Three polished agates for 25 cents – that was Elle Schroeder’s very first purchase with her allowance. And then she tried to figure out how to wear them. So it’s not a surprise to Elle’s family and friends that she became a jewelry artist – just that it took her so long.
Elle’s serendipitous career path included several years working for an airline (and all the travel she could schedule) followed by 20 years in high-tech -- this briefly bisected by a 2 ½ year adventure managing a small resort on a 4-acre coconut atoll in the Kingdom of Tonga.
In 2003, a happy accident led to an epiphany, followed shortly by silver smithing and lapidary classes as well as the inception of her “wallet-friendly” site, glimmerdream.com. Continuing her exploration of gemology, Elle launched www.elleschroeder.com in 2006, five collections inspired by ancient civilizations. Today in her San Jose studio, she happily works on her limited edition and one-of-a-kind jewelry creations, appreciated for their originality, opulence and timelessness.