How has American jewelry design progressed in the past decade?
“I think quality in general has gone up. Designer jewelry speaks of quality. You’re not anonymous anymore. Your name is on it, and you have to live up to what you say. It makes good economic sense.” – Michael Bondanza “Fantastically. There’s been a revolution of quality. It can always improve, but it’s far superior to 10 years ago. It has to be. We’re competing on a world level. You can’t go to Basel with poor quality. People there aren’t looking for price points.” – Henry Dunay “The most pertinent change I’ve seen is that traditional stores – AGS included – are recognizing designer jewelry. When I began, many traditional jewelers wouldn’t talk to me. Now they realize that people want more than an oval diamond with two trillion sapphires.” – Jeffrey Kaphan “I’ve seen the self-purchase market grow and grow. Women try on designer jewelry, they see it looks great, and they want fashion.” – Jane Bohan “I think a lot more American designers have a lot more international recognition than 10
