Our Story

The Designer

Suzanne Dunn, Founder and Creative Director, is a designer and storyteller who for over twenty years has been telling the stories of others through her bespoke fine jewelry designs. In 2021, Suzanne launched her eponymous luxury brand with a social conscience, SUZANNE DUNN JEWELRY. With an esthetic characterized by bold sophistication, spiritual references and exquisite artisanship, the brand creates exceptional spiritually grounding modern heirloom jewelry for discerning collectors who appreciate simplicity but demand luxury. All SUZANNE DUNN collections are designed to inspire, tell stories and stand as a reminder of God’s unconditional love for us and our inherent ability to do extraordinary things.

Born and raised on the tropical Caribbean isle of Jamaica, Suzanne points to her matriarchal upbringing, her strong faith in Christ and her belief in the power of perseverance for her success. During her teen years, she relocated to the United States to pursue her then life-long dream of a medical career. However, after completing her first undergraduate degree in Health Science, and successfully completing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Suzanne realized her interest in medicine had waned. Pivoting to pursue her creative flair, Suzanne became fascinated with architecture and received a second undergraduate degree in Commercial Interior Design and began pursuing her graduate degree in Architecture.

Early on in her professional career, Suzanne witnessed a colleague being verbally victimized by an abusive supervisor, which resulted in the colleague making a decision that no mother should ever be forced to make. Suzanne, deeply empathetic and faced with a crisis of conscience, made a vow that day to never allow herself to be placed in any similar situations. It was that vow and a determination to build a successful business representing hope, freedom and the unconditional love of God while empowering and enriching the lives of women that would begin her journey in jewelry design.

Suzanne’s creativity, penchant for excellence and perpetual love of education flared into passion once again as she enrolled in and subsequently graduated from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). After apprenticing with several master jewelers, Suzanne fully embarked on a journey that continues today to establish a luxury jewelry brand with a difference. Her keen design sensibility has been influenced largely by her faith, study of ancient architecture and her lively interests in anthropology and urban art.

Committed to environmental sustainability, all SUZANNE DUNN jewelry is thoughtfully created with responsibly mined precious metals, 100% conflict-free diamonds and colored gemstones that are traceable from mine to market.

Suzanne’s journey to success was not one lacking in challenges and sacrifice. It has been her love of jewelry storytelling and her firm belief that design is one way in which God has called her to minister to others that have kept her focused on her mission.

Future aspirations for SUZANNE DUNN JEWELRY include becoming a brand committed to and being known for providing opportunities for women who have overcome adversity, as Suzanne herself has done; and developing a program that eventually provides apprenticeship to women interested in business ownership and/or the jewelry trade. In honor of this commitment, a portion of all sales is donated to non-profit organizations with a similar mission to economically empower women across the globe. Suzanne believes that it is her responsibility – and it is her joy – to pay it forward.

“The design process is a spiritual journey. It is one way that
God communicates with me.” - Suzanne Dunn

The Brand

SUZANNE DUNN JEWELRY was birthed from a profound vision and a determined desire to create a fine jewelry brand that would bring to its collectors modern heirloom pieces that speak the message of hope, freedom and the unconditional love of God, while providing economic empowerment to women who have overcome adversity in the local and global communities. The belief that every person has a unique story to tell and has a God-given ability to do extraordinary things in their lives, serve as inspiration for the SUZANNE DUNN collections.

The brand’s timeless designs are passionately crafted in New York City by skilled jewelers who employ time-honored metalsmithing techniques combined with the love of their trade, to produce modern heirloom jewelry with soul. Committed to environmental sustainability and social empowerment, all SUZANNE DUNN collections are thoughtfully made with responsibly mined precious metals, 100% conflict-free diamonds and colored gemstones that are traceable from mine to market. Additionally, in keeping with the brand’s commitment to provide economic empowerment to women, a portion of all SUZANNE DUNN sales is donated to non-profit organizations with a similar commitment. 

SUZANNE DUNN collections are designed for discerning collectors wishing to express themselves and tell their stories through inspirational and meaningful modern heirloom jewelry.

Design Ethos

SUZANNE DUNN’s jewelry is crafted with precious metals and gemstones that have been carefully sourced to reflect our commitment to social empowerment and environmental sustainability. Our commitment also to ethical manufacturing means that we will only collaborate with suppliers who are actively working to lessen the impact mining has on our planet.

SUZANNE DUNN adheres to a strict policy of using only diamonds from suppliers that comply with the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), a monitoring scheme which guarantees that diamonds do not come from conflict areas or illegitimate sources.

All SUZANNE DUNN’s diamonds are certified by the most respected laboratories in the diamond industry, known for their consistency and unbiased grading systems. The diamond certificate, also known as the diamond report, includes an in depth analysis of the diamond’s dimensions, clarity, color, polish, symmetry, and other characteristics.

From responsibly mined precious metals to 100% conflict free diamonds to our commitment to support healthy and happy working conditions for our entire supply chain, every step we take moves us closer to achieving a higher level of sustainability.

 

“My designs should not just be pretty, they should speak when words are just not enough.” - Suzanne Dunn

 

Meet with a Designer