several years worked specifically on large renovations specializing in the selection of materials and finishes.”

Collaborating with architects and contractors was invigorating, Zamore says, and she liked having time and space to learn and experiment. She especially enjoyed curating collections for her clients, finding ways to express who they are through decorative objects.

Zamore jokes that she never loved a hard corner, and was a perfectionist as an interior designer. Her clients noticed her style, whether it was her Tibetan bangles, her clothing, or her own her home decor. But Zamore realized she wanted to work on something smaller, more finite than a house’s open space—and did so with her shift from interior design to jewelry around 2014.

Once Zamore started sketching jewelry, she says the creativity seemed to flow easily. She would bring all her influences to the jewelry she designed, like seeing the artifacts, modern paintings, and tribal textures she adores in a single cuff or ring.

“Over the course of my life, I have been drawn to things that have a sense of history and cultural importance, things of artistic value and a sense of permanence from across the globe,” Zamore says.

Originally she designed and cast jewelry in silver, but she made the switch to gold around 2023, when she began selling both wholesale and retail. In the past year she gained recognition for her knowledge and acumen in making finely crafted jewels when she was selected as a finalists for the inaugural Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer Award.

“Coupled with the inspiration I gained from the powerful, resilient women in my life, I was inspired to sketch a collection of jewelry that is bold, sculptural, textural and evocative of all of these influences,” Zamore says.

Top: Pamela Zamore says her jewelry comes out of her love for art, history, and global travel. (Photos courtesy of Pamela Zamore Jewelry)

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