From jewelry to sculptures, these Mass. businesses boast curated creativity

THE NOW LANDMARK JEWELERS BUILDING ROSE UP IN THE HEART OF BOSTON FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. JEWELRY AND WATCH BUSINESSES HAVE THRIVED HERE. IT WAS IN 1933 WHEN JOSEPH GANN, A DETERMINED WATCH REPAIRMAN, DECIDED TO START A BUSINESS HERE. HE ULTIMATELY EXPANDED TO JEWELRY. I CAME OUT OFFICIALLY WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE ARMY AT THAT TIME, I STARTED THE CHINA DEPARTMENT BECAUSE HE WOULD LET ME GO NEAR THE DIAMONDS. HERBERT GANN GRADUATED TO THE SPARKLING INVENTORY. WHEN HE TOOK OVER, JOSEPH GANN JEWELERS FROM HIS FATHER. WE DO A LOT OF DESIGN WORK REMODELING WORK, AND THAT’S WHERE THE NEXT GENERATION COMES IN. HIS SONS THEN DOING THE SAME. WE KNOW WHAT LOOKS GOOD, WHAT’S GOING TO WORK, WHAT’S NOT GOING TO WORK. MATT AND JOSH CAN SAY A PORTION OF THEIR BUSINESS IS REWORKING PIECES GIFTED BY LOVED ONES. WE TOOK THE DIAMONDS OUT OF THE WEDDING BAND AND MADE A BRACELET. THIS IS ALL DONE BY HAND. IT’S A PROCESS AND USUALLY WE START WITH WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO WEAR THE MOST? IS IT A RING? IS IT A NECKLACE? ONE LONGTIME CUSTOMER HAD SEVERAL ITEMS SHE WANTED TO MAKE INTO ONE. SHE HAD A PAIR OF PRINCESS CUT DIAMONDS DUDS THAT SHE NO LONGER WORE. SHE HAD HER OLD ENGAGEMENT RING, WHICH HAD AN EMERALD CUT STONE, AND THEN SHE HAD HER LATE HUSBAND’S DIAMOND RING. AND THIS IS THE FINISHED PRODUCT. SOMETIMES PEOPLE COME IN WITH OLD JEWELRY AND JUST WANT US TO TO FIX IT UP, TO MAKE IT WEARABLE FOR THE NEXT 75 YEARS. SO YOU DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE A VERY SKILLED CRAFTSMAN DOING THE ACTUAL WORK. THE SKILL REQUIRED FOR THAT WORK IS FOUND JUST DOWNSTAIRS. ARABELLA LILLIAN WAS TAUGHT JEWELRY MAKING AT A YOUNG AGE IN DAMASCUS, SYRIA. I WAS 14 YEARS OLD. I JUST GO TO JEWELRY BUSINESS AND THEN I REALLY LOVED IT. AND I KEEP WORKING ON IT. THIS DELICATE, FINE CRAFTSMANSHIP BEGINS ON A COMPUTER. REMEMBER THIS RING? THIS ENDED UP BEING THE RING THAT WE MADE. SO WE TO A SHOT OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. SO THESE STONES ARE HELD IN A BEZEL. THE RING FROM HERE GETS TRANSFERRED TO A 3D PRINTER, AND THEN WE GET IT BACK FROM A CASTER IN WHATEVER METAL THAT WE WANTED TO GET IT CAST IN CREATING THE PERFECT PIECE, EVERYONE WHO IS PART OF THIS PROCESS TAKES THAT PERSONALLY. IF IT’S NOT PERFECT, IT DOESN’T GO FROM HERE. EVERY PIECE I MADE IS LIKE IT’S FOR MY WIFE OR SOMEBODY VERY CLOSE TAKING THE CLOSEST CARE OF HER CRAFT. PAULINE CURTIS IS ALSO DEFT WITH DETAIL. I SIGNED UP FOR MY FIRST ART CLASS WHEN I WAS FOUR. I SAID I WANTED TO BE AN ARTIST WHEN I GREW UP. A GRADUATE OF RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN, SHE STUDIED PATTERN AND COLOR WAYS. I MEAN, I HAVE HAVE A LOT OF PATIENCE AND AND REALLY CAN GET EXCITED AND OBSESSED WITH, YOU KNOW, THE FINE DETAILS OF THINGS. BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I LOSE PATIENCE SOMEONE TO JUST LET LOOSE THE PRINCIPLE AT PATINA HER WORK INCLUDES FINE ART INSTALLATION AND DECORATIVE PAINTING, DOING MURALS AND SORT OF HAND-PAINTED PATTERNS. YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH THAT, I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN PAINTING PATTERNS ON FLOORS AND CEILINGS, GOING ON TO TRIM ON THE WALL, BUT WRAPPED ON TO THE CEILING, KIND OF BREAKING THE RULES. HER ART IS IMBUED WITH THAT REBELLIOUS SENSIBILITY. SO I WANT TO BRING A LITTLE SILVER IN HERE. SO I’M JUST SPRAYING THROUGH THAT. THIS MASSIVE MIRRORED PIECE NOW HANGS IN AN ENTRYWAY UPSTAIRS. SHE BEDECKED THE HALLWAYS WITH UNEXPECTED MATERIALS, PAIRING ROOFING NAILS WITH MAPPING PENS AND PEARL STICK PINS AND SHELL CASINGS. MY FAVORITE WAY TO WORK WITH CLIENTS IS IF THEY HAVE A FEW PIECES OF INSPIRATION THAT THEY’RE THINKING OF, AND THEN THEY LET ME RUN WITH IT. HER RANGE OF SPECIAL SKILLS REFLECTED IN THE MANY SPACES SHE HAS SPECTACULAR TRANSFORMED WHILE HER WORK IS BEAUTIFUL AND PAULINE’S COMPANY AGAIN IS NAMED PATINA, AND SHE ALSO DOES EVENTS DESIGN AS WELL. AND BACK AGAIN JEWELERS. THEY SAY THAT REWORKING JEWELRY IS REALLY SORT OF A CASE BY CASE PROJECT. ONCE YOU REMOVE THE PRECIOUS STONES, THE METAL ITSELF CAN BE MELTED DOWN AND PURIFIED AND REUSED. SO THE NEW JEWELRY IS ACTUALLY ALWAYS RESET. AND SO IT’S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GOING

From jewelry to sculptures, these Mass. businesses boast curated creativity

It takes special skills to run Joseph Gann Jewelers and Patina Designs.

Updated: 8:10 PM EDT Jul 11, 2023

Located in the landmark “Jewelers Building” Joseph Gann Jewelers is a family-run business that has been operating in Boston since 1933. They are a traditional jewelry store that also specializes in reworking jewelry pieces and designing custom jewelry.Pauline Curtiss, principal at Patina Designs, is an artist and RISD graduate. She specializes in custom-designed patterns in paint and sculpture, working in interiors and event design.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Located in the landmark “Jewelers Building” Joseph Gann Jewelers is a family-run business that has been operating in Boston since 1933. They are a traditional jewelry store that also specializes in reworking jewelry pieces and designing custom jewelry.

Pauline Curtiss, principal at Patina Designs, is an artist and RISD graduate. She specializes in custom-designed patterns in paint and sculpture, working in interiors and event design.