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Luxe of the Irish

By Mary Wisniewski
April 09, 2008

Dublin, Ireland—Jewelry designer John Christopher Condron always wanted to be involved with jewelry and he didn't wait long to explore his interest.

After graduating from high school, Condron immediately went to work for a jewelry manufacturer, and he has been at the bench ever since. His latest enterprise is John Christopher, a Dublin-based brand featuring various jewelry collections that pay tribute to the Irish heritage—with a luxury twist.

Many of the designs are diamond intense, with a rich emphasis on Irish culture. In the "New Aristocrats" collection, for example, gold brush strokes suggest furrowed country fields.

Condron says every design in his collections has special meaning, and he draws inspiration from the Irish passion for words, music and nature.

"There is a deep connection with each piece," Condron says, adding that he wants to create jewelry with staying power.

"I'd rather have less and be more classic and try to get some timeliness rather than just produce jewelry," he says.

Necklace in 18-karat yellow and white gold by John Christopher; suggested retail price is $1,950.
To do this, Condron says, he wants the John Christopher pieces to provide symbolic, lasting, fashionable designs that have appeal beyond that of an "Irish label." His design concerns only make sense given that what he loves about the business is watching the faces of customers who have been touched by his work.

Producing jewelry these days can be hard given strains such as the rising price of gold, but Condron isn't too worried.

"The increased price of metals has an impact, but people are still buying quality," he says. "People will buy the best they can afford."

John Christopher launched in the United States in September 2007, and the company showcased its work at the JA New York show held in March.

For more information about John Christopher, call (877) 367-3236 or visit its Web site, Johnchristopher.ie.

Editor's note: This article first appeared in the March 2008 issue of National Jeweler.
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