Personal Appearance & Trunk Show in Berkeley

Tiara with Caterpillars and Pearls

This tiara doesn't have poetry but if it did it might be this:

I will look at cliffs and clouds
With quiet eyes,
Watch the wind bow down the grass,
And the grass rise.

-Edna St. Vincent Millay

Lover's Eye

Be stirring as the time; be fire with fire- -Shakespeare

I was going for something sculptural when I made this so I headed down to the Legion of Honor for some inspiration. After posting the drawing of eyes from my sketch book, a client called and told us about the Lover's Eye. How did I miss these treasures all these years?

"While off fighting the Revolutionary War in America, George IV's lover gave him a locket with a miniature painting of her eye; her anonymity was preserved while eye contact was maintained." Genius.

Fewer than 1,000 were ever produced of these hand painted Georgian miniatures. They were painted by miniaturists onto ivory and sometimes velum. If they were encircled by pearls they were remembrance pieces.


They were made for the courts and affluent households of England, Russia, France and on rare occasion for America.

Instead of Evil Eye, I decided to name our piece Lover's Eye. It has a way of holding our attention that is haunting, mysterious and at the same time feels protective...

Our Brand Ambassador Has Arrived

I cannot get enough of this cray-zay picture of Mark Ruffalo wearing our jewelry in this W spread from January (see, we are a little slow)--which is his own I might add. We couldn't be more thrilled to have such a great guy, who is up for an Oscar, sporting our stuff. I hope it brings him good luck!

Tiaras, Turtles and Good Karma

I have loved the stars too fondly to be
fearful of the night.

--Sarah Williams 1868

Inspired by Miss Monique Erickson, here is my first tiara and it won't be my last. It is made of silver, 18k gold, 500 year old petrified coral, freshwater and Tahitian pearl.



Still I will harvest beauty where it grows.

--Edna St. Vincent Millay


woodcut by Hiroshige from Edo period.

In Japan during the Edo period people would buy turtles in the marketplace and set them free for good karma. I love that this is woodcut references that. What a wonderful story.

An Enormous Amount of Gold Leaf

The folks at New Bohemia did a fantastic job on our new gold leaf sign! It took literally all day to hand paint the name and then apply the gold leaf.

It was done the old fashioned way and it is extraordinarily beautiful thing to see that much gold against glass. It glows like a space ship from outer space when the sun is on it.

A Fun Affair

My store is so small-- 160 feet--that I have always been hesitant, afraid to have parties. Last night was fun and easy breezy and I now plan to have them regularly. It is just plain nice to get to meet people who support my design and encourage me to keep making stuff I love. As an artist, I require the feeling of having to rise to the occasion of a smart, selective audience. Knowing this audience (and I like to think of them as 'connoisseurs') takes great care in what they chose to live with, to wear, I always feel a sense of gratitude when I find out someone has a collection of several pieces. And the amazing thing is that most of our customers do have several pieces that help tell a sort of narrative of times in their lives. I love hearing the stories.

Either our place is really dim or the store on our right is blinding!

Janet made wonderful set of bookmarks that we gave out. We had 100 macaroons and we didn't have that many leftover...

Let's see if our holiday arrangement goes the way of the giant succulent!

You're Invited!

Join us at our holiday event for bubbly drinks, holiday treats, a drawing for a special gift and a free memento. Meet Jeanine as she opens her sketchbook for a sneak peek at her designs in progress.

See you there!

Thursday, December 16th ∙ 4 - 7p

at our San Francisco retail store

762 Market & Grant ∙ 415.788.2417

Holiday Gift from JP!

This year we giving a special gift of a Holiday Keepsake Cory Bracelet! Orders of $500 or more will receive our gift, valued at $150.

The Cory is specially engraved with the words of Spinoza—

“The more joy we have, the more nearly perfect we are."

Details: Scarlet Italian kid leather, length 6.75”, sterling silver S-hook closure.

To receive your gift, make a purchase of $500 or more and enter “free gift” in Customer Notes at the end of checkout.* This gift will also be offered in our retail store with purchases of $500 or more Shop>

Happy Holidays from everyone at Jeanine Payer!

*Not applicable on previous orders. No substitutions or customizations available. Offer expires December 26, 2010.

The Eye

I am obsessed with images of eyes right now and trying to figure out how to incorporate them into my January collection so I have been doing studies from Rodin's sculptures s well as getting people in the studio to sit still. Here is a drawing of Megan's eye.

Hello Jackson Square

People told me I would fall in love with Jackson Square but I didn't realize just how hard I would fall. I can't list every single cool thing at once but here are a few...

Our new local cafe is where we can get a Blue Bottle coffee and a panini. You can't see them in this picture but there are old fashioned gas lamps in the breezeway.

The Sydney Walden Park is a serene place to chill on a lunch break.

...and there is a creme brulee cart within walking distance.

Show Of Hands by Melissa

Left: Self Portrait, Frida Kahlo 1940
Right: Filippo earrings, Jeanine Payer 2010






Two Moons, Mano & Blue Moon necklaces

I'm completely obsessed with the Filippo earrings in our Fall 2010 Collection. They remind me of the hand earrings in Frida Kahlo's Self Portrait, which were an actual gift from Pablo Picasso, whom she met in Paris. Our earrings have a tiny quote engraved on the gold bracelet that says, I choose all ~St. Therese.

I also love all the different elements when layering these three necklaces, from the tiny gold bracelet on the Mano (hand) necklace to the aquamarine on the Blue Moon. The Two Moons necklace reminds me of a tiny antique padlock. The quote is hidden and the two pieces swing open to reveal the engraving on the inside, which reads: All our progress is an unfolding. ~Emerson

Settling In

The John Yehall Chin Elementary School playground is directly under our production windows. These kids go NUTS at recess--it is the most hilarious ambient noise ever.

The production studio is where it's at.

I mean really.

I love this room.


Our new view from Production is towards the Filbert Steps on the back of Telegraph Hill.

The finishing area.



My office is slowly coming together...more pics later.

My Favorite Place

is William Stout Architectural Books. It is walking distance from our new studio and I am on my way there now...