By Elizabeth Ladzinski
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
GRAMERCY — Putting a contemporary spin on vintage jewelry and antiques began as Berry Brown's childhood fascination, but they've now become her career.
"I think it probably started with a piece that was my grandmother's, it needed a new chain or just something to liven it up," Brown remembered.
"I was like, 'How can I reinvent this so it's modern?"
Now Brown, 34, is putting her jewelry design skills to use by starting her business, BBJewels Gramercy Park.
The Gramercy resident grew up with a grandmother who often traveled in Europe and would bring home antique cameos, lockets, tins and gemstones she found at flea markets. Her other grandmother was interested in crafts — like textiles, weaving, knitting and beading.
"Antiquing coupled with crafting has gotten me where I am today, because I'm so interested in it," Brown said.
She said she starts each design by finding interesting antique pieces — like filigree circles, pendants, or cameos — then builds from there, using the colors or the "look" of the piece to complete a design.
"It could be something Victorian, or have an earthy look or a fancy look, and I might make it into a piece that would be appropriate for a spring tea party," Brown said.
Included in her new summer collection is a Mother's Day necklace, an open-rectangle with a 7-karat lemon quartz, priced at $250.
Her jewelry ranges in price from $100 to $400, and is available online. Currently, a boutique near Gramercy Park called Kage, at 72 1/2 Irving Place, carries her collections and, next month, Jill Lynn & Co. in Southampton will also carry her pieces.
Brown hopes to have her collections carried in other selected boutiques soon.
"I'm very much a downtown girl, but we are trying to be a brand that appeals to all different people," she said.
Ideally, Brown wants to grow her business into an all-encompassing "antique-inspired" brand, and has begun working on a line of one-of-a-kind pillows.
"In some ways I have a vision — it could be a seascape, or a grassy meadow — but some pieces bring that about in my mind and I work around that vision," Brown said.
