The Studio
Our team will expertly guide you through the aesthetic and practical considerations of various styles and approaches in a delightfully collaborative process of discovery and design.
Karl
Originally from New York City, Karl worked as a cab driver before hearing the Siren Song of the jewelry world. One fateful snowy evening after a long shift, Karl was driving home in his cab when a frenzied man hailed him down pleading for a lift. Karl was off the clock, and the blizzard was starting to pickup, so he said no. The man was persistent and gave the address, 47th street, Diamond Row. The two connected on the drive and Karl began his introduction to the jewelry industry.
Over the last 40 years Karl has created rings for Tiffany, serviced brooches and bracelets recovered from the RMS Titanic, and built the setting for one of the world’s largest diamonds.
Learn about Karl’s experience restoring the precious antiques rescued from the Titanic!
Throughout his career, Karl’s dream was to open a jewelry atelier where goldsmiths work directly with clients to craft this generations’ heirlooms. Rings True has been the realization of this dream. Since 2015 Karl has been working create personal designs, timelessly crafted, and exchanges which exude only the upmost authenticity. Karl works with our clients to ensure the custom design represents them beautifully, while standing up to the test of time. He will ensure your precious pieces, whether real or still imagined, are given the upmost care and attention.
What’s precious to you is precious to us!
Zack
Zack is a North Carolina native, born and raised in Rocky Mount. His proclivity towards the arts was evident early through his gift for sketching and eye for design. He attended East Carolina University to study Fine Arts with a concentration in Metals. Zack’s passion for jewelry was ignited amidst a study abroad experience in Italy, where he intended to soak up as much knowledge on metalwork from the masters as possible.
Upon his return to the states, Zack and Karl’s paths crossed during an advanced stone setting class Karl was teaching. The two remained good friends and kept in touch after the workshop. One day Zack visited Karl’s shop in Raleigh and was offered a job right on the spot— the rest is history. Zack is now approaching Master Setter level, as he learns from one of the best in the industry, Karl Linger.
Zack has been a pillar of the Rings True Family since 2018. Not only is Zack our young Master Jeweler, he is also our resident sketch artist for bespoke jewelry.
During the custom creation process, Zack quietly takes note of all desired elements for the piece and comes back with three options for the custom design.
He diligently and meticulously works to incorporate all personal elements of the piece in an imaginative yet classic way. With his help, we can make your dream jewelry a dreamy reality.
Zoë
Can you believe that Zoë worked as an over-the-road Big Rig driver?! She traveled through all 48 continental states, and trekked over 100,000 miles.
Zoë got her start as the website developer and content creator for Uniquities. She also has a background in the fashion industry as a Business Manager and Retail Buyer for Sofia’s Boutique. She managed Sofia’s for two years, focusing primarily on Jewelry Buying before joining the Rings True Family!
Zoë is our studio manager, designer, and our Gemologist! Zoe creates the custom design through sketchwork, sources the gemstones, holds appointments with our clients, and manages the flow of all our custom jobs as they move through the shop! Whether you’re looking to redesign a piece handed down, or create something entirely new, Zoë will be your point of contact every step along the way!
Zoë is a GIA certified Diamond and Colored Stone Grader. She is completing a course of study to become a Graduate Gemologist through the Gemological Institute of America.
She has studied Jewelry Rendering and is our counter sketch artist as the first step in our Custom Creation Process!
Zoë is a part of our designer - jeweler duo. Once you come in for consultation, Zoë will be there for you throughout the entire custom process.
Caroline
Caroline Lawless is a SAG-E actor, screenwriter and director. She holds a B.A. in Graphic Design from Emory & Henry and is currently pursuing a certificate in Film and TV Industry Essentials from New York University (NYU) with a focus on cinematography and production.
Carolines background in art and cinematography made her the perfect fit to fill the role of our shop documentarian. She is the mastermind behind our marketing and branding, always coming up with fun ideas to document our process and rouse the imagination! Carolines attention to detail and appreciation for beauty makes her the perfect person to capture and convey all that goes on behind the scenes in our studio! She is the genius responsible for our social media content creation and overall online presence - she keeps us up to date with creative posts and videos sure to spark joy and stir intrigue! Check out our Instagram and Facebook to see Carolines work!
Caroline is the visionary force representing the spirit of Rings True - she helps us tell our story so we can share it with you!
Will
Will comes from a family of Jewelers! He has worked in the industry for over twenty years. He has worked for multiple jewelers across the country, and is a bit of a traveler! We feel very fortunate to have him as a new addition to our team. His experience and attention to detail is a major asset for our business.
Will handles all of our repairs. He makes sure everything our repair work is completed diligently and delivered punctually! Will assists in our inventory production, setting gemstones in new earrings or pendants so our sales team can represent new and beautiful creations to our clients! In addition to both repair and inventory, Will helps us with our custom creations.
If you come in to have one of your pieces repaired, chances are Will will be the one to assess your item and outline a pathway to make your jewelry look brand new again!
Sebastiano
Sebastiano is our goldsmith in residence - he is quickly learning to create Custom Jewelry, beginning with adding beautiful new inventory items to our cases.
Originally from Italy, Sebastiano recently left home in search of an opportunity to learn to create Fine Jewelry. In his time with us he has demonstrated his talent and passion for the craft. We are inspired by his zeal for the trade and determination to make his dreams come true. We are fortunate to have such a motivated and enthusiastic addition to our Rings True Family.
Sebastiano has proved himself to be a true natural, taking on the goldsmithing trade with fervor and grace.
Sebastiano has a passion for metalwork, and an eye for beauty. The combination of these factors made him a seemless fit into our Rings True Family. His drive for perfection and positive determination give him the perfect set of skills to master the art of Fine Jewelry Making.
Sebastiano assists in the production of our inventory offerings - next time you stop by the shop you are sure to spot some of his hand fabricated hoop earrings on display!
Juliet
Juliet is a Connecticut native, just recently trading in the Snowfall for Sweet Southern Summers!
Juliet is skilled in the art of wire-wrapping, and created her own jewelry before even joining our team! You won’t be surprised to stop by and see her sporting some of her very own creations! We intend to help foster her passion for jewelry making as she continues to grow with us.
Juliet is learning the Art of Design and counter sketching from Zack and Zoe to help us fulfill our Custom Orders through mechanical renderings! An artist by nature, Juliet is taking to pencil sketching quickly and will surely be creating inventory and custom designs for us in no time at all!
In addition to sales and design, Juliet is learning the Art of Stringing! She has proven herself to be a true natural - at this point she has taken over all of our pearl and diamond strand stringing!
We expect Juliet to become one of our full time Custom Designers, completing custom appointments and creating her very own custom designs!
