11-year-old sells jewelry at Farmers Market

The 11-year-old rocks a streak of blue dye in her blondish hair and has a soft spot for lime-green shoes. Cassie also has a social conscience: A couple of weeks ago, she started selling homemade jewelry at Steamboat Springs’ weekly Farmers Market for charity. Her profits will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the American Heart Association.

She sports her own beaded hemp creations, which she says she can whip up in about five minutes apiece. Cassie lets creativity be her guide. Rules? She’s got only one: “It kind of has to match. I wouldn’t put something on that didn’t match.”

Cassie learned how to make the necklaces and bracelets at her birthday party in December. Before she started selling the accessories at the market, she and a co-entrepreneur tried to market their wares.

“A friend of mine comes in every now and then from Tennessee for the summer,” she said. “We would go around our neighborhood with a wagon — door to door — and that didn’t work so well. We kept trying to find a better way to sell it.”

She decided to go the charitable route.

St. Jude’s was a favorite cause of Cassie’s grandmother, Patsy Wilhelm, who died nearly a year ago. Wilhelm often participated in Saddle Up for St. Jude. The horseback ride raises funds for the hospital, which is in Memphis, Tenn.

Patsy Wilhelm “had a special place in her heart for St. Jude’s,” partly because it doesn’t turn children away if their families cannot pay for care, said Cassie’s mother, Rebecca Wilhelm.

Cassie also chose the American Heart Association because she had heard about it through the Jump Rope for Heart program at her school, Strawberry Park Elementary School.

At the Farmers Market on Sixth Street, Cassie has done well, Rebecca Wilhelm said. She has set up her booth only once so far, on July 19, but raised nearly $40. Her jewelry sells for $1 to $3.

“We have a very generous town,” said Rebecca Wilhelm, who accompanied her daughter but said she stayed in the background.

Better all the time

Cassie calls her business Little Art DBA (doing business as) Tangles and Knots, and she also sells decorated picture frames, canvas bags and other crafts. Tracy Barnett, program manager of Mainstreet Steamboat Springs, waives the $35 booth fee for Cassie.

Cassie’s first day was a hot one, Barnett recalled.

“She didn’t have a tent or an umbrella, so she bought one of these giant floppy hats,” Barnett said. “She was so cute.”

Cassie, who intends to take along an umbrella next weekend, also accepts donations at her booth. Her family planned to spend this weekend at Steamboat Lake, but she said she would set up shop next week. The market runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and goes through Labor Day weekend.

The soon-to-be-sixth-grader said she buys her supplies at Wal-Mart, practically for peanuts. The craft aisle there is one of her favorite spots.

“Hemp and beads come pretty cheap,” Cassie said. “I can get 100 yards for $3 or $4, so I usually take about $15 and get all that stuff.”

She constantly is improving her craft.

“I have found better ways to tie knots, better things to put on, better ways to invest,” Cassie said.

“She’s my little entrepreneur,” Rebecca Wilhelm said.

Cassie’s interests go beyond fashion. She spends her spare time on the family ranch playing mandolin, violin and piano; reading; riding horses and playing with her pets. The family has horses and dogs, but Cassie’s eyes lit up when she talked about the reptiles — though her dad, Rick, won’t let her get a snake.

She loves her bearded dragons, Elvis and Jimmy, and Poseidon, the family’s banana snail. Poseidon originally was supposed to be food for the blue-tailed skink that belongs to her 8-year-old brother, R.J.

R.J. isn’t interested in being a part of the hemp jewelry industry.

“R.J. is a bona fide cowboy,” Rebecca Wilhelm noted.

“And boys don’t wear bracelets,” Cassie chimed in.

But Cassie loves what she’s doing and plans to stay involved in philanthropy.

“I really like making the things,” she said. “That’s my favorite part. And the charities, of course. It makes you feel good.”
Source: steamboatpilot

Jewelry artist goes hippie chic

In style and spirit, the 24-year-old jewelry designer has always yearned for the bygone era and its messages of love and peace. Now, with her new jewelry line, Solomon is using those ideals to make her mark in the competitive industry.

“I like the hippie ideals,” she says. “The music was very powerful and I like the psychedelic art. It was a very vibrant time and very inspiring in terms of jewelry.”

Solomon, who has a studio in Manhattan and at her parents’ home in Wayne, has already attracted a bit of attention with her retro-chic jewelry line. This month’s issue of Lucky Magazine features “Gossip Girl’s” Leighton Meester wearing Solomon’s turquoise thunderbird necklace on the cover; her jewelry has appeared in various other fashion features and jewelry blogs; and Ashley Olsen was also photographed traipsing through Manhattan wearing one of Solomon’s pieces.

“It’s nice when they actually choose your piece and they’re not being told by the stylist to wear it,” Solomon says. “I found it more exciting seeing Ashley Olsen in Us Weekly walking down the street or having lunch with friends wearing the piece rather than just posing in it.”

Growing up in Wayne and Ohio, Solomon was exposed to a lot of fine jewelry through her mother, who had friends in the business. Solomon always had a creative flair and knew she wanted to pursue art in college. She found her niche in jewelry design through a metalsmithing class at University of Michigan.

By her senior year, Solomon was already creating a line for Steven Alan, a celebrated New York designer and boutique owner. After graduating in 2005 with a major in metalsmithing, she worked at New York’s Ten Thousand Things jewelry boutique and as an assistant for designer Sharon Khazzam, whose jewelry is carried at Barney’s New York.

After three years of working, Solomon decided to go off on her own.

“I thought if I really want to do the most creative things that are in my mind and push my ideas forth, I have to focus full time on my own jewelry,” she says.

The ’60s theme is apparent in Solomon’s collection. Stud earrings are shaped into subtle peace signs; the flower theme is carried from rings to pendants to various styles of earrings. And then there is the Native American influence: ancient arrowhead pendants; bright turquoise carved into birds and hearts; small animal-shaped carvings, or “fetishes,” that are meant to empower the wearer with various forces.

“Native Americans really believed that [fetishes] could heal you if you’re ill and protect you if you’re going into a scary situation,” she says. “We all have these keepsakes that we kind of believe in whether it’s a locket or some sort of symbol that we’re superstitious about.”

In addition to various stones and ancient beads, Solomon’s jewelry uses diamonds, gold and silver. But with the rising cost of gold, it took some improvisation to keep her 18-karat gold pieces affordable: some now feature smaller gold charms; some pendants are made on suede straps rather than gold chains; and a few have been remade in sterling silver.

“The themes I put in my jewelry are supposed to remind you of happy things, and it’s supposed to be a whimsical fun thing, and I don’t want just people of a certain standing to be able to have that,” she says.

Solomon’s line is sold online at Elisasolomon.com and at boutiques in New York, California, Ohio, Oregon and Florida. She’s working on getting a few local retailers to carry her line, she adds. For the upcoming season, she plans to expand on the hippie theme by incorporating pieces inspired by rock-and-roll.

“Music was such a pivotal part of when hippies meditated, when they relaxed and hung out,” she says, adding that the new pieces will use colors and musical iconography representative of the era. “Ultimately, I really want people to have a sense of fun with the jewelry.”
Source: northjersey

Levinson Jewelers to Open Second Store

Levinson Jewelers said it is planning to open a second South Florida location in the fall.

The store, set for a November opening, will be in Fort Lauderdale at 888 E. Las Olas Boulevard. This will complement the original Levinson Jewelers location in nearby Plantation.

“This new location is a major testament to the true value of customer loyalty,” said Mark Levinson, co-owner of Levinson Jewelers, along with his wife, Robin. “We have been fortunate to experience more than two decades of success, and now the demand for Levinson Jewelers quality and efficiency is reaching beyond our expectations. We feel we owe it to our current and future customers and friends to expand the Levinson brand.”

The Levinson’s have been hosting a series of 25th Anniversary Celebrations this year, which will peak with a grand opening party for the new store on Nov. 7.
Source: jckonline

Victoriana Jewelry return to original neighborhood

Victoriana Antique & Fine Jewelry will move back to the neighborhood where it opened its doors 31 years ago when it relocates to Larimer Square next week.

The store, which specializes in antique jewelry from the 19th century to the 1940s and carries new and designer jewelry, is leaving Writer Square, where it has operated for the past 17 years, said David Prebble, who owns the store with his wife, Veronica.
Source: denverpost

National Retail Federation Says Jewelry is Hot

Jewelry companies are well-represented among STORES magazine’s 2008 Hot 100 Retailers list. Tiffany, Blue Nile, Finlay Enterprises, and Birks & Mayors were considered among the fastest growing retailers in 2007.

The four companies reported a combined year-over-year revenue growth in 2007 of 14.6 percent, according to the annual ranking, which was published in the August issue of the official publication of the National Retail Federation.

Blue Nile, with its 16th ranking, leads jewelry retailers in sales growth. The Seattle-based Internet diamond and jewelry retailer reported a year-over-year increase in sales of 23.8 percent for 2007. Tiffany, making the list at 45, comes in second among jewelers with sales growth of 14.8 percent for 2007.

Finlay Enterprises, which reported a $10.3 million loss in 2007, landed on the list at number 52, reporting sales growth of 13.1 percent for the year. Birks & Mayors rounds out the list among jewelry companies at 93, reporting a 7 percent sales gain in 2007.

Among retailers that include jewelry in their product mix, Saks, which ranks 58th on the list, reported an 11.7 increase in sales in 2007, followed by Neiman Marcus at 75, with an 8.9 percent growth in sales. Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, reported an 8.6 percent growth in sales, which placed the company at 80 on the list.

Overall, 2007 retail industry sales (which exclude automobiles, gas stations, and restaurants) rose 3.3 percent unadjusted over 2006, according to NRF, the slowest industry retail growth since 2002.

All public companies with more than $100 million in sales were eligible for the 2008 Hot 100 Retailers list, which provides a definitive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing retailers. This is the third year for the list.

“Regardless of merchandise selection or customer base, the fastest-growing retailers know who they are and what their shoppers want,” said Rick Gallagher, STORES Publisher. “Retailers of all sizes have something to learn from the ingenuity and perseverance of this year’s Hot 100 Retailers.”

Topping the list was CVS Caremark with a sales gain of 74.2 percent in 2007; followed, in order, by Rite Aid (39.8 percent), IHOP (38.6 percent), Amazon.com (38.5 percent), American Apparel (35.8 percent), Coldwater Creek (33.8 percent), GameStop (33.4 percent), BJ’s Restaurants (32.3 percent), Chipotle Mexican Grill (31.9 percent), and FTD (31.8 percent).
Source: jckonline

WJA Celebrates 25 Years; Honors Yurman, Kaiser

The Women’s Jewelry Association’s 25th annual Awards for Excellence was a festive tribute to the women who founded and nurtured the organization, and two exceptional industry leaders.

Sybil Yurman, president and chief management officer of David Yurman, received the Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award and Steven Kaiser, president and chief executive officer of Kaiser Time, was honored with the Ben Kaiser Award, during the event held July 27 at Chelsea Piers in New York City.

“It’s not often that you get to do what you love and get to do it with someone you love,” Yurman said. She also acknowledged Carolyn Kelly, former jewelry buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue, and now co-owner of Old World Chain, for “helping in the early years.” She spoke about the sense of “family” in the industry and acknowledged “all the people who have taught us so much.”

Kaiser, said his father, after whom his award was named, was ahead of his time for promoting women in the industry. He thanked his mother, Eta, wife, Vivian, and daughter, Emily, and acknowledged his female team, who were in attendance.

WJA’s president Yancy Weinrich, Industry VP, JCK Events (pictured in center with Kaiser and Yurman), recognized the association’s three “Pillar of Distinction” sponsors: Platinum Guild International, Jewelers Mutual Insurance, and David Yurman. She also introduced a special 25th anniversary video that had been produced by Filmworks Inc. and overseen by Anniversary co-chairs Linda Goldstein, a WJA founder and former president, and Billie Sutter, a former national board member. With interviews from many of the influential women responsible for the creation and growth of the organization, it highlighted key initiatives, such as WJA’s Student Scholarships, DIVA Awards, Awards for Excellence and the Women in the Know conferences.

In celebration of WJA’s 25th year, Weinrich announced that $25,000 will be distributed this year in student scholarships, one of the first programs of the national organization when it was established in 1983. WJA’s annual Scholarship Fund is supported by its Silent Auction, held during the Awards for Excellence gala, and donations from companies and individuals. Overseeing the 2008 Silent Auction was Nessi Erkmenoglu of Harper’s Bazaar. 

Mony raised from a drawing for a special Hearts On Fire “Dream” diamond will also be donated to the WJA Scholarship Fund, according to Dinner Chair Lisa Cochin of Diamond Promotion Service.

WJA has had nine presidents, all of whom were celebrated at the event: Gerry Gewirtz, Linda Goldstein, Tina Segal, Helene Fortunoff, Rachel Rosin, Phyllis Bergman, Anna Martin, Ann Arnold, and Ms. Weinrich. Each will receive a special WJA President’s Pin designed by Judith Ripka.


WJA past and current presidents:  (from left):  Ann Arnold, first president 
Gerry Gewirtz, Linda Goldstein, Tina Segal, Phyllis Bergman, Rachel Rosin, 
Helene Fortunoff, current president Yancy Weinrich, and Anna Martin.

In addition, the dinner recognized the past Hall of Fame and Ben Kaiser Award winners, including:  Babette Goodman Cohen and Jane Goodman Baum, Phyllis Bergman, Nancy Brewer, Terry Burman, Bill Boyajian, Ralph Destino, Helene Fortunoff, Mary Forte, June Herman, Laurie Hudson, Juell Kadet, Ben Kaiser, Kathryn Kimmel, Peggy Kirby, Anna Martin, Eunice Robinson Miles, Sallie Morton, Joan Parker, Beryl Raff, Harriet Schreiner, and Hedda Schupak.  


WJA Hall of Fame past recipients with WJA president: (from left) Anna Martin, 
Gerry Gewirtz, Hedda Schupak, Phyllis Bergman, Joan Parker, Peggy Kirby, Kathryn Kimmel, 
Nancy Brewer, Jane Baum, Helene Fortunoff,  with current WJA president Yancy Weinrich.

Other highlights of the evening included Broadway musical selections from Broadway Pops International. To top off the dinner, guests enjoyed a delectable dessert buffet and danced to hip music by DJ Aaron James, sponsored by Harper’s Bazaar.
Source: jckonline

What jewelry do consumers own?

Gold jewelry, like this necklace by designer Marco Bicego, ranked highest for type of jewelry owned, with 80 percent of respondents saying they own some sort of jewelry made of gold.

When it comes to consumers and their jewelry, Madison Avenue has it right: There is more meaning to that diamond, gold or gemstone piece than its cost or how much it sparkles.

Even as many women consider jewelry a great fashion accessory, there is still a strong link between the pieces of jewelry they own and the story behind each one.

"I have several pieces that have special meaning to me," says Audra Perks, 26, of San Antonio. "One would be the most expensive ring I own—a three-stone diamond ring. It was a ring that I had wanted for a long time, and my husband purchased it as a Mother's Day/birthday/anniversary gift."

Perks also cites her engagement ring, which she says her husband purchased when he graduated from basic training for the Air Force. He proposed that same weekend.

"It's a very small diamond, but it means a lot to me," she says.

Perks was one of nearly 650 female consumers who responded to National Jeweler's Exclusive Consumer Jewelry Ownership Survey.

Sentiment is also key for Misty King, 21, of Aurora, Ind.

"If it was not given to me or bought for emotional or sentimental reasons, I just never tend to wear it," King says.

In addition to the emotional value, Perks says she appreciates the beauty and style of jewelry.

"I consider myself to be a big jewelry person but, of course, I can't really afford a lot of it or buy very expensive pieces," Perks says. "My favorite type of jewelry is a ring. I have been known to wear eight or more at a time, sometimes three on one finger. I just can't pick between them sometimes."

She says the reason her husband combined the three-stone purchase into one gift was because it was pricey (about $1,500) for the single-income family.

In fact, a little more than half of the consumers surveyed said the most expensive fine watch or piece of jewelry they own costs less than $1,000, with 23 percent noting their priciest piece costs less than $250. Thirteen percent said their most expensive jewel costs between $1,000 and $2,000, while 10 percent said between $2,000 and $3,500, and eight percent said between $3,500 and $5,000.

In terms of total value of their fine jewelry and watches, around a third (33 percent) of consumers surveyed placed it at less than $1,000. Twenty-seven percent said the value was in the range of $1,000 to $5,000, while 16 percent said between $5,000 and $10,000, and 10 percent said between $10,000 and $25,000 total.

The numbers diminish as one gets into the higher price ranges, with around five percent of consumers reporting that the total value of their fine jewelry is over $25,000.

Factors including household income level, marital status and age played a role in the value of individual pieces and the total collection.

Just 3 percent of respondents said they own palladium jewelry, but it could be a good margin opportunity for budget-conscious consumers. Here, a matching bridal set with HI1 diamonds from Hoover and Strong, available as a semi-mount set with 0.25 carats of diamonds; suggested retail price is about $760.

And it's no wonder the bridal business remains crucial, given the correlation between marital status and the most expensive jewelry owned. While nearly 38 percent of single consumers said their most expensive item costs under $250, more than half of married respondents owned jewelry worth $1,000 or more.

The top three items in terms of ownership were rings, necklaces and earrings. Rings, owned by 83 percent of respondents, were the most popular jewelry item overall. Seventy-three percent of respondents said they own necklaces and 68 percent own earrings. Bracelets came in fourth, with about half of respondents citing wrist jewelry and 36 percent citing watches.

Among types of jewelry, gold reigned supreme, with 80 percent of respondents saying they own pieces made of the metal. Diamond jewelry was next, with 66 percent, followed by silver jewelry (63 percent), colored gemstone jewelry (51 percent) and pearl jewelry (40 percent).

"I have many gold rings, some of them with diamonds, some with other gemstones, and a few that are just gold," Perks says. She adds that her favorite metal tone is rose gold.

Among King's jewelry possessions are a gold solitaire diamond ring, a gold and cubic zirconium ring and gold earrings.

Marisol Diestro, 30, who lives in orlando, Fla., says she owns some gold and silver, but that pearl jewelry is her favorite.

"I own a lot of pearl jewelry, with and without diamonds," Diestro says. "I love pearls because it is my birthstone, so I always want pearl jewelry."

Despite the ubiquity of chain stores, big-box stores and the Internet, about half of respondents said they buy or receive jewelry from independent stores. Thirty-eight percent cited chains, while 27 percent said department stores. Less popular (though not insignificant) were online and department stores, with 10 percent of respondents citing each.

Convenience is a big factor in terms of where consumers shop for jewelry.

"I don't really shop for jewelry, but my husband always shops at Jared [The Galleria Of Jewelry] because they have a great playroom for the kids and a really good earring selection," says Cindi Munroe of Clearwater, Fla. "He puts the kids in the playroom and he shops in peace. They all love going there."

Cost is another key consideration, especially for jewelry consumers with less discretionary income.

"I like buying a lot of jewelry online because I like having personalized pieces and I can usually find some great items online," Perks says.

She adds that she also likes chains such as Zales and Kay Jewelers, but finds that independent stores tend to charge more than she can afford.

That's also an issue for full-time student Eileen Mancha, 23, of Antioch, Calif., who says she buys jewelry online.

Mancha says she follows fashion jewelry trends and hopes to acquire jewelry from designers such as David Yurman, Bulgari and De Beers, as well as items such as Cartier's "Love" bracelet. A few years back, she bought herself a silver Tiffany and Co. bracelet, a category that's been extremely popular for the retailer.

In terms of ownership, rings topped the list, with 83 percent of respondents saying they own some type of ring. Silver jewelry, like this ring with attached star from Montblanc, is a popular category too, owned by 63 percent of those surveyed.

Tiffany was also the most popular jewelry brand among respondents in terms of both ownership and desire, cited by 43 percent of those who own designer jewelry brands. The next most prevalent brand was Gucci, owned by 20 percent of respondents.

More than half of those interested in acquiring designer brands said they wanted Tiffany and Co. jewelry. Respondents also cited Cartier (45 percent), Chanel (28 percent), Gucci (27 percent), Dior (25 percent), Harry Winston (24 percent) and De Beers (23 percent).

Notwithstanding these well-known brands and designers, including David Yurman, Scott Kay and Roberto Coin, consumers still seem to be less interested in jewelry brands overall. Almost 70 percent of respondents said they don't have any branded jewelry, and 60 percent said they didn't wish to own any.

Jewelry fashion quotient Even if jewelry brands haven't quite broken through for the average consumer, some are making progress, and women are definitely receptive to fashion jewelry.

Mancha says she likes to wear jewelry to accessorize outfits. In terms of what she likes, she says she's usually inspired by jewelry that she sees while flipping through women's magazines such as Cosmopolitan or Elle.

Finding jewelry that works with her wardrobe is also key for Mt. Vernon, Ohio, resident and teacher Anne Marie orr, 38, who says she buys or receives jewelry about once every couple of months.

"I like to have different colors and styles for different outfits. I think jewelry can make an outfit really stand out," she says.

Unlike Mancha, orr says she's not interested in designer or trendy jewelry and prefers traditional pieces.

Among the items she owns are platinum, sterling silver, diamonds, gemstones and rubies. On her wish list are sterling silver hoop earrings and emerald or sapphire rings with platinum.

"I like to purchase jewelry that will not go out of style and is functional for every day," she says.

Most wanted: Marketing and advertising campaigns like Journey diamond jewelry aside, consumers who responded to the survey were more interested in staple items when it comes to diamonds, and they are seeking color in a big way.

Of the jewelry they would most like to acquire across different jewelry categories, here are some top items:

1. Emerald jewelry: 146 respondents
2. Diamond tennis bracelet(s): 132 respondents
3. Gemstone necklace(s): 130 respondents
4. Gemstone drop earrings: 124 respondents
5. (tie) Diamond stud earrings, larger than a half carat each: 116 respondents
5. (tie) Gold earrings: 116 respondents
6. Sapphire jewelry: 114 respondents
7. Diamond drop earrings: 113 respondents
8. Platinum non-bridal ring(s): 110 respondents
9. Engagement ring: 105 respondents
10. Gemstone non-bridal ring(s): 104 respondents

Top three most-wanted brands:

1. Tiffany and Co.: 137 respondents
2. Cartier: 117 respondents
3. Chanel: 72 respondents

Most-wanted fine watches:

1. Dress watch: 117 respondents
2. Diamond watch: 112 respondents
3. Casual watch: 111 respondents

To download the complete National Jeweler Exclusive Consumer Jewelry Ownership Survey results, click here.
Source: nationaljewelernetwork

Maui Divers links with Kim Taylor Reece for new jewelry line

Maui Divers Jewelry plans to launch a new line of jewelry this week inspired by well-known hula photographer Kim Taylor Reece.

The new collection, based on Reece's photographs, will feature hula dancers in various poses, traditional hula implements and paddles in some 46 items including 14-karat gold charms, pendants, earrings and bracelets.

"Maui Divers Jewelry is thrilled to partner with Hawaii's foremost fine art photographer to bring his incredible hula pictures to life through unique high-quality hand-crafted jewelry," said Maui Divers President & CEO Bob Taylor in a statement.

The Kim Taylor Reece collection will be initially available at 16 Maui Divers Jewelry stores in Hawaii, including Ala Moana Center, Queen Kaahumanu Center on Maui, Kings' Shops on the Big Island and Anchor Cove Shopping Center on Kauai.
Source: bizjournals

Indonesia Begins Push into U.S. Jewelry Market

The Indonesian jewelry industry officially introduced itself to the U.S. jewelry market Monday with a ceremony at the JA New York Summer Show led by the country’s ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat explained that while the United States is Indonesia’s second largest jewelry partner, the U.S. ranks at about 10th in jewelry exports from the Southeast Asian nation. The ambassador said the country is looking to improve those numbers.

"We are coming to boost our presence here [in the U.S. market] and enhance our position as one of largest manufactured silver jewelry suppliers," the ambassador said. "We look forward to working with you."

Indonesia is a nation of 18,000 islands and 230 million people, the ambassador explained. It has an abundance of precious metals and gems. Its ancient silver, gem, and jewelry industry has developed over hundreds of years. Today, about one million Indonesians work in it, with a large focus on hand-crafted jewelry.

Indonesia's jewelry industry is "blessed with (an abundance of) raw materials for precious and semi-precious gems, and with fine craftsmanship," Parnohadiningrat said.

The ambassador spoke at the show’s Indonesian Pavilion consisting of 16 jewelry making firms, displaying items made of silver, gold, gemstones, and other materials—including stone and wood. The delegation was organized by the National Agency for Export Development, in the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia.

It is the country’s first significant presence at a U.S. trade show and it is serving as a first step to building a strong presence in the U.S., the ambassador told JCK prior to his formal presentation.

Even without a strong U.S. presence, The Indonesian jewelry industry has been growing at an average rate of 7 percent per year, earning $4.61 billion in 2006, the ambassador said. Its largest trading partners are Middle Eastern countries, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China, he told JCK.

In addition, the ambassador and the country’s trade organizations were there to promote its upcoming TRADEXPO Indonesia, a merchandise and commodity show. It is being held Oct. 21-25 at the Jakarta International Expo, Kemayoran-Jakarta, Indonesia.
Source: jckonline

Jewelry curator's a gem of a storyteller

To Yvonne Markowitz, curator of jewelry at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, context is everything. Comment on a striking silver choker around her neck, and you learn it's one of a very limited edition created in the 1970s by Finnish artist/jeweler Björn Weckström as part of his planetary series. The kicker: it became known as the Princess Leia necklace after one was worn by Carrie Fisher in "Star Wars" as a royal, intergalactic adornment. Cool.

That kind of story is Markowitz's trademark. She doesn't just give the scholarly answer, she makes decorative arts come alive by relating them to their times. In her 20-year tenure at the MFA, much of it specializing in ancient jewelry, the Framingham resident has always focused on the big picture to draw viewers in.

Museumgoers will see her approach for themselves with the opening of the MFA's new exhibit, "Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry." It's Markowitz's premier show since being named the first dedicated curator of jewelry at an art museum in the United States. To emphasize the rarity of the position, even London's famed Victoria and Albert Museum, with more than 3,500 pieces of jewelry on display, has only a part-time curator.

The position was funded by MFA trustee Susan B. Kaplan through an endowment in honor of her mother, Rita J. Kaplan. Kaplan is also funding a permanent jewelry gallery at the MFA, which will open in the West Wing in 2010.

Early in the planning stages, Kaplan met with Markowitz. Though she was officially the MFA's curator of Egyptian and Nubian adornment, Markowitz served for 12 years as editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Jewelry: Journal of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, and remains editor of the scholarly Adornment magazine. She'd become the museum's go-to person for researching jewelry from a variety of historic periods.

"She's extremely knowledgeable - that's an understatement - thoroughly researches everything and is really focused on the jewelry," Kaplan says of Markowitz. In turn, Markowitz has found a kindred spirit in Kaplan. "She has a certain passion for the materials and scholarship as I do."

Both came into play when Markowitz began work on "Imperishable Beauty," a phrase coined by Art Nouveau architect Henry van de Velde to describe the turn of the 20th century art movement that rejected Victorian traditionalism. Markowitz describes the period's jewelry as "somewhat violent, with agitated curves," an often surreal exploration of flora, fauna, and the female form.

The 100-plus pieces in the show are on loan from one of the largest and most important private collections of Art Nouveau jewelry. The exhibit showcases the stunningly crafted jewels amid paintings, wallpaper patterns, and other decorative arts of the period. Even the walls and display cases play a part, echoing Art Nouveau's signature undulating curves.

"The problem with jewelry shows in the United States is they're segregated, not shown as part of a period," she continues, a situation she plans to correct.

Take a recent addition to the MFA's collection that Markowitz shepherded through the acquisition process. The fascinating history of an exquisite brooch and earring set once owned by Mary Todd Lincoln was equal to its beauty. As the widow of President Abraham Lincoln, she had been forced to sell the jewels, along with many other possessions, in 1867 to pay off mounting debts. Since Mrs. Lincoln's profligate spending habits were well known, the auction engendered much negative publicity (described by one newspaper as "low . . . sordid . . . disgraceful"), resulting in the articles selling for far less than expected. Press coverage also helped Markowitz verify the jewelry's provenance: an engraved drawing of jewels had appeared in a newspaper covering the sale.

Research into the Art Nouveau pieces proved a bit more daunting, due to the enormously complicated craftsmanship. Celebrated designers of the period, such as Rene Lalique, George Fouquet, and Louis Comfort Tiffany, didn't just create beautiful objects, they also invented entirely new techniques for making jewelry, such as adapting stained glass techniques to setting stones, and shaving horn so thin it resembles a transparent insect wing.

Then there was the basic issue of just who designed each piece, many of which are from France and Belgium. Unlike American designers, who signed each piece with a clear and relatively large inscription, the Europeans used tiny initials and a symbol, such as a sword or wolf, as their "makers' marks."

"When pressed into gold, it was often a blurry lump only 1/2 mm in size," says MFA curatorial research fellow Susan Ward, who worked on the exhibit with Markowitz. "We were using microscopes over three different magnifiers. I would say, does that look like a wolf to you? How about a chicken? At the end of the day, we started hallucinating," she jokes.

"We learned a lot," says Markowitz. "The museum didn't have one piece of Art Nouveau before." Happily, several items in the exhibit have been donated to the MFA's steadily growing cache, which now also includes the knockout Daphne Farago collection of 20th-century jewelry that drew large crowds when displayed earlier this year.

Another coup is the recent acquisition of an eye-popping emerald brooch formerly owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post.

"I'm very fond of Post, her style and taste," says Markowitz. She then fantasizes about a future exhibit featuring some of Post's jewels - along with some of the heiress's clothing, photographs, and portraits for context, of course.

MFA jewelry curator Yvonne Markowitz holds a brooch once owned by cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post
Source: boston