William was born in Philadelphia in 1908. He was known for his sculpted pearl jewellery.
He started his career at Mauboussin in Atlantic City. As he rose through the ranks to manager, he purchased three boxes of pearls.
What made Ruser a cutting-edge jeweler? You will be surprised – these are freshwater pearl shoeboxes that he bought from a button seller in Mississippi before the war. Freshwater pearls were widely used during the Art Nouveau period, but demand began to decline. Ruser helped bring back the popularity of pearls. From these pearls, he created numerous decorations in the form of animals, flowers and angels. He also added diamonds and precious stones. Thanks to his imagination and love for his work, his jewelry is still collectible today. In 1947, together with his wife Polina, he opened his own business – Ruser Jewels.
Roeser closed his business and retired in 1969. He died in 1994.
Over the 20 years of Ruser Jewels’ existence, William Ruser’s designs have been featured in many films. “Sorry Wrong Number” (1948) is the very first film in which actress Barbara Stanwyck shows off Rouser’s jewelry. Shirley MacLaine and Caroline Jones appeared in William’s jewelry in the lead roles in The Career (1955).
