Angie Olami and ruins of old becoming treasures of now.

During the Roman Empire, dating to 100 B.C.E. through 300 C.E., there was a revolution: the art of glass blowing. This allowed for unique pieces that were light-weight and eye-catching: vessels, bowls, perfume tinctures and other houseware and trinkets decorated the halls, chambers and streets of the Roman Empire in the Middle East. Shards of these vessels have been found en masse during archaeological digs of pillars and once great cities. What is unique about these remnants of a mighty civilization is the variation in color within them, almost an opalescence that resembles abalone shell and is ever-changing with time. This coloration is a chemical reaction to the elements and minerals in the soil, specific to the dramatic and harsh climate of the Middle East. Layers of patina wrapped around the found remnants of vessels and refract the light, creating the iridescent colors.



Angie Olami and the craftsmen she works with in Israel, as well in her studio in New Jersey, set these pieces of glass into finely crafted sterling silver after a labor intensive cleaning and brushing process, where they remove excess patina so it will not, in her words, "flake off and look like 2,000 year old technicolored dandruff." The final pieces of glass are solid and stable: thinner, longer pieces are then cut into bewitching earrings, and thicker, deeply colored pieces are reserved for more substantial necklaces, brooches and one of a kind pieces of jewelry.


Angie Olami, Inc. was started twenty years ago after Angie received her B.A. in English literature from Yale, after studying Russian literature at the University of St. Petersburg, working on an archeological dig in Israel, traveling throughout Nepal, and living in Southern Spain. All of these experiences and travels were fused into the stunning creations that would unfold in the decades to come. This impressive globe-trotting artisan speaks five languages, and her designs use mythologcal and linguistic symbolism from Israel, Mesopotamia, Greece and the world of Dante in Florence. Her work is timeless, unique and will last for generations to come, the perfect gift and heirloom piece.