An Interview With Vienna’s Rising Star Jewelry Designer

From grand gilded buildings to museums galore and stunning natural beauty, Vienna has long been synonymous with jaw-dropping art and architecture. And it’s the endless source of inspiration for Viennese jewelry designer Vera Ziegler, born and raised in this City of Dreams. Each piece of her namesake label, Veralie, is a wearable work of art—hand-made rose gold bracelets, earrings and necklaces masterfully crafted into delicate geometric statement pieces, often with gemstones that appear to float mid-air.

Although she spent many decades as a pharmaceutical sales rep, this self-taught designer decided to pursue her lifelong passion for jewelry, launching her own line in 2013. And it’s no surprise Veralie is taking Vienna by storm—these pieces are made for collecting.

What do you love about living in Vienna and how does it inspire you? I was born in Vienna and can’t imagine living in any other city. Vienna offers everything you’d expect from a big city, yet remains extremely relaxed. This perfect mix is always an inspiration.

When did your passion for jewelry begin? Jewelry has always been very important to me. In fact, there’s been many times in my life when I didn’t leave the house without earrings because I would have felt naked.

What’s your process like, and how long does it take to conceptualize a new earring or bracelet? I don’t consider myself a classic jewelry designer, rather a craftswoman. Instead of designing with a sketchpad—new designs arise during the craftwork itself. It varies how long it takes to create new pieces…sometimes I drop a design and pick it up months later to perfect it.

What do you enjoy most about your work? Along with the creative part, I love working with my hands. Making extremely delicate and tiny things is my greatest passion.

What are you working on now? A new collection of chain rings with diverse gemstones.

What’s your favorite piece of jewelry you’ve ever created? Veralie’s signature piece is the diamond necklace, a creative twist on luxury as it’s not an actual diamond, but shaped like one.

Scout out your favorite pieces on Veralie’s Instagram, DM to see if they’re available and stay tuned for upcoming pop-up shops. Better yet, hop a flight to Vienna and shop her wares at creative-minded boutiques like Siebentage and WunschRaum.