ABOUT
Our name, PONTIEL, is derived - with a twist - from "pontil", the iron rod used in shaping glass.
For designer Shelley Marks Weathers designing jewelry with vintage glass is the extension of a lifelong interest in color, transparency, and art. Shelley studied painting and art history at Occidental College where her fascination with the transparency of paint evolved into an infatuation with glass. From college, she went into the art world working in museums and galleries in both Los Angeles and London. Maintaining her passion for glass, Shelley began designing hair accessories adorned with glass and Swarovski crystal. She experienced great success in the nineties selling Shelley Marks Accessories to stores such as Barney’s, Harrod’s, and Neiman Marcus and was often featured in fashion publications including Vogue and Elle. PONTIEL emerged as a creative avenue to use the glass that Shelley had begun collecting.
PONTIEL is a contemporary jewelry collection designed with rare, often one-of-a-kind, vintage crystal and glass dating from the Art Deco to Modernist periods. The glass I source was originally made for jewelry or to adorn high fashion clothing. I hope you will enjoy these timeless creations that are representative and evocative of an influential time in history.
- Shelley Marks Weathers