{"id":43480,"date":"2019-08-22T23:53:25","date_gmt":"2019-08-23T03:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/?p=43480"},"modified":"2019-08-23T00:12:35","modified_gmt":"2019-08-23T04:12:35","slug":"jewels-of-the-month-the-maneater-collection-revisited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wendybrandes.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/jewels-of-the-month-the-maneater-collection-revisited\/","title":{"rendered":"Jewels of the Month: The Maneater Collection, Revisited"},"content":{"rendered":"

Throwback Thursday is a good time for me to wish a belated happy anniversary to JCK, the bible of the jewelry trade, which has been celebrating its 150th year in business throughout 2019<\/a>. Yes, you read that number right! It’s been 150 years since the American Horological Journal — the watch-oriented<\/a> progenitor of today’s sleek JCK magazine — was first published in 1869<\/a>. That makes JCK a young whippersnapper compared to the New York Times, which was launched 168 years ago<\/a>, but well-seasoned compared to the 130-year-old Wall Street Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To celebrate the occasion, JCK interviewed 150 jewelry professionals for a series of articles<\/a>, and my quote appeared in the July\/August issue of the print magazine<\/a>. I said:<\/p>\n

“JCK writers and editors were among my earliest supporters, even though I was so different from many of the brands they typically covered. When they saw potential in me, I saw more of it in myself.”<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That feeling I described … well, I had it all over again when I saw the page. I had figured if my quote was illustrated at all, it would be with a little headshot. Instead, there’s a huge<\/em> picture of my Pink Elephant and Tipsy Writer Maneater ring!<\/p>\n

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Click to enlarge.<\/p><\/div><\/center><\/p>\n

Truly, the JCK folks have given my morale a boost because, to paraphrase a line attributed to actress Bette Davis<\/a>, fine jewelry ain’t no place for sissies. Pretty much every small designer I know is challenged by the high cost of raw materials and U.S. labor. And, until recent developments in social media and e-commerce, a designer absolutely had to get a case in a physical store, only to face the hell that is consignment<\/a>. As a bonus, my muse is a spiteful one, because following her has definitely forced me to jump over more and higher hurdles. My elaborate, one-of-a-kind, mini-sculptures require me to invest in the best of the best of the best in expensive U.S. jewelry skills …<\/p>\n