coeursauvagejewelry: Top Quality Setting

Coeur Sauvage Jewelry is lucky to have access to highly talented jewelers in the diamond district in New York City. In the coming weeks we will feature different craftsmen in the area. Our first spotlight features Josef Klein. He is an amazingly talented stone setter and a nice guy to boot! Here is his story in his own words.

"I started setting stones at age 19 in Oak Park, Michigan. Through a family member connection, I became an apprentice for a small jewelry shop in the Advance Building. It was a mini "47^th Street" in the middle of Michigan.

In 1976 I moved to New York City with a two year plan. I started working for a setter to complete my training and freelanced on the side. I found it hard to find good people to work with, most setters do not like people to see work in progress nor disclose their setting techniques.

From 1984-89 I shared space with another jeweler in 580 Fifth ave and started to build a regular clientele. This is where I met William Klein who became my mentor. William was truly gifted with all aspects of jewelry craftsmanship, from model making to finishing and stone setting. He was also very willing to teach. He instilled in me that quality is important no matter how much the client pays, because it is the quality they will remember.

In 1990 I started work at Tiffany's. My first month there I was really nervous, but I quickly settled in and started the daily grind. Setting at Tiffany's was a lot different than working on my own. I found the work monotonous and creatively limiting, but by 1995 I was made shop foreman.