Krementz and the World's Greatest Collar Button

By: Richard Krementz

One of the giants of the jewelry industry, Krementz may also be in the running for the longest lived family-owned jewelry manufacturing business in America.

Krementz was founded in 1866 by George Krementz. The company developed the high quality finish known as Krementz Overlay in the 1880’s. This laminated finish was a variation of the basic gold-filled manufacturing process. Krementz used 14 karat gold in the process, while many other manufacturers used 10 karat gold or 12 karat gold in the process. Krementz also added a layer of nickel plating on their items, coating the base metal with nickel before adding the gold finish, which was put on the base in sheet form, under great heat and pressure. The result was a finish which maintained its color. Krementz pieces did not get the “brassy” look which many other gold filled pieces acquired over the years.

The company’s earliest pieces appear to be men’s jewelry and accessories. The collar button became one of the mainstays of the company. In the Victorian era, men’s dress shirts often had a collar resembling today’s Henley shirts. A collar was then attached, using a metal collar button. The collar was attached at the back with one, and an additional button went through two slits on the front of the collar, and through the top “button hole” on the front of the shirt. The collars themselves were first developed in the 1820’s, and over the years were made of cotton, paper, linen, and “Linene”, a laminated cardboard and linen product. Celluloid became a popular material for detachable collars in the 1870’s.

The collar buttons were normally made in at least two pieces, with a riveted style construction. This construction added labor costs to the item and a collar button would separate with careless handling or poor construction. Then George Krementz saw a demonstration of rifle cartridge production, probably by Remington, at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition... Inspired by the way cartridge cases could be raised and formed from one sheet of metal, he adapted the process to the collar button. Using a disc of metal up to about 1 1/2” in diameter, a one piece collar button could be formed.

The product was so superior to others on the market that Krementz owned the collar button business. Personnel at the Krementz Company assured this writer that as late as the 1980’s , one of the original chain drive machines used for this was still in operating condition and occasionally put to use. There was apparently still some overseas demand for a good one piece collar button!

Krementz went on to operate a number of different companies, under Krementz ownership, including Diana, Shiman, McTeigue, and Jones and Woodland. In addition to the Overlay jewelry marketed under the Krementz name, Krementz made Fine Jewelry, and was one of the manufacturers associated with the Newark Renaissance of the Belle Époque period. These pieces are normally marked not with the Krementz name, but with the company’s hallmark-a stylized collar button! This mark is widely recognized, but often mistaken for an umbrella or some other device, by those not familiar with the history of this great American company. Most overlay pieces are marked Krementz, in block letters.

With the decline of the detachable collar button, Krementz made a major expansion in ladies fashion jewelry in the 1920’s and 30’s and was a major force in finer fashion jewelry in mid-20th century America. Along with some of the other traditional New England manufacturers, they produced a high quality product, with quality standards one did not find in costume jewelry of the period. It is not unusual to find Krementz pieces which have 4 or 5 decades of use, possibly handed down over several generations, and the finish is still intact. A simple wipe with a jewelry cloth and it looks like it just left the jewelry store shelf.

The company produced two series of pieces which are true classics: the Krementz Rose and the Forget-Me-Not. The Rose was done in a great number of variations and sizes, but normally featured a rose in pink gold overlay, with greenish gold overlay leaves. The Forget-Me-Not had a blue enamel finish, and featured cultured pearl centers. In the late 1970’s or early 80’s, simulated pearls began to replace the cultured pearls, and the Forget-Me-Not pieces were eliminated from the line, as labor costs for these high quality pieces became prohibitive. Both of these styles were also produced in 14 karat gold versions at various times, often by other divisions of Krementz.

The Krementz family began dismantling the large conglomerate jewelry empire in the 1990’s. The Diana Division, which made wedding bands, was sold to Fredrick Goldman, another maker of bridal jewelry. Tiffany and Company acquired McTeigue.

The Shiman division and the traditional overlay division were sold to the Colibri Group in 1997, and moved from the shops at Newark which had produced them.

Today, Rick Krementz operates the last family owned division of the company, Richard Krementz Gemstones. Rick is the fourth generation of his family to carry on the jewelry making tradition. This company, built on the framework of the Jones and Woodland division which was acquired in the 1930’s, makes fine quality jewelry in platinum and 18 karat gold, featuring the finest quality colored gemstones. Rick has served as president of the American Gem Trade Association. His father, Richard Krementz, Jr., was a founding member of the International Colored Gemstone Association.

We can think of no other family which has contributed as much to the American jewelry industry. You may be proud of any piece associated with them, from a simple antique collar button to a one-of-a-kind colored gemstone masterpiece. We are pleased to have a great selection of items made by Krementz, including classic Gold Overlay styles and Fine Jewelry from the height of the Newark Renaissance.

Article Source: https://www.collectibles-articles.com

Richard Krementz Gemstones - We have a passion for every color ... and a color for every passion.

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