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Julia Ballentine has worked in the jewelry industry for nearly thirty years, earning her certification as a Graduate Gemologist with the Gemological Institute of America early on. In 1992, she began her career at Christie’s Auction House in New York, where she was a cataloguer and gemologist. This was followed by many years at Tiffany & Co where she worked as a Buyer, a Product Development Manager for Engagement, Statement and Schlumberger jewelry, and also as the Manager of the Tiffany Pearl Lab. In 2001 Julia left Tiffany and went back into the antique and estate jewelry world with an exclusive boutique jeweler on Madison Avenue and reconnected with exceptional vintage jewelry. Her experience also includes working at Christie’s London, jewelry design course work at NYC’s Fashion Institute of Technology, design work in Florence, Italy and Appraisal Certification through USPAP. She has been a member of the Jewelers Board of Trade since 2005. She is a graduate of Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, Connecticut and has a B.A. from St. Lawrence University, as well as a G.G. from the Gemological Institute of America.

Over time, Julia discovered that there was a need for excellent customer service and wanted to help navigate what can be a very tricky industry. In the spring of 2005, taking advantage of the relationships with suppliers and craftsman that she had built in her years in the industry, she launched her business on a referral- only basis. It was a natural progression to start Julia Ballentine Fine Jewelry, sourcing beautiful, high quality jewelry for her friends and private clients. 

Today, Julia's website includes available beautiful, fun pieces. This website represents a fraction of the jewelry that she sources and designs for her clients. She specializes in custom design work and is happy to consult on individual projects as time permits.