Oak Ridge Today

Karen’s Jewelers hosts show of gemstones from around the world

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Colorful gemstones, such as this aquamarine, will be among gems in the show at Karen’s Jewelers on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019. (Submitted photo)

Thousands of loose gemstones in a range of colors will be on display at Karen’s Jewelers for a one-day gemstone show on Thursday, September 26. The show featuring gemstones from mines around the world will be from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the store, which is at 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

Aquamarines, emeralds, garnets, rubies, opals, sapphires, tourmalines, and zircons will be among gemstones included in the show. Among rare gemstones will be alexandrite, which changes color from bluish mossy green in daylight outdoors to red in lamplight indoors, and sphene, a brilliant transparent yellowish green or green with a diamond-like luster.

“We invite Artinian Gems, which has sourced fine gemstones from around the world for two generations, to Oak Ridge for this show of loose, colorful gems,” said Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers. “The California gem firm emphasizes environmental sustainability and fair trade gems, in addition to presenting a beautiful collection.”

The gemstones come from Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Nigeria, and other remote mining locations. [Read more…]

Celebrity jewelry featured in show at Karen’s Jewelers

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Estate jewelry, including many pieces previously owned by celebrities, will be on display on Thursday, April 11, and on Friday, April 12, at Karen’s Jewelers in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

Estate jewelry, including many pieces previously owned by celebrities, will be on display on Thursday, April 11, and on Friday, April 12, at Karen’s Jewelers in Oak Ridge. (Submitted photo)

A necklace that once belonged to Prince—the late singer, songwriter, and musician—and a money clip owned by actor and dancer Patrick Swayze, famed for his roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost,” will be among celebrity items featured at an Estate Jewelry Show and Sale on Thursday and Friday, April 11 and 12, at Karen’s Jewelers in Oak Ridge.

The show and sale will offer hundreds of jewelry pieces priced from $500 to more than $50,000, including rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches, pendants, and necklaces. The event will take place from 1-7 p.m. Thursday, April 11, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 12, at Karen’s Jewelers, which is located at 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

“The show will feature an array of precious and semi-precious gems, as well as platinum and a wide selection of colors and karats of gold, reflecting the beauty and craftmanship of bygone eras,” said Martha Hart, of Karen’s Jewelers. Jewelry is considered estate jewelry if it is previously owned, though not always from an estate, she said. Such jewelry is considered antique if it is more than 100 years old.

Among other celebrity jewelry featured at the show and sale will be pieces that belonged to actors Bette Midler, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Basinger, Bea Arthur, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Linda Gray, and child star Shirley Temple. Other famous names represented in the show and sale are Gene Autry, Elvis Presley, Hugh Hefner, Joan Rivers, Dean Martin, and Jerry Lewis. [Read more…]

Estate, celebrity jewelry featured at Karen’s Jewelers on Friday, Saturday

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This estate jewelry will be among pieces featured at the Karen’s Jewelers Estate Jewelry Show and Sale on Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1. (Submitted photo)

This estate jewelry will be among pieces featured at the Karen’s Jewelers Estate Jewelry Show and Sale on Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1. (Submitted photo)

 

Estate jewelry that once belonged to Joan Rivers, Ringo Starr, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elizabeth Taylor, and Greta Garbo, among many others, will be featured at an Estate Jewelry Show and Sale on Friday and Saturday at Karen’s Jewelers in Oak Ridge.

The Estate Jewelry Show and Sale will be held from 2-7:30 p.m. Friday, March 31, and from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. April 1. The show presents a $3 million collection of antique, vintage, and contemporary estate jewelry, a press release said. Rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches, pendants, and necklaces will be among hundreds of pieces on display, with prices starting at $500. A wide selection of colors of gems and karats of gold will be included.

Among the treasures will be jewelry that once belonged to the Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and his actress wife, Barbara Bach, who portrayed a Bond girl in the film “The Spy Who Loved Me,” the press release said. The jewelry was auctioned when the couple sold their home in England, with auction proceeds going to charity.

Also featured will be pieces of signed jewelry, vintage engagement rings, pearls, cameos, diamonds, gold, gems, platinum, and filigree designs gathered from estates around the world, according to Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum supports fire relief efforts in Gatlinburg

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bear-stephenson

Guests at the Gala Evening at the Children’s Museum on December 2 contributed $6,260 for the fire relief effort as Clinton auctioneer Bear Stephenson extended the auction of a Gatlinburg activities package to accept contributions for organizations supporting the community and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after the wildfire that spread from the park into Gatlinburg earlier that week. (Submitted photo)

 

The generosity of Gatlinburg merchants in providing an auction package for the Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge Gala resulted, in return, in generosity from the Children’s Museum and Gala attendees, who opened their wallets to support Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after the devastating Chimney Tops fire.

Guests at the Gala Evening at the Children’s Museum on December 2 contributed $6,260 for the fire relief effort as Clinton auctioneer Bear Stephenson extended the auction of a Gatlinburg activities package to accept contributions for organizations supporting the community and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after the wildfire that spread from the park into Gatlinburg earlier that week.

Martha Hart first raised the idea of donating to fire relief efforts by donating the proceeds from the Gatlinburg activities package back to the community. Hart, whose family owns Karen’s Jewelers, was helping manage the silent auction with her family as a volunteer at the Gala and suggested moving the Gatlinburg activities package from the silent to the live auction. [Read more…]

Children’s Museum to celebrate national parks at gala in December

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Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers, left, with Lee McGetrick and Mike Morris, all members of the Children’s Museum Gala Committee, display a National Park poster for the Gala, which will celebrate the National Park Service Centennial. (Submitted photo)

 

The Children’s Museum of Oak Ridge will celebrate the 100th birthday of the National Park Service at its annual Gala Evening, a benefit for the museum on Friday, December 2.

“Tribute to the National Parks—A Centennial Celebration” will feature National Park trivia and prizes, National Park-inspired cuisine by Rosa’s Catering, music from the Oak Ridge High School Choral Ensemble, an exhibition of children’s photographs from the parks, and a surprise for Gala attendees.

The Gala will be an official National Park Service Centennial Event. In honor of that designation, the museum will offer free admission Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, inviting the public to view the “Parks-in-Focus” National Parks photography exhibit in the Imagination Gallery. Photos of area parks taken by girls from Girls Inc. of Oak Ridge will be shown in the exhibit.

Guests are invited to come dressed to represent a favorite National Park or in semi-formal attire to the Gala, to be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. December 2 at the museum, which is at 461 West Outer Drive in Oak Ridge. [Read more…]

Karen’s Jewelers hosts Estate Show on Friday, Saturday

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Estate Jewelry 2

Karen’s Jewelers in Oak Ridge wil host an Estate Show on Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, 2016. (Submitted photo)

An Elvis Presley fan who hung around the gates of Graceland in Memphis from the 1950s to the 1970s was lucky enough to meet the rock ‘n roll star and receive a gift from him of gold-plated “EP” initial lapel pins.

Elvis’ lapel pins and other estate, vintage, and celebrity-owned jewelry will be on display at Karen’s Jewelers on Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23.

The Estate Jewelry Show and Sale will be from 3-7:30 p.m. Friday, April 22, and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Karen’s Jewelers, 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge. The show will feature jewelry from bygone eras and celebrity jewelry with stories to tell.

Among the treasures will be vintage engagement rings, pearls, cameos, diamonds, gold, signed pieces, gems in exotic colors, platinum and filigree designs gathered from estates around the world, according to Martha Hart of Karen’s Jewelers.

Rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches, pendants, and necklaces are among hundreds of pieces that will be on display. A wide selection of colors of gems and karats of gold will be included. Jewelry reflecting the beauty and craftsmanship from Art Nouveau, Belle Époque, Edwardian, Art Deco, and Retro eras through the late 20th century will be featured at the event. [Read more…]

Gem hunter presents Smithsonian-style gem show at Karen’s Jewelers Oct. 1-3

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Ruby Specimens

Rubies in the “mother rock” in which they were found in Afghanistan will be on exhibit at Karen’s Jewelers. (Submitted photo)

 

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Karen’s Jewelers will welcome an annual visitor bringing gems from Southeast Asia, Afghanistan, and Egypt for a three-day Smithsonian-style show in Oak Ridge.

Gary Bowersox will present rough gems and minerals, precision-cut gemstones and designer jewelry at Karen’s Jewelers in Oak Ridge from Wednesday through Friday, September 30-October 2. Bowersox has made Karen’s Jewelers a destination on his “Magnificent Gemstones of the World” event for nearly 20 years, according to proprietors Jonathan and Martha Hart.

More than 60,000 gems will be on display at the gem show and sale at Karen’s Jewelers, 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike. The exhibit will be open from noon.-6 p.m. September 30, and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. October 1 and 2.

Among gems in the show will be a rare padparadscha sapphire from Sri Lanka, among many sapphires from the region. The gem is described as a delicate mix of pink and orange. Also from Sri Lanka will be sphene, another rare and brilliant green, orange or brown gemstone, along with moonstone and special zircons. [Read more…]

Sponsored: Karen’s Jewelers hosts estate jewelry show Friday, Saturday

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Greta Garbo Earrings

Estate jewelry, including Greta Garbo’s earrings, will be on display at Karen’s Jewelers October 17 and 18.

Elvis Presley’s initial cufflinks and a pair of Greta Garbo earrings will be among estate, vintage, and celebrity-owned jewelry on display at Karen’s Jewelers on Friday and Saturday, October 17 and 18.

The Estate Jewelry Show and Sale will be from 3-7:30 p.m. Friday, October 17, and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, October 18, at Karen’s Jewelers, 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike in Oak Ridge.

Among jewelry will be a ballerina pin presented to the actress Betty Hutton in 1949 by the cast of her movie, “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Her director, Cecil B. DeMille, demanded that his actors and actresses learn their own circus acts for the movie, so Hutton practiced for a year to perfect the trapeze stunts for the movie. The pin is inscribed “From Your Crew 1949.”

Elvis’s road manager signed a letter verifying that the gold-filled cufflinks with the “E” initial once belonged to the rock ‘n’ roll singer. [Read more…]

Sponsored: Karen’s Jewelers hosts estate jewelry show this weekend

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Les Paul Pocket Watch Copy

A copy of the Les Paul Pocket Watch is pictured above. (Submitted photos)

A unique show of vintage, estate, and celebrity jewelry will take place on Friday and Saturday at Karen’s Jewelers.

Among items will be a Rolex watch that actress, singer, and director Barbara Streisand presented to a former boyfriend, inscribed with a quote from her song “Evergreen,” and a gold hot dog that Robert Goulet had designed for his aunt, who offered him $10 for hot dogs when he was a struggling actor. An aquamarine and diamond ring that belonged to actress Tallulah Bankhead and a 14 karat gold pocket watch that was the guitarist Les Paul’s, with an inscription to Les, will also be among treasures at the show.

The Estate Jewelry Show will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. A special preview of the show will be held from 4-7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at Karen’s Jewelers, 1120 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge. [Read more…]