As Zoe breezed into the Cornerstone Coffeehouse, her boho chic look and warm smile were as dazzling as the antique gold bangles that dangled from her arm.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” she said. “My client’s appointment ran longer than expected.”
She smiled, as her exquisite, custom-made coin ring clanked on the side of her latte mug.
Zoe Schulder is the owner of Zoe’s Antiques & Estate Jewelry, a business offering one-of-a-kind, affordable luxury jewelry that incorporates the past with the present. And, while her pieces are primarily antique or vintage, Zoe scours the marketplace for jewelry that speaks to the modern client. Whether you spotted leopard at Gucci or feminine florals at Dior this fall fashion season, Zoe is sure to have a piece that represents today’s trends.
Zoe’s love of luxury jewelry has deep roots. She recalls her mother’s style as “bohemian,” not unlike her own, with “a refined taste in simple gold and silver jewelry. She was a lover of the arts and a believer of supporting local businesses.”
This mindset fueled Zoe’s artistic and entrepreneurial spirit. She developed an awareness of fine things at a young age, fostered by her parents but enhanced by her aunt and uncle, with whom she traveled the world in her early years. This experience opened her eyes to the beauty of different cultures and gave her a greater appreciation of art and jewelry.
Yet, despite this artistic sensibility, Zoe graduated with a degree in psychology and decided to give the world of government a whirl, working in the House of Representatives as a legislative analyst for one year.
Finding this was not for her, she followed her artistic and creative calling, which led her to enroll at The New School for Design in New York City. After several years, the cost of big city living became exorbitant, and she made the decision to return to Harrisburg, a move that unknowingly would launch the start of her career as a visual artist and business owner.
On her return, she promoted herself as a freelance visual merchandiser and began creating signage for the Colonial Park Mall, which, in a short time, resulted in her executing all of the visual merchandising for the mall property. This job led to additional clients, such as The York Galleria and The Avenue at White Marsh in Baltimore, where she served as the sole, freelance visual merchandiser. Simultaneously, she marketed herself as an interior decorator to local boutiques and businesses in the Harrisburg area and decided to open a brick-and-mortar business in Camp Hill on Market Street, Zoe’s Signature Antiques. Here, for 10 years, she combined her visual merchandising and design expertise with her love of “found objects,” both vintage and antique.
However, as life changed and family became a central focus, Zoe made the difficult decision to close her doors in Camp Hill, which brings us to her current business. Zoe’s Antiques & Estate Jewelry merges her entrepreneurial spirit, artistic sensibility, industry knowledge and passion for jewelry.
When she discusses this venture, Zoe’s enthusiasm can’t be contained.
“I keep up with the trends when buying for my business,” she said. “I look for items that have a history but also represent current styles. Not only do I find unique pieces with a past, but also I create special, contemporary pieces with vintage components.”
And some of Zoe’s personal favorite pieces might fool one to think they were uncovered in the aisles of Neiman Marcus or discovered tucked away at Tory Burch—like a tortoise, vintage lucite chain with a flower pendant; a yellow-gold, mesh handkerchief choker; and an Art Deco rose-gold tassel necklace, all vintage interpretations of modern trends at a fraction of today’s retail costs.
“The difference lies in the materials and the construction,” Zoe points out. “Most of my pieces are either gold, silver or gold-filled and one-of-a-kind, unlike some of the current leading designer brands that use only base metals, like brass and surgical steel, but then charge an excessive price.”
Zoe quickly found an enthusiastic clientele for her jewelry. Susan Rohn, executive director of the Yocum Institute for Arts Education, describes Zoe’s collection as “wonderfully assorted” and finds “shopping with Zoe a lovely experience.”
“Zoe has an amazing eye, an artist’s eye,” added local attorney and long-time client Diana Clark. “Her pieces are remarkable, and she is fair with her pricing. She has something for everyone.”
So, for those of you who appreciate loved luxury, Zoe’s Antiques & Estate Jewelry offers heritage pieces with a modern interpretation to the sophisticated, metropolitan client.
Zoe’s Antiques & Estate Jewelry can be found at the Antique Marketplace, 415 Bosler Ave., Lemoyne, and at Historic Acres of Hershey, 2975 Elizabethtown Rd., Hershey. More information is at www.zoeschulder.com and on Facebook. She is in the process of launching an e-commerce site.
