Jewelry Navigator™ Podcast

Gem Show Pre-Departure Lounge 2020

Gem Show Pre-Departure Lounge 2020
 
Welcome to the first Jewelry Navigator Podcast episode of 2020!
 
It’s been a while since you heard from me. I took some time off during the holidays, and now that everyone’s settled back into school and work, it’s time to get down to jewelry business!
 
Trade shows have been centralized events for various industries to learn about and share the latest resources, network, and celebrate.
 
The Tucson Gem Show just kicked the jewelry industry trade shows off, and this weekend, in New York City, the NYNow Show is hosting a myriad of luxury accessories and gifts.
 
As my heart and enthusiasm will always be with gems, I’m choosing to attend the Tucson Gem Shows, which is a conglomerate of many shows held throughout downtown Tucson.
 
In this podcast, I share a sample of designers who will be exhibiting at either the Tucson or NYNow Shows.
All those featured have been guests on Jewelry Navigator Podcast, and I’m excited to share what’s new with them and continue to tell their story directly from Tucson.
 
Featured Designers in the Podcast
 
Mary van der Aa
Exhibiting at the Pueblo Show
Ramada
Room 107
OPEN TO PUBLIC
 
Dana Busch of Dana Busch Designs
Exhibiting at JCK  Booth 319
TRADE ONLY
JW Marriott Starr Pass
 
Petite Baleine Jewelry
Pam Waill
NYNow
Luxury Lifestyle Booth 3706
TRADE ONLY
 
Debra Navarro
Select Tucson
TRADE ONLY
February 2-3, 2020⁠
La Paloma Resort ⁠
Tucson, AZ⁠
BOOTH 101⁠
 
JCK Tucson
February 5-8, 2020⁠
JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort⁠
Tucson, AZ⁠
BOOTH DC17
 
Also Mentioned:
 
Gem Legacy
Tracy Trainor
MINTON
Elizabeth Moore

How to be Your Own Elegant Rebel With Sue Oster, Founder of Feral Jewelry

Sue Oster is the fearless force behind Feral Jewelry.She shares an interpretation of life’s strength and vulnerabilities using her signature collections created with sustainable and ethically sourced precious materials, combining design elements to celebrate who we are and what makes us unique.
She IS the Elegant Rebel, and her MO of highlighting anomalies and unexpected elements are the thread with which she shares her creative vision and inspirations, defined by her philosophy of, “If a diamond is forever, life is eternal”.
“Susan Oster launched Feral Jewelry in 2016.  After twenty years working in interior design, she turned her attention to jewelry, focusing on her love of nature and animal forms. Feral is her unbridled look at what it means to be both glamorous and undomesticated - to love the great outdoors and also be completely feminine.  It is a fearless approach to self expression and statement of strength.  Each piece is handmade is the USA; all parts are organic, recycled, and constructed in the timeless tradition of fine jewelry.” - From Feral Jewelry’s Home Page
In the podcast, Sue shared some of her favorite Feral pieces, including her Antler Cuff bracelet in 18kt yellow gold, her Crystal Spike dangle bracelet, Thorn Hoop Earrings, and Spike Antler Ring.
Ethically and Responsibly Sourcing Materials
Feral Jewelry acquires materials from CITES certified sources, and Sue goes above and beyond to ensure that the fossils and natural materials she uses in her jewelry are authenticated and certifiably identified as ethically sourced.
CITES regulations use strict standards so selections are in the best interests of preservation and sustainability.
For more information about the regulations put into place by CITES, participating countries, see their website,
https://www.cites.org
 
You can find Feral Jewelry on her website, feraljewelry.com; 
The Jewelry Bar in Palm Desert,
Vault Nantucket
Anne Emory Lockert, Birmingham, AL
Belle Cose, Jackson Hole, WY
 
Polishing and Finishing for Jewellers and Silversmiths Book Giveaway Winners
Last week, my guest on Jewelry Navigator Podcast was Stephen M Goldsmith, master polisher.
In his book, “Polishing and Finishing for Jewellers and Silversmiths”, Stephen shares techniques and methods he’s used to maintain some of Great Britain’s national treasures, as well as adding convincing details to current bespoke jewelry masterpieces created by Theo Fennell.
⁣He generously donated two signed copies of his book for a drawing to Jewelry Navigator Podcast listeners, and the winners are:
 
Cristina Tamames of Atlanta, GA, and
Scott Thompson of Nova Scotia
CONGRATULATIONS!
 This was the last Jewelry Navigator Podcast for 2019. Thank you to all the guests, subscribers, and listeners! It's truly been a pleasure sharing my jewelry discoveries of unique creations for those who want to stand out with jewelry created with purpose.
 
I’d love to know what you’d like hear on the podcast for 2020.
 
Email suggestions to brenna@jewelrynavigator.com
or DM me @jewelrynavigator on Instagram.
 
Blessings for a lovely and safe holiday season, and I’ll be back soon with more jewelry stories and adventures!

Stephen M Goldsmith, Master Polisher, Shares His Story and Expertise, From the Crown Jewels to World Famous Jewelry

As a boy, Stephen Goldsmith had dreams of being a cartoonist.
His aptitude for art was innate, but his journey would take a detour to become a master of polishing and finishing national treasures and museum quality jewelry.
Stephen Goldsmith is a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths, and shares his nearly 50 years of knowledge and experience as a master polisher with peers and students alike through his trade acclaimed book, Polishing and Finishing for Jewellers and Silversmiths, published by Crowood Press.
While Stephen has had the privilege of working with jewelry created for royal families and celebrities, his real treasures are created in the classroom and studios where he demonstrates to artisans how to bring their jewelry visions and stories to life.
Polishing and Finishing for Jewellers and Silversmiths has become a bench Bible of sorts for silversmiths, and Stephen very generously shared two copies of his book which he signed personally to give away to two Jewelry Navigator Podcast listeners.
To enter the drawing for one of the two signed copies of Stevens book, email brenna@jewelrynavigator.com by December 11 2019.
You can find Stephen on Instagram @goldpolisher and as an instructor at The Goldsmiths’ Centre in London.

Seraphima McLean of Gallery Byzantium Brings History to Life With Religious and Secular Jewelry

Jewelry is a powerful touchstone and conduit by which we define ourselves within our life stories, family, and community.
Acknowledging this concept with symbolism and icons are reminders that we're connected to a higher power that guides us in how we choose to live our best lives.
This week my guest on Jewelry Navigator podcast is Seraphima McLean of Gallery Byzantium, a small jewelry design and manufacturing business in Ipswich, Massachusetts, dedicated to conserving and sharing the Byzantine aesthetic in both religious and secular jewelry.
As an art history major, Saraphima was a natural fit to re-establish the jewelry design business her father, an Orthodox priest started in 1991.He established Gallery Byzantium to honor the rich history and aesthetic of Byzantium art in jewelry to share and celebrate his faith.
As we celebrate our faith through the year, and especially during the Christmas holiday, I felt sharing the story and jewelry of Gallery Byzantium was the perfect time for this week’s podcast as we begin December.
You can find Gallery Byzantium’s jewelry online at https://gallerybyzantium.com/and until Monday, December 2, 2019, gwt 15% off with their Black Friday Sale!
 
On Gallery Byzantium’s website, there are comprehensive summaries of the history of Byzantine traditions and art.Below are two.
 
Byzantine History
Jewelry
“From antiquity jewelry has had a powerful place in culture symbolizing, expressing, and unlocking the mysteries of life and the universe. Gold and silver jewelry set with precious stones expresses and confirms religious conviction, ethnic identity, aesthetic appreciation, and social standings.
Christians wear crosses and sacred pendants close to their hearts as tangible signs of their faith and Gods presence in their lives. While this understanding of jewelry has been obscured in modern times by mass-produced synthetics, the discerning eye still yearns for the power and beauty embodied in jewelry of universal design and value.”- Gallery Byzantium website, Byzantine History 
 
The Byzantine Synthesis
“Byzantium began when the fourth century emperor, St. Constantine, Christianized the Roman Empire and established Constantinople in Byzantium as the capital. During this era a synthesis of classical Greek, Roman, and Christian culture gave birth to unparalleled achievements in art and architecture.
Byzantium synthesized the eternal symbols of Christian faith and spirituality, the philosopher’s vision of the universal forms, the mysteries of geometric interrelationships as they apply to art and architecture, and the artisan’s skill which sought a balance between humanistic realism and spiritual abstraction.
By the mid-500s this unprecedented and unsurpassed synthesis unlocked and revealed the mysteries of the universe and gave monumental power and beauty to Byzantine art and architecture.”- Gallery Byzantium website, Byzantine History 

From Corporate Engineer to Full Time Jewelry Designer With Tonya Powell of Pareure

Clarity, insight, and wisdom are three qualities I feel this week’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast guest exhibits naturally.
Tonya Powell is founder and creative initiator of Pareure, a collection of  jewelry designed for women who define themselves with confidence, and reach beyond limitations.
Her classically simple signature circular designs are the embodiment of her tagline, “Be Seen. Be Heard, Be Bold”.
I’m excited to share Tonya’s story on this week’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast episode, and if you’re in the Washington DC Metro area the first weekend of December, you can see and shop her jewelry firsthand at the Holiday Sugarloaf Crafts Festival in Chantilly, VA, December 6-8.
You can find Pareure online at pareure.com and on Instagram @pareureofficial.
 

Cynthia Renée Jewels - Life and Love Stories Through Gems and Jewelry

Telling stories with gems and jewelry is like speaking an enchanted language.
Hidden for millennia, gems are treasures that speak a universal language.
Cynthia Renée Marcusson is my guest this week understands the hidden language of gemstones.
Geologist turned jewelry designer, Cynthia’s adventures began with her curiosity of rock formations and unusual terrain from the car window of her family vacations.
As part of her geologic studies, she mapped two of the biggest gem producing mines in the U.S., and has thirty years experience working in the jewelry industry on various professional levels.
She discovered jewelry design while selling and presenting colored gems stores and businesses across the country.
Now she creates one of a kind jewelry pieces for clients to tell their stories with gems to celebrate the beauty we’re meant to reflect by wearing them.
Listen to Cynthia’s story on Jewelry Navigator Podcast TODAY!
You can find Cynthia Renée Jewels on her website, cynthiarenee.com

From Psychologist to Jewelry Designer - Dana Busch Creates Wearable Gemstone and Sculptural Jewelry Art

Before departing for a creative career in jewelry design, Dana Busch enjoyed a professional career as a doctor in clinical health psychology.
After completing a masters program in art therapy, she chose to focus on public health, and spent her career in medical centers creating programs focusing on lifestyle choices for patients with chronic conditions.
While she enjoyed helping her patients with programs she developed, she left the corporate politics and bureaucracy behind to reinvent her purpose through her own jewelry design company, Dana Busch Designs.
Borrowing the practice in art exhibits, Dana creates collections, and uses descriptive titles for each piece, which are influenced by the colors and patterns in the gems she hand selects for each piece.
Each titled piece is a reflection of the natural landscapes for which they’re named.
By incorporating picturesque, patterned, and texturally interesting gemstones and fossils, Dana’s jewelry designs combine colorful and sculptural aspects that celebrate the beauty of the desert southwest, scenic reflections of  nature, and images influenced through her international travels.
You can find Dana’s jewelry on her website, danabuschdesigns.com, as well as at medicinemangallery.com
Dana will be exhibiting in Tucson at the JCK Show;
Dana Busch Designs
JCK Tucson 2020
JW Marriott Starr Pass
Booth 319
February 5-8, 2020

The Not So Scary Truth About Opals (Replay Halloween 2018)

Some people keep away from wearing opals, believing the ancient rumor that they cast bad luck on anyone who wears one without it being their birthstone.
 
No one is certain where opal obtained its bad reputation, but in today’s Jewelry Navigator Podcast, I’m replaying last Halloween’s podcast, “The Not So Scary Truth About Opals With Matt Hopkins, of Hopkins Opal”.
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I’ll be back next week with a brand new Jewelry Navigator Episode, featuring Dana Busch of Dana Busch Designs.
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DON’T FORGET to check out my WHEELS & SQUEALS virtual trunk show with @crashjewelry