Krementz & Co. 14k enamel belle epoque brooch, freshwater pearl

Krementz & Co. 14k enamel belle epoque brooch, freshwater pearl
Dimensions: 1 inch x 1.25 inches

Krementz & Co is one of the oldest and largest manufacturers of luxury jewelry in the United States, dating back to 1866. The firm is known for its high-quality pieces and pure refinement.
Founded by George Krementz, the company thrived over the ages and has become world-famous. It has produced many extraordinary jewels, with fascinating designs, and careful craftsmanship for every taste and every pocket.
The name "Krementz" on a piece of jewelry means skill, knowledge, and high quality materials.
Vintage and antique jewelry collectors are quite familiar with this historical brand. Interestingly, a rather large collection of Krementz jewelry was aboard the Titanic when it sank, since the brand was extremely popular at that time.Krementz is well known for its masterful use of gold gilding. Because of this, their decorations look absolutely authentic.The story of the famous jeweler George Krementz is in fact an American success story. Born in Germany, George Krementz and his family emigrated to the United States on a sailing ship. He was about 10 years old. The family settled in New Albany, Indiana. In the 1850s, young George went to New York to apprentice in the jewelry trade, and in 1866 founded Krementz & Co in Newark, New Jersey, with his cousin. The initial plan was to create mens jewelry, such as collar buttons and cufflinks.
In 1876, Krementz designed a machine that makes collar buttons for mens dress shirts out of one piece of karat gold, according to "Harry W. Yaseen Jewelers".
In the 1880s, the master jeweler begins to use 14 karat gold overlay, two sheets of karat sandwiching a base metal to make high quality collar buttons inexpensively. Sales went up in no time!Collar buttons give rise to an entire collection of mens dress sets and jewelry. Eventually, George Krementz was awarded a patent for the collar button design, after some judicial struggles. During the period of time when collar buttons ceased to be that fashionable, the firm diversified its activity, perfecting a manufacturing technique for gold overlay.
According to jewelry advertisements of the time, Krementzs jewelers used gilding 30 times thicker than that commonly used in the production of most costume jewelry. The intention was to create a high-quality line of jewelry to be sold in department stores. In 1920, the firm began manufacturing women's jewelry. Necklaces, brooches, rings, earrings, bracelets, and other types of womens jewelry quickly became popular. Not long after, by the 1930s, Krementz & Co began selling their products internationally. Krementz traveled the world in his hunt for rare gems, in places such as Myanmar, Burma, Sri Lanka, where few Westerners at that time had access and brought to America incredible stones that no one had ever seen. In fact, Krementz was a member of the American Gem Trade Association, the International Colored Stone Association, the American Gem Society, and the Jewelers Board of Trade.
George Krementzs philosophy was to utilize only the best materials and craftsmanship in 14 karat and 18 karat gold "to create jewelry that was worthy of the most exacting of this country's fine jewelry stores."
Krementz created products in the era of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, and there are many excellent examples of perfect jewelry pieces from this period. Their excellent condition demonstrates their excellent quality. As a result, all of this makes Krementz pieces very valuable to vintage and antique jewelry collectors. The company continued to produce gilded jewelry until 1980. Then Richard Krements, the new owner of the company began producing jewelry in high quality 18K gold and platinum with inclusions. In particular, unusual stones such as tanzanite and tourmaline, as well as more familiar emeralds and sapphires. In the late 1990s, the company eventually sold off its non gem divisions, more exactly those that manufactured gold overlay items, wedding and engagement rings, and bands, and pave pieces, the technique using closely placed tiny diamonds. But it kept the gemstone line, moving it to new quarters in Springfield.
Krementz is one of the most appreciated historical brands in the world. (dsfantiquejewelry.com)
Condition Report: Good condition overall