“Most of my designs are inspired by the gemstones themselves- gems like opals, sapphires, and tourmalines begin a story that I get to complete,” Melissa explains. Drawn to the arts from a young age, she grew up with sculptures, paintings and beaded jewelry playing a part in everyday activities throughout her childhood. Following her gemology studies at GIA, Melissa is adept at using her well-honed eye in the hand selection of each of the stones she incorporates into her body of work.

Given the natural variations in colored gemstones, each of Melissa’s pieces are inherently one-of-a-kind. She also offers a selection of unique, one-of-a-kind pieces featuring exotic gems like tumbled opal and crystalized meteor, in which the gemstones dictate the direction of her designs. Her newly introduced Dolly collection, which is inspired by the legendary singer Dolly Parton, is similar to her popular Gemfetti collection in that it allows clients to work with Melissa in designing their own bespoke pieces featuring gemstone and color combinations of their choice. Each piece flaunts large gemstones at the center accented by brilliant gemstone borders.

M. Spalten has also recently launched The Lady collection. Defined by femininity and grace, the collection highlights gemstones that drape gracefully across the neck and is made to be worn individually or layered together. The brand has also expanded upon its iconic Gem I.D. bracelets and Double Heart earrings with the introduction of an extensive selection of new color combinations. Each one of Melissa’s prolific designs are crafted in 18k or 14k gold and are meticulously hand crafted to ensure exceptional craftsmanship.