STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
by Anita Sarko
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| Kate in CANNES BRACELET. Large cabochon semi-precious stones including Rose Quartz, Gray Onyx, Aqua Chalcedony and Botswana Agate. 24kt gold plate. $245. |
Attention all shoppers! Tucked away on a lovely Upper East Side side street is JULIE COLLECTION (146 East 74th St, NYC, 10021. 347.968.4302). Sure, you’ll have to climb some steps (pretend you’re at a free gym), but it’s only one set and it will be worth it ... trust me. And if you find yourself descending those steps without a purchase, you had better stop thinking of yourself as a knowledgeable and brilliant gift horse, both for yourself and others.
“I got to a point where I wanted a challenge where I got to work with a lot of people.” Julie explains. It was a trip to India with her husband that showed her the next creative path to travel. Loving everything she saw, she contacted a friend in India to organize a trunk show. At the show, she took notes, filling up a whole pad with remarks from those who attended. They suggested what she should be doing, such as what colors they were interested in, even going home to bring back examples of what they were speaking about. In response, Lindsey named pieces for the people who inspired them (like the Catherine Hoop or Carly Pendant). Mainly, she listened. “Everything in the collection has been developed through feedback. Everyone asked if the stones could be interchangeable. ‘Don’t’ make heavy earrings’, so these are so light. If they’re struggling with a clasp or finishes ... people are exact. Find the right finish for the right piece. A wrong finish won’t sell.” |
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| Clockwise from top left: CHARING CROSS RING. Oval faceted stone in 24kt gold plate. Wear alone or stack. Stone size is 1-inch long by 1/2-inch wide. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony/ Rose Quartz (shown stacked)/ Moonstone/ Labradorite/ Smoky Topaz/ Lemon Topaz, $110. AMALIA RING. A bold oval stone surrounded by matte 24kt gold plating, $165. CALYPSO CUFF. 24kt gold-plated cuff with geometric lines and smooth cabochon stones. Fits any wrist size. Color: Gray Agate, $195. CARMEN EARRING. Triple cabochon semi-precious stone earring, dramatic 2.25 inch drop. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Smoky Topaz and Chalcedony (shown)/ Black Onyx, Moonstone and Labradorite/ Chalcedony, Labradorite and Rose Quartz, $110. |
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| Clockwise from top left: JEWEL STACK RING. Wear one, two or three rings together. Large faceted semi-precious stones. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Blue Topaz/ Amethyst/ Peridot (shown stacked), $75. JANE RING. Faceted oval semi-precious Lemon Topaz stone flanked by cabachon teardrop-shape Peridot. Hand set in 24kt gold plate, $155. LUNA CUFF. Featuring a large cabochon stone surrounded by a polished brass rope motif. Colors: Green (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Aqua Chalcedony/ White Onyx/ Gray Onyx, $175. FACETED QUAD RING. Four faceted semi-precious stones in 24kt gold plate. Colors: Green Amethyst (shown)/Smoky Topaz, $185. |
| Julie discovered how important earring clasps were. She shares, what she calls, The Fishers Island Rule: “Never pierce your ears!” “They all want hoops, but not pierced. For years we had to run to 42nd St. to convert to clip-ons! Now we make a whole line of clip-ons.” In addition, there were the ones who like pierced earrings, but wanted the hole covered. “If they’re over 50, it is not considered attractive. They’re so self-conscious, they won’t wear a French wire.” Lindsey solved this problem by placing a piece over the offending opening. “My whole collection grew from making friends and family happy. Then, it was strangers. Now, it’s ALL strangers!” She went through a similar journey with the selection of pieces: “I’d have one, then I’d sell it. I turned to manufacturing so as not to disappoint people. I went totally to manufacturing to keep people happy.” In addition, prices are kept on point so that if someone admires something you have, you can give it away and buy another. (Wish I had friends and family like that!). Originally, all of the jewelry was made of gold, but the price of gold at any time would determine the price of the piece. To keep the pieces affordable and the prices constant, she switched to silver or gold-plated silver. “It’s not fun to sell something if money is part of the equation.” |
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| DIANA BRACELET. Triple cabochon semi-precious stone link set in 24kt gold plate. Bracelet is 2.5 inches wide. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Rose Quartz/ Moonstone, $495. |
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| BYZANTINE CUFF. Lavished with semi-precious stones. Closes by hinge. Colors: Turquoise (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Rose Quartz/ Citrine, $285. |
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| BYZANTINE RING. Faceted semi-precious stones surrounded in this ornate ring. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Blue Topaz with Amethyst and Peridot (shown)/ Citrine with Amethyst and Peridot, $155. |
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| MADELINE CUFF. Ivory backalite with semi-precious stones. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Labradorite/ Smoky Topaz, $225. |
| Her shawls and stoles come in two sizes. “South American and European ladies call everything ‘Pashminas’,” Julie says, with a laugh. She carries a limited number of Pashminas, from $225 to $300, mainly in the stole size now. Having touched one, I can assure you that they put babies' bottoms to shame! The purses began when Julie's copywriter daughter knew someone whose mother knew Carlos Falchi, a wholesaler who had made Jimi Hendrix's pants. “Carlos did our clutches in the beginning. That began the purses. Now I do them with women in India who do embroidery for high-end designers.” It's the hand embroidery that is “the little accent”. The business is 90% jewelry, 1% bags and the rest, shawls. The biggest sellers are earrings: “You can always use another pair.” She explains. “They don't take up room and you're not embarrassed to have a lot.” Though her typical clientele loves small and simple, “you can't have a whole collection of these or you'll put everyone to sleep!” Instead, Lindsey mixes in “funky items” in order to cross over age groups. “We sell to 14 to 75 year olds.” She says proudly. |
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| CHARLOTTE'S WEB EARRING (1.5 inch diameter. 24kt gold plate, $60. |
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| CALYPSO EARRING. A large cabochon semi-precious stone is at the center of filagree in 24kt gold plate. Earrings are 1.5 inch diameter. Colors: Labradorite (shown)/ Chalcedony /Black Onyx, $125. |
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| LACE EARRING. 2.5 inches. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Turquoise (shown)/ Amethyst/ Pearl/ Chalcedony/ Labradorite, $110. |
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| PEACOCK EARRING. Lacey pierce-work with semi-precious stones and finished with a drop. Maximum statement, minimum weight. 2 inches in length. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Chalcedony (shown)/ Turquoise, $155. |
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| MIMI EARRING. Post earrings feature three perfect pearls with a cabochon top stone set in 18kt gold on sterling silver. Half inch in length. Colors: Rose Quartz/ Prehinite (pale green)/ Pearl/ Amethyst/ Black Onyx/ Labradorite, $65. |
| For those who can't make it to the little shop, you can shop online (www.juliecollection.com). In fact, there's a flash sale every Friday for 24 hours (“The Friday Deal”) for those providing their emails. The site also lists around 160 boutiques and specialty stores “from coast to coast” that carry her goods. She began wholesaling last October. “It's great that we've been working markets for years with trunk shows because it's great for the stores. There are people who have been buying from us for years, so now they have a place to go.” JULIE COLLECTION has been at its present location for a year. Before that, she worked for seven years between her kitchen, bedroom and living room. “I just sort of moved from room to room. Because it was my home, we'd have to clear the jewelry and papers from the kitchen counters to eat!” |
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| Clockwise from top left: BALI NECKLACE (18 inches and 21 inches, 24kt gold plate), $345; CHARING CROSS CLIP-ON EARRINGS. Faceted oval semi-precious stone with a freshwater pearl drop. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Rose Quartz/Labradorite (gray)/ Moonstone/ Lemon Topaz/ Amethyst/ Smoky Topaz (brown). 24kt gold plate, $145. DAPHNE NECKLACE. Cabochon semi-precious stones. 18 inches, 24kt gold plate, $285. LUNA CUFF Featuring a large cabochon stone surrounded by a polished brass rope motif. Colors: Chalcedony (shown)/ Colors: Aqua Chalcedony/ White Onyx/ Gray Onyx/ Green, $175. NANTUCKET SHAWL. Lightweight cashmere/silk. Generous 80 by 28 inches. Colors: Turquoise with Lime Piping (shown)/ Tangerine with Turquoise Piping/ Pink with Fuschia Piping, $110. DAPHNE CLIP-ON. Cabochon semi-precious stones. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Green Onyx/ Green Jade/ /Labradorite (gray)/ Moonstone/ Chalcedony/ Turquoise/ Tourmaline (purple-pink), $95. PYTHON SHAWL. Gunmetal and cream python print on a blend of fine cashmere and silk. Generous 80 by 28 inches. Luxurious wrap or neck scarf, $145. LILY EARRING. Light on the earlobe. 24kt gold plate and silver plate. 2.5 inches in length, $58. |
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| Aboev, left: CABOCHON QUAD RING. Cabochon semi-precious stones handset in 24kt gold plate on sterling silver. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Turquoise/ Moonstone/ Labradorite, $185. BEATRICE BRACELET. Six discs (one inch diameter in size) of cabochon semi-precious stones finished with double ring toggle closure that fits large and small wrists. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Rose Quartz/ Moonstone/ Labradorite/ Carnelian (orange), $185. CORSICA PENDANT. Faceted round semi-precious stone is the size of a nickel, suspended from an 17.5 inch chain. 24kt goldplate. Colors: Aqua Chalcedony (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Rose Quartz/ Labradorite/ Lemon Topaz/ Smoky Topaz/ Rock Crystal, $120. Above right: SANTORINI NECKLACE. The large faceted oval pendant handset in 24kt gold plate on a 16.5 inch chain. Colors: Rock Crystal (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Blue Onyx/ Prehinite Glass, $188. CATHERINE CLIP-ON. Large cabochon semi-precious stones set in 24kt goldplate. Two inch drop. Colors: Moonstone (shown)/ Aqua Chalcedony/ Labradorite/ Rose Quartz, $140. FLEUR BANGLE. Petite flower motif. Medium/Large. 24kt gold plate, $33. NILE RING. Ancient symbol of fertility and rebirth. 24kt matte gold, $48. |
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| Aboev, left: SAUTOIRE NECKLACE (With faceted rock crystal. Falls a dramatic 21 inches. In 24kt gold plate or silver plate, $225. GRANDE CANNES EARRING. Teardrop shape semi-precious stones handset in 24kt gold plate. Colors: Rock Crystal (shown)/ Chalcedony/ Aqua Chalcedony/ Labradorite/ Moonstone, $130. ALLEGRA BANGLE. Three-stone bangle. 24kt gold plate. Colors: Lemon Topaz/ Smoky Topaz & various other shades, $145. Above right: PETITE SOUTHAMPTON HOOP. Three large cabochon semi-precious stones. 1.25 inch diameter. 24kt goldplate. Colors: Pearl (shown)/ Moonstone / Chalcedony/ Tourmaline Glass/ Moonstone/ Rose Quartz/ Turquoise, $115. CASSIS NECKLACE. Pearl interspersed along 24kt gold plate or silver link. Choose the 39-inch length and wear it long or choose the 54-inch length and wrap it two or three times, $95. CABOCHON QUAD RING. Cabochon semi-precious stones handset in 24kt gold plate on sterling silver. Colors: Moonstone (shown)/ Aqua Chalcedony /Turquoise/ Moonstone/ Labradorite, $185. |
| Now, she delights in having people discover the shop, buzzing them in and having them quietly shop. She is planning on adding two club chairs to make the experience even more inviting and relaxed. “Shopping is always denigrated. It's like going to a gallery or museum. You're looking at, touching and seeing beautiful things. It's an aesthetic experience. I love watching people shop. When they enjoy it, it gives me pleasure. I've always said, 'If it's not fun, I don't do it!'” |
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