DESIGN FIND

Kathryn Kinev of Atlanta founded Jewel Creations while attending Georgia State University in 1983, but her interest in jewelry design dates from 1977, when she began designing and making pieces for her friends. Later she got her first real job in the industry designing 18k gold pieces for various designers.

Kinev graduated from GSU in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in jewelry design and silversmithing and from the Gemological Institute of America as a gemologist in 1987. She then started a local chapter of the GIA Alumni Association and now is vice president of the Southern Women’s Jewelry Association.

Kinev’s specialty is the ancient art of granulation,where miniscule gold spheres are affixed to metal. “We were shown examples in class, and I was fascinated. I knew then it was what I had to specialize in!” She has been working at it ever since, compiling a large inventory of unique hand-crafted jewelry. One of her pieces, a 22k gold bracelet, took more than 900 hours to create.

Kathryn Kinev, Jewel Creations, 2964 Peachtree Rd., Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30305; (404) 231-3849.