Considered to be the Queen of Personalized Jewelry, Jane Basch of Jane Basch Jewelry Designs tells us her story and answers some tough questions (like what her favorite piece is). Check it out below.
How old were you when your jewelry design career began? Did you receive a formal education in design/jewelry or are you completely self taught?
I started in clothing right out of college. I got into jewelry at Basch & Co when I was in my early 30’s. I am an artist by nature, I just sketch and create all day long, it’s just what I do. I am adaptable, so it never really mattered the type of art. I was able to transfer my creative niche on into jewelry. To this day, I still love designing. My husband Michael, runs the business which allows me to do all the marketing and design. Currently, I’m going back to the archives to designs from 30 years ago for inspiration. It’s always a challenge to be creative with such a niche.
Nearly all of your jewelry is able to be customized. Why is this important to you? To your customers?
That was always our niche. The business started by my father-in-law in 1954. He came to the U.S. and continued doing personalized jewelry. Growing up in Romania he couldn’t go to school and his father sent him to be an apprentice at a jewelry store; he learned monogramming there. He still does some of the drawings today but our monograms are then all cut by hand. We are doing some of the smaller more intricate pieces with a laser nowadays. But all of it is still done in our Florida manufacturing facility
With so many gift options out there, what sets jewelry (and Jane Basch jewelry) apart?
What sets us apart is that every piece we do is custom. One customer was getting married and wanted a palm tree with diamonds for where they met. For such a small company, we are very approachable. I answer the phone; Michael answers the phone. We have instances where people buy a piece of ours from a store and we’ll fix it and make a longtime customer. As a small business we give the customer experience; we really do the right thing.
Do you have a piece that is most dear to you? Something with inspiration behind it?
I would say the monogram. Whether earring, or necklace, or ring. A few years ago we couldn’t make them fast enough. Some other pieces I love are the nameplates. Regardless, I don’t get too attached to trends because they move so quickly, especially today.
Right now, what jewelry are you wearing and what is your favorite piece? Why?
I always wear two things...huge diamond hoops and my Colors by JB necklace. I wear t-shirts and jeans often, just very casual. When I dress up and go out I always wear my big diamond monogram.
Do you have any new collections, projects or promotions you'd like to talk about?
Colors by JB is our fashion collection featuring oxidized silver, with pearls, agate beads, and diamonds. I’m wearing two of them right now!
Why does a personalized piece of jewelry make the perfect Mother's Day gift?
Because it’s PERSONAL! It says: “I’m really thinking of you and I went out of my way to do this.” You can walk in somewhere and buy a bottle of perfume. Or you can make them realize 2-3 weeks ago you gave it some thought and got something special.