Let Them Dangle: Marissa Alperin's dainty drop earrings.   (Photo: Carina Salvi)

After a brief stint as a National Geographic translator, 25-year-old Marissa Alperin went back to school, learned a new craft, and, last February, opened her own jewelry shop in Brooklyn Heights, just steps from where she grew up (her grandparents had a grocery store in this space in the fifties).

I visited Alperin’s shop on a sleepy weekday afternoon and was struck by how the homey atmosphere—tin ceilings, brick walls, kids playing in the park across the street—was a perfect match for the colorful jewelry Alperin creates in a back room.

There’s a lot to choose from, but my favorites were the stackable gold rings with single semiprecious stones ($300) and cluster earrings and bracelets made with pearls and gems ($100 to $900). Inspired by her upcoming wedding, Alperin has also created a range of bridal styles that she’ll tailor to customers’ tastes. A four-prong setting with tiny stones in the prongs is her signature; wedding bands are $500 and up. Marissa Alperin Studio, 25 State Street, Brooklyn (718-243-2326).

Related:

• Archive: “Shop Talk”
• Articles by Rima Suqi
• Table of Contents: Aug 4, 2003 issue of New York | Subscribe!