Sarina Mennasemay

As owner and designer of Truffle Jewelry in New York, Sarina Mennasemay creates handmade pieces that draw inspiration from the ocean and the surrounding urban environment. Starting with classical designs, Sarina Mennasemay infuses her works with dreamy, fantastical elements, reflecting diverse influences such as the artist Ernst Haeckel and imagined places. Her custom pieces are crafted exclusively from precious and semi-precious stones, as well as from fine metals.

Prior to founding Truffle Jewelry in early 2011, Sarina Mennasemay spent a year as Gemologist and Quality Control Inspector with Delage Jewelers in New York City. She undertook production work, graded diamonds following Gemological Institute of America standards, and matched colored stones. She also assessed the authenticity and value of items, and performed sales and customer-service functions. In assisting with ring designs, Ms. Mennasemay worked with rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and tanzanites. She additionally photographed pieces for promotional purposes, organizing a product catalogue.

Sarina Mennasemay's current focus in jewelry builds on more than a decade of experience in the thespian arts. After studying Theater at The Neighborhood Playhouse, she became an actress. Ms. Mennasemay was notably a member of the Ridge Street Company Theater, appearing in diverse off-Broadway productions, including the Cherry Orchard and the critically acclaimed Mono (as H). She additionally acted in several films and performed voiceover work, such as speaking in French over Scarlett Johansson's voice for the Calvin Klein "One" perfume campaign.

Among Sarina Mennasemay's passions are goldsmithing and silversmithing. She has traveled throughout the world to locations such as Brazil, Cuba, Israel, South Africa, and Morocco. In her free time, Sarina Mennasemay enjoys Samba dancing and Bikram yoga.