In 2015, Jay Strongwater proudly celebrates its 20th anniversary with a collection of seven iconic designs, five of which are a limited edition of twenty. Jay began his career in 1981 while a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. After garnering accolades for a necklace he made for his mother, he took jewellery samples to the open buyer days at several of the New York’s department stores, and a burgeoning business was born. Strongwater’s taste for the big, bold bijoux was seen on fashion runways, magazine covers, and prominent jewellery counters across the country.
The move to homeware was delightfully serendipitous. The spark was a jewel-encrusted picture frame Jay created in 1995 using components from his jewellery collection. He first gave these as gifts to friends, fashion editors, and buyers who immediately wanted more. By 1998, homeware designs supplanted his fashion business.
To mark the 20th anniversary, these seven iconic designs are:
Golden Peacock Figurine
This glorifies everything inspiring about peacocks—their languid grace, sophistication and glorious colours. The large figurine is carved in metal. Each feather is centred with oversized Swarovski pear, oval and marquis-cut stones. They are surrounded with more than 13,000 brilliant, sparkling crystals in shades of light topaz, opal and gold. The metal is poured in India then enameled and hand-set with crystals in the Jay Strongwater New York workshop.
Nouveau Frame
Symbolising tradition, beauty and romance. Art nouveau scrolls are tightly pavéd in Swarovski jet crystals, woven with soft blossoms in white opal and gold aurum crystals. Finished in 14K gold and set with more than 2,000 crystals, with a brilliant ruby butterfly fluttering above.
Iridescent Fighting Fish Figurine
The exotic, alluring silhouettes and striking colours highlight exquisite craftsmanship. The solid brass fish has gently rippling fins and pierced scales. Hand-painted in sheer enamels in ombre tones of grey moonstone, pearl and gold. There are 13,000 Swarovski crystals in black diamond, opal, jet and gold hues.
Grand Floral Chest
Flora and fauna is captured in a fully blossomed bouquet perched on a pierced chest of palm leaves. The flowers are enameled in cream and golden topaz shades, then hand-set with more than 5,000 Swarovski crystals in tones of gold, crystal and opal. Forged in pewter, 14K gold and decorated by hand in the Jay Strongwater New York workshop.
Opal Tiger Figurine
Inspired by the collection called Jungle, this exotic, royal white tiger is resplendent with more than 7,000 Swarovski opal and jet crystals. Carved in solid brass, his stripes are hand-enameled in pearly white, grey, and ebony tones, and hand-set with crystals to finish the look.
Jay’s First Frame
Looking back at the frame that started it all, style 5100, which was constructed in 1995 used metal elements from what was Jay Strongwater’s jewellery collection, back then. His first jewelled picture frame began with corners of pavé scrolls that led to stripes of fleurs-de-lis, stone bezels and twisted wires along the sides. The designer hand-set the first frame with Swarovski’s finest jewel-toned crystals—siam, topaz, and amethyst. Twenty years later, they have recreated the first frame in the anniversary palette of jet, crystal, and gold aurum, with genuine mother-of-pearl stones set on 18K gold over pewter. The transparent ruby backplate commemorates 20 years of fabulousness!
Commemorative Ornament
This is a unique holiday ornament in blown glass, inspired by materials and techniques developed with the craftsmen at their glass workshops in Poland. A mouth-blown clear optic glass ball, with a subtle spiral twist, has been lacquered in transparent ruby hues, hand-painted with golden glitter leaves and flowers, and adorned with faceted pavé crystal stones. There are ten thin metal butterflies jewelled in small white pearls.
