Angela Cummings

With a portfolio of designs that have remained continuously relevant and desirable in the decades since their creation, Angela Cummings’ place among the defining jewelers of the 20th (and early 21st century) is secure. A creative spirit to the core—she contemplated becoming a painter early on—she has received wide recognition for her contributions to the jewelry industry, including the Coty Award and the DeBeers International Award.

Angela Cummings was born in Austria in 1944 and educated in art, gemology, and goldsmithing in Italy and Germany.

In 1968, at age 23, she moved to New York City and joined Tiffany & Co. as protégé to renowned jewelry designer Donald Claflin.

By 1975, Angela debuted a collection under her own name—one of only a few Tiffany designers ever to do so.

Angela's work was celebrated for its graphic, sculptural shapes; mother-of-pearl and stone inlays; and nature-inspired motifs, with pieces ranging from accessible (a $150 seagull brooch) to extraordinary (a $1.5 million geometric necklace with emeralds and diamonds, prices in 1982).

After leaving Tiffany in 1983, Cummings opened the first fine jewelry boutique at Bergdorf Goodman—a 500-square-foot space on the main floor dedicated solely to her designs. Her work soon appeared at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, and Neiman Marcus.