By Brittany Siminitz, JCK Marketplace Manager
Posted on August 5, 2013
I'm currently spending a wonderful week island-hopping in Greece, so I thought it's the perfect opportunity to share some of the coolest jewelry from—you guessed it—Greek designers. And Pomegranate share some Trading is just the company to help me do that. As a U.S.-based marketing and wholesale agent for several of Greece's most popular and renowned jewelry designers, Pomegranate Trading introduces us to some of the most interesting, exciting jewels found throughout the Mediterranean.
The company was started by the wonderful Peter Bradley, who decided it was time for a change from the hectic New York City life and moved his family to Greece in 2004, starting "Athena's Treasures." Fast-forward to 2013, and Peter & Co. has moved from Athens to Pennsylvania to accommodate a growing customer base in the U.S. market, which was only introduced to distributor Pomegranate Trading one year ago. (Soon, the company will only be known as Pomegranate Trading, eliminating the retail name).
As a gateway to Greece, Pomegranate Trading has introduced many American retailers to incredible designers, including Damaskos, Evangelatos, and Polemis. Giorgo Damaskos, one of the world's premier goldsmiths, runs his Athens workshop along with his two daughters, developing new textures and motifs while remaining dedicated to creating jewelry by hand. "Damaskos has continued to pioneer the art of handcrafted classical and Byzantine forms," says Bradley. "Each part of each piece is made by hand and the reinvention of ancient textures and construction methods is still a passion for Giorgo Damaskos."
Evangelatos, run for over 35 years by Grigoris Evangelatos from his Kaisariani workshop, specializes in intricate motifs incorporating ancient, Byzantine, and modern traditions and a variety of colored gemstones. "They have maintained a strong customer base in Greece and Southern Europe with their natural and artistic styles, and their presence in the U.S. has been picking up as new store owners make connections with the line," Bradley tells me.
And finally, Polemis, run by Zanna and Paris Polemis, infuses its own artistry with Byzantine and classical style, working entirely in sterling silver with gold and rhodium plating. Says Bradley of the designs, "Many new customers are making an emotional connection to the unique and high-quality product line that comes with an accessible price tag. The photos say everything, and Polemis' strength of presentation has been doing them a great service."
"Outside of a strong aesthetic appeal, the primary attractions to our product lines are the handmade nature of the products, fast turnaround times, and low cost—a benefit of the current Greek economy," Bradley says of the company's growing fan base. "On the whole, our designers are holding strong due to the exposure we've given them to the American market. Recently, we had a customer in New York replenish his store with a virtually identical order to one he placed seven months ago; two designers were involved in supplying 85 pieces."
Sounds like shoppers are loving this, no? Perhaps it's just the touch of Old World charm they're looking for. I know I can't wait to report back on what I've spotted during my travels. Stay tuned!
