Tinsel love

My favorite jewelry store in Joburg has moved. Tinsel. I went to the opening launch party last night to check out their new digs. It is huge, probably three times the size of their old studio / shop. They have also moved from a high foot traffic street in downtown Parkhurst to a garden setting in Risidale. Clearly they have evolved from a casually found window shop to a sought out destination. Good for them!

The talent behind Tinsel is by far the most sophisticated group of designers I have found in South Africa. I remember when I first stepped into their old shop in Parkhurst, I had an instant feeling of deja vu. Was I in San Francisco, Oakland, Manhattan, Brooklyn, ...  even Cape Town? Nope. Joburg.

Tinsel is more than just a jewelry shop. It is a gallery of jewelry art. There are number of jewelry makers represented in the gallery, all with their own unique esthetic. It is also primarily the workshop of Geraldine Fenn and Eric Loubser who specialise in creating one-of-a-kind pieces and commissions. (They're working on one for me now.) My favorite pieces in the shop are the ones that incorporate vintage bits into their contemporary designs. Like watch fobs and charms. So special.

Congratulations Geraldine and Eric!