Marisa Perry, a fine jewelry boutique in NYC's tony West Village neighborhood, marries edgy, high-end design with outstanding customer service. For over two decades, discerning brides and grooms in and around the Big Apple have flocked to the shop to snap up unique engagement rings and wedding bands.
The outpost, named for the vivacious beauty who's the business brains and spokeswoman for the atelier, features exquisite one-of-a-kind designs made by her husband, Douglas Elliott, who’s a fine jewelry veteran and the creative force behind the brand. Together, they maintain a true yin-and-yang partnership.
On a recent afternoon, Perry, dressed elegantly in shades of white while her tatted-up husband was turned out in all-black, summed up her feelings when she first realized the pair would merge their personal and professional lives.
“I was looking to own my own company, while working in the culinary arts, and I met Douglas and saw his jaw-droppingly beautiful line of jewelry,” she recalled. "If you have ever heard the most beautiful song, and it overwhelms and embraces you, that's just how I felt about the beauty of Douglas' jewelry.”
Marisa Perry and Douglas Elliott
Fast-forward 22 years and the two have made Marisa Perry a must-stop shop in downtown Manhattan for anyone who’s recently popped the question. Clients range from young professionals and financiers to second-time-around couples and actors and performers. “We get the crème de la crème of New York,” Perry said.
Elliott, who once produced jewelry lines for Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, specializes in micro-pavé (metal that looks paved in tiny diamonds) and has a seemingly endless talent for reimagining the simple solitaire setting.
He recently came up with dozens of new styles with technological improvements on the enduring classic. And he particularly takes pride in a three-stone engagement ring that fits flush with a wedding band. “If you go into the majority of jewelry stores and ask for a three-stone ring that fits flush, they’ll tell you it can’t be done,” Elliott said. “I want to give the customer something that’s new and different that they haven’t had before. I want to give a woman something that will make her hand look beautiful with the stone that she picks. And no matter what setting she purchases, I’ll have the wedding band. I’ll have several choices for that customer.”
Some of the standout pieces at Marisa Perry include a 5.02 ct. Asscher-cut diamond engagement ring featuring a double row of micro-pavé on the band, four prongs and the atelier's signature Robin setting. The mega-watt sparkler set in platinum, $268,000, was a winner of industry design contenst JCK Jewelry Awards for Best Bridal design in 2020. The Edge solitaire engagement ring does away with conventional basket diamond setting and prongs and holds the diamond in a demi-bezel, which allows for greater light exposure and, therefore, brilliance. The Edge can be made in platinum, 18k gold or 18k rose gold with 1 ct. diamonds on up (price upon request). The boutique also lays claim to the world’s thinnest micro-pavé diamond wedding ring – just 1mm wide – in platinum and tagged at $3,800.
Marisa Perry herself wears a massive cocktail ring-sized engagement ring made by her husband. The Midnight Dream Ring (see it at top) features a 4.86 ct. radiant-cut rectangular diamond framed by half-moon shaped diamonds, adding curves to the geometric shape. A clover design with the signature micro-pavé design is finished in gold and black rhodium.
“Do I know what’s coming down the road in design in my head?” said Elliott. “Yes. I have so many designs. I want to make all the ideas in my mind; I have an avalanche of things to create.” But when it comes to embarking on a diamond engagement ring, Perry and Elliott like to start with the fundamentals: loose diamonds. “You can see diamonds set in rings, but I would prefer customers to see our loose diamonds—they are as good at you can get,” he said. “These customers get the wonderful lift that I get out of life looking at these minerals and being able to go step by step and compare them.”
The shop doesn't use lab-grown diamonds as a rule. “I can’t sell something to a person I know will not have value later on,” Perry said, to which her husband quickly quipped, “We don’t f****** sell lab-grown diamonds. Next question.” (Note: opinions in the industry vary regarding the future value of lab-grown diamonds). The owners may playfully banter with each other and a reporter, but they're friendly to the core, and strive to establish a personal connection with their clients.
Walk into the boutique on 636 Hudson Street and you’re immediately greeted by smiling salespeople. The store's elegant gray-and-white interior, embellished with crystal chandeliers and red décor elements placed throughout, includes ethereal-feeling white curtains, which provide privacy and a residential warmth. The vibe is luxurious and calming—intentionally. Perry and Elliott know full well that engaged couples tend to be in a heightened state of anxiety. Their lives are changing drastically and they suddenly need to bone up on the science of gemology to buy a ring! Getting them to a place of physical and emotional comfort is key.
“There are a few things that New Yorkers hold consistent,” said Elliott. “When they go to a restaurant and they’ve been treated horribly, they never go back. Simple things [like treating them well] cost you nothing and make a customer feel and really appreciate you.”
As for future business plans, Perry is embarking on a new shopper-friendly website and considering an Upper East Side location. In the meantime, the couple will continue to do what they do best. “I know how to make beautiful rings,” said Elliott. And how!
