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Greenport, NY—Many jewelers can identify with Susan Pridham, a jeweler on Long Island’s North Fork. A sole proprietor selling handmade and custom-designed jewelry in her own store for 10 years after a long career making handcrafted jewelry, by 2017 Pridham was exhausted and burnt out, to the point where she considered trying to sell the business.

Enter Alexa Seuss—literally—who walked into Pridham’s shop, Blue Ruth. Seuss, a goldsmith in her own right who was trying to decide whether to go out on her own or work for someone else, struck up a conversation with Pridham, who found herself confiding how overwhelmed she felt. That led to a partnership and today the women co-own Common Ground Jewelry. The North Forker caught up with them to tell their story. From the article:

“The design and overall aesthetic of Common Ground is a perfect blend of the sensibilities that define both artisans. They readily acknowledge their differences but have also struck the kind of balance that their business name implies. ‘We are very different but if you do a Venn diagram with the two of us, the stuff that’s really important we have in common,” Pridham said. “I really appreciate her vision and she appreciates mine. We fell into a rhythm, and here we are.’”

Pridham and Seuss specialize in unusual stones, and especially for engagement rings, where they offer salt and pepper diamonds, grey diamonds, champagne diamonds, and non-diamond options like sapphire or morganite, plus recycled metals and a commitment to transparency and ethical sourcing.

In addition to their handmade jewelry, the jewelers offer silversmithing workshops and lessons in the community.

A trio of gray diamond engagement rings, above, and green sapphire rings, below, from Common Ground Jewelry in Greenport, NY.

Read more here.