My Inspiration

I am always asked what the inspiration is for all my designs. I have been fascinated by the art of Russian pearl weaving ever since I was a child in Moscow. Through visiting many museums, my education and a deep interest, I have been able to hone my skill on the art of pearl weaving that was popular in the 17th & 18th century in Russia. I have collected many books on the subject, many in Russian and out of print and am more than happy to share my knowledge of Russian jewelry.

Russian jewelry from the 16th to 18th century was abundant with pearls as the rivers were filled with clams. There was such an abundance that even common peasant girls made pearl jewelry themsleves. From necklaces, clothing, church artifacts and  amazingly detailed and lavish kokoshniks, the intricate pearl weaving has always inspired me. Kokoshniks have always been a focal point of inspiration for me as there were many unique designs from region to region. A kokoshnik is a headdress worn by married women. As mentioned the styles varied greatly, embroidered with pearls, gold work, floral motifs and detailed with pearl drapes and netting over the forehead. I have amassed a beautiful collection of images that you can see on my pinterest.

 Unfortunately, no one understood how to cultivate clams and the rivers ran dry of pearls by the 19th century. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

See my newest designs and latest inspiration here:

http://pinterest.com/marinajjewel/boards/

Seed Pearl Restringing and Antique Pearl Restoration

I have been restoring seed pearl jewelry for over 25 years. There is more to reweaving than just restringing pearls. Repeating a pattern is one thing, but dealing with small pearls which are often clogged with glue and horse hair is something else entirely. I have spent years restoring pieces for Sotheby’s and Christies auction houses. Reweaving also deals with something I call the ‘perfect curve’. Antique necklaces or chokers never form a straight line: The human neck doesn’t have a shape of a cylinder; it is narrow at the top and wider at the shoulders. To hug the neck perfectly, the necklace must be curved, meaning that the size of the pearls must be gradually reduced from the outside curve towards the inside curve. This difference in sizes is frequently less than half a millimeter. The ‘perfect curve’ is also one indication to distinguish between the real thing and an imitation.

If you have any questions or want to get a quote please call 323.640.7340


BEFORE




AFTER

SOME RESTORED PIECES

New Creation - Short Onyx Sautoir

This is my latest creation - made of faceted onyx beads and antique clasps. Inspired by the 1920's and artists like Erte.

Trunk Show

One of a kind ornate and elegant pieces, custom made from brooches and centerpieces. Presented images are only a small part of an extensive collection that was created by Marina J. All pieces in this collection are one of a kind designs created around original antiques centerpieces to match and bring out their original beauty.

Marina will be at Sarah Leonard Fine Jewelers in Westwood Village for her Trunk Show on December 14th & 15th. For more information, please visit: http://www.sarahleonardjewelers.com/

If you have a brooche or centerpice that you would like re-imagined into a necklace, please feel free to bring it to the trunk show.

Back from London!

I just came back from London last week. It is such a delight to have my pieces on display in London's famous Burlington Arcade. My new collections were very well received alongside my more familiar signature pieces.

I had a very heartfelt experience in one of the shops that carries a few of my pieces. As I was waiting with Sylvia Ogden of Richard Ogden Jewelers in Burlington Arcade, an older couple came in asking for Robert, her husband. Sylvia explained that he was not in, but more than happy to help them. Over the generations starting from the 1950's this couple had purchased all their jewelry for the milestones in their lives from Robert and his father Richard. Through the years they have bought their engagement rings, wedding bands and gifts for each other and their loved ones from this one store, and it has become tradition for them. In a time when people can shop online, or go to any other place that is more convenient, this couple continues to be patrons to their jewelry store. It was heartwarming to see this interaction unfold before me.

The streets of London, with their bustling crowds are always a highlight for me, as there is nothing like it in Los Angeles. I spent a lot of time catching up with friends and colleagues, and of course I couldn't leave London without buying at least 3 pairs of shoes. Highlights from my trip included; a visit to the Victoria Albert Museum, sipping champagne at the Olympia, an upscale antique show in London, and a quick day trip to Madrid for an important sale. Madrid was quite exciting and must I say very fashionable! I am always fascinated with people watching in European subways and streets. In Los Angels we are always so confined to our cars, that I forget what it is like to be surrounded by people.

A Perfect Pair: Pearl & Emerald Necklace and Bracelet

I have created a wonderful new necklace and matching bracelet that uses wonderful centerpiece floral clasps.

They are now available on 1stdibs

Seed Pearl Restoration

I have done a number of seed pearl restoration projects over the years. Following are just some before and after images. More to come...

To inquire about jewelry restoration please email marina@marinaj.com

I started an Etsy Shop today.  I will be featuring some of my more youthful pieces as well as a unisex collection and eventually a bridal collection.  You can visit the shop here -->   http://www.etsy.com/shop/MarinaJJewelry

I am excited because this week I have been able to spend some time designing  my new website.    If you have any suggestions for convinient layout designs and/or features or links that could be helpful or fun I would love to hear them.

Also I have been digging up some images of restoration work that I have done and it is reminding me of  how great it feels to work with someones precious heirloom that has seen its day and is in desperate need of attention.  I am attaching images of  my restoration work so you can see some of the challenges I have faced.

Finally, I want to share a few historical images of pearl-embelished Kokoshnik ( a cross between a hat and a Tiara).  In the future I look forward to writing about the subject as it is a huge inspiration and treasure to behold. 

Don't foget to check back soon for more updates about Marinaj.com

Before:                                                                        After:

Before:

After:

Kokoshnick:

Today I launched a 500px  account! You can find visit the site and find images of my latest here:

http://500px.com/marinajjewelry

Snake Jewelry

You can now find my jewelry on 1stdibs

Here are a couple of the great pieces that are available:

Antique Snake Bracelet

I found this wonderful antique gold clasp in England. The snake head has an intricate filligree motif and ruby eyes. I made the hand woven pearl rope bracelet, to create a very unique and one of a kind bracelet.

Victorian Snake Necklace

Antique 19th century enamel snake head clasp stands as a centerpiece for this hand woven pearl and emerald beaded necklace. Truly a unique piece.

Victoria Secret Million Dollar Bra

I am so proud to have been part of the Victoria Secret Million Dollar Bra 2011 project. I hand stitched the bra with pearls, diamonds, citrine and aquamarine and a luscious and extravagant tassel made of pearls aquamarine and diamonds.

Inspiration

I am currently seeing all the amazing movies out there like Hugo and The Artist. I am anticipating W.E. All these films are so inspiring, that all day long I think about Art Deco and jewelry design.

While I was in Portland in December, I came across a number of books with illustrations by Erte (of course I had to buy all of them!) which is why I cant stop working on my Art Deco Collection all day and night.

More on The Sautoir

I was always fascinated by sautoirs. It was one of the favorite necklaces of the roaring 20s, and became a symbol of the time. The sautoir was a very long chain or beaded necklace, decorated with a tassel or pendant. The long necklace was an ideal accessory to compliment the low-waisted dress of the time. Many of the sautoir designs created by Cartier were multipurpose accessories. They were constructed in such a way that the central brooch or pendant could be removed and worn as a brooch or pin, and the chain could be detached and worn as a bracelet and shorter necklace.

Ten years ago, when I created my “Don’t Just Inherit It, Wear It” collection, I wanted to give new life to antique brooches and family heirlooms that people held onto but didn’t wear. I designed pearl necklaces from chokers to sautoirs to compliment the antique centerpieces, preserving their beauty and elegance. The brooches were removable so the necklace could be worn on its own, and the centerpiece could be interchangeable. Over the past ten years it has been my most successful collection.

I have drawn inspiration from Cartier’s designs and want to elaborate on my own sautoir collection so each segment itself can stand alone as a bracelet or shorter necklace.

If you have any unusual patterns or photographs of antique pieces please let me know!

Back from London

I just recently returned from a business trip to London and attended a Bridal Show while I was there. The show was exactly what I feared it would be: a lot of gorgeous and expensive dresses and inexpensive, fake jewelry. I have experienced the same situation here in the States. Whereas the show in London was a bit more conservative, displaying mostly invitations and dresses, the shows here have more of a production in their efforts (balloons, cakes, chocolates, samples, photography...) yet one things still remains the same; it's always cheap, fake bridal jewelry. So much effort is placed in every other detail of the wedding, that I can't possibly begin to understand why bridal jewelry is overlooked.

The tassel collection that I created a week before I left, was very well received. I sold out of the few pieces I had time to create and had orders for more. The collection will comprise of what I call sophisticated tassels, made of precious stones, gold, diamonds and enamel decorated cups. The tassels will be longer, bigger and jucier! I am planning to bring more colors into my collection (I was inspired by the colorful window displays in the London stores).

Some of the new locations you can find my designs at:

Kojis at Liberties

McKenna & Co.

Bentley & Skinner

Sussanah Lovis

myweddingpearls.com

I am in the process of creating a new website, myweddingpearls.com, for my new bridal jewelry line - Now and Forever. Please take a look and give me some feedback. All your comments and suggestions would be very much appreciated.
I still have my old website, marinaj.com that has a lot of my collections as well.

My First Post

Hello Everyone!

I have decided to start a blog for my jewelry collections.

I have been inspired by the most decadent era of the last century and have created a new Art Deco line. On my recent recent trip to London, they were very well received.

This collection is at a lower price point than my signature hand woven pieces, fitting to today's smaller budget.

The collection makes use of onyx, coral, pearl, mother of pearl, and silver.