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www.thejewelrybook.com
What makes a brand unforgettable? What stands out among
jewelry purchases, retail stores and the experiences that one
encounters during a lifetime? Is it the brand itself? A box? In an
era where "likes" connote connection and marketers spend
more time fostering "clicks" than communication, many of us
are reformulating what it means to create and sustain a mean-
ingful brand. While retail choices continue to grow and a new
school of consumers emerge, we are witnessing a hopeful
return to a brand attribute that's as timeless as they come: the
power of a well-told story.
Once such example is Van Craeynest–a brand pioneered during
the Roaring Twenties having its renaissance in present day. The
story begins in San Francisco with Roger Van Craeynest, the
son of an immigrant family who began an apprenticeship at
Shreve & Company on Union Square at the age of thirteen.
Under the infl uence of European craftsmen, Roger became a
master die cutter, designer and engraver. In 1926 Van Craeynest
was founded and became known for fostering a tradition of
apprenticeship, teaching future craftsmen the art of the die-
striking manufacturing process. In 1960 Roger's son Larry
joined the mission, carrying on the tradition of die-struck jew-
elry using the original tooling and machines that dated back to
the 19th century.
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The Value of Storytelling
History, Craftsmanship and The Van Craeynest Legacy.
BY MEGHAN MARSH KING
