What’s in a name?

Well, yes, Galatea IS my name. But besides being based on my name, what does “Galatea Designs” mean?

You may remember the Greek myth of Pygmalion, a mortal who sculpted a statue so beautiful that he fell in love with it.  Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, took pity on the lovesick artist, and brought to life the exquisite sculpture, which was named Galatea.

So, in addition to standing for creative excellence and superb craftsmanship, the name “Galatea Designs” also carries connotations of striking visual appeal and of man’s love for woman …appropriate themes relating to our work with couples becoming engaged and those celebrating anniversaries.

Whether you have a jewelry design in mind or wish to work with me toward a design, the goal of Galatea Designs is to give life to a concept.  From a simple engagement solitaire to more ornate designs, we create from precious stone and metals jeweled art that you will love.

And while you’ll love what we create, don’t become so enamored with it like Pygmalion did …save falling in love for your bride.  Trust me to sculpt the jewelry given as a token of that love, which you will likewise treasure forever.

Read more about our design and fabrication services, and see how Galatea Designs, as a diamond broker, also achieves the goal of affordability.

Founded in 1985,

Galatea Designs has earned international attention and respect as a diamond broker and jewelry design firm, listed with Dun & Bradstreet and the Jeweler’s Board of Trade.

After attending The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Galatea’s earliest designs were the focus of much attention during her work as a branch officer in a local financial institution. As more and more customers, intrigued by Galatea’s unique jewelry and sense of style, were dropping in merely to see what she was wearing that day or to ask about her designs, she began selling jewelry even before opening her own business.

Known originally as “Jewelry and Gift Exchange” when founded in 1985, Galatea Designs quickly secured reputable and reliable contacts with jewelry manufacturers, and from its inception has offered a superior line of proprietary jewelry designs as well as personalized jewelry creations, which transform customers’ ideas into wearable works of art.

As our contacts expanded to include diamond cutters and brokers around the globe, Galatea Designs has specialized in procuring diamonds certified by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) or the European Gemological Laboratory (EGL), meeting the requirements and exacting specifications of even the most demanding clients. Taking advantage of our extensive network of diamond brokerage houses and diamond cutters located worldwide, customers of Galatea Designs may purchase from exclusive resources otherwise unavailable to them; by thus eliminating the “middle man” and the associated price markups, and buying directly from the source, we are able to pass significant savings on to our clients.

Recently, while attending an international jewelry show in New York City, Galatea was approached by a prominent European manufacturer, who wanted more information about the jewelry Galatea was wearing at the time. Upon learning that Galatea had designed the pieces, she was invited to design pieces for sale in the Spanish market. Within days of being flown to Madrid by the manufacturer, an agreement was reached under which Center Joya would produce Galatea’s designs for sale in Europe and the United States.

In 1998, the design proposal submitted by Galatea for a commemorative ring for the University of Alabama was selected and licensed by the Collegiate Licensing Company for manufacture and sale to the public. Click here for more information on the licensed University of Alabama Commemorative Ring.

A limited series of silver jewelry items designed by Galatea for a local retailer is available exclusively at White Flowers Gallery, which is located at 2824 Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook, Alabama (205-871-4640).

Through Galatea Designs, you can not only order loose or mounted diamonds and gemstones meeting your specifications or have Galatea create a unique jewelry item reflecting your personal design, but you may also obtain fine jewelry from the lines of any manufacturer worldwide, all at a savings. In the interest of saving both time and money, rather than conduct an exhausting and often frustrating search for a particular jewelry item they desire, customers often rely upon Galatea Designs to sift through myriad choices from a world of sources and locate just the piece they desire.

Galatea Designs serves men and women of refined taste who appreciate fine jewelry, not only as an investment, but also for its intrinsic beauty and unique design. We create elegant jewelry of the utmost quality for a diverse clientele, and have had clients travel here from as far away as New York and Hawaii to have their ideas transformed from concept to creation, from dreams to reality, as Galatea brings to the task her experience, creativity, listening skills, attention to detail, and her sense of style.

We work by appointment only, which allows customers to select a diamond or consider the design of their jewelry in a more relaxed setting free from distractions, and permits Galatea to devote full attention to the needs of her clients. Whether you are planning an engagement, a special gift to say “I love you,” or you wish to see your jewelry design idea created as a wearable work of art, Galatea Designs is available to assist with your diamond and jewelry-design needs.