With nearly half a century of industry experience between them, there is little Jaime Polk and Katherine Rosenberg-Pineau do not know about jewelry. From heading up design teams to running global salesforces for the likes of Hearts on Fire and Scott Kay, the two industry powerhouses were at personal crossroads when they met three years ago. Both were trying to figure out what would be the next ‘big job’ of their careers. The answer? Look within. Which is what they now encourage their clients to do, with their own jewelry boxes.
Polk and Rosenberg-Pineau now spend their days helping clients re-imagine pieces already existing in their personal collections, and design new, wearable creations made to feel appropriate for the everyday. ‘We realized that so many people have jewelry boxes filled with pieces they no longer wear,” explained Ms. Polk. ‘These pieces are simply outdated, hold old memories, or are simply forgotten about. We work with clients to identify these hidden treasures, and transform them into new, sustainable pieces they will live with, and cherish for a lifetime.”
The five-step process begins with an initial consultation, allowing the women to get a sense of a client’s personal style and design preferences. This is followed by the discovery stage; for those clients re-purposing pieces, values are analysed. For those starting fresh, a vision board of ideas is created. Design and sourcing follows, utilizing the founders’ experience and strong industry connections. The most exciting part is the delivery, where clients’ expectations are routinely exceeded.
While 21C Designs in based in a studio in Connecticut, their services extend far beyond their local neighborhood. Consultations can be done in clients’ homes or, in these times, via Zoom and Skype. In pre-Covid times, 21C Designs worked with clients who would host jewelry parties, in which guests would bring their jewelry boxes for review and explore the possibilities. This service will resume in the future.
“So many times, clients underestimate what they already own and what the future potential is,” said Rosenberg-Pineau. “One of our favorite parts of this process is discovering the old, never worn items and starting the design discussions to create something a client would have never imagined. And that does not mean fancy!” She continued, “The world, in terms of formal, high jewelry, started to evolve years ago, and the past five months of adjusting to a ‘new normal’ has only hastened that change. We are helping clients transform their collections to fit their lifestyles.”
[Pictured: The ‘Before’ and ‘After’ of a Recent 21C Designs Transformation]
For some clients, this means relying on 21C Designs for a full wardrobing service, thus allowing them to truly assess clients’ needs. From advice on the latest trends, to the inside scoop on what other women are doing with their collections, 21C Designs’ offerings are full service. These relationship-building services are founded on a sense of trust and transparency, which has quickly led to repeat customers and. referrals.
In addition to re-imaging existing pieces, 21C Designs also specializes in custom jewelry designs, including engagement rings.
For more information about 21C Designs’ offerings and a gallery of their latest transformations, visit their website www.21c-designs.com.
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