MENTORSHIP COMMITTEE
At The Glitterati, we believe that nobody becomes successful without one person believing in them. Part of our ethos is to "pay it forward" through mentoring and education.
The Glitterati mentorship committee has been a project close to our hearts. We have diligently put together a group of eleven legendary ladies who collectively embody the Glitterati Girl . Professionally accomplished, passionate, resolute, generous and kind, each of these women has volunteered to be part of our mentorship committee, giving their time and knowledge to help the next generation of inudstry women grow.
CATHERINE ARSALA
Skills: Diamonds & signed estate jewellery, sourcing, manufacturing
Current market practices, trade shows
Languages: English
I graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History which combined my love for history, painting and the decorative arts. I interned at Sotheby’s NY in the executive office and at Skinner Auctioneers in Boston in their jewellery department, where I learned the basics of the trade; weight calculations, gem identification, client relationships etc. After graduation, I moved to New York to work for Friman & Stein, where I have been for 22 years. I am specialised in diamonds and signed estate jewellery but also work closely with private clients making engagement rings and creating bespoke pieces.
"The delicate balance of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image but giving them the opportunity to create themselves." - Steven Spielberg
CATHY MANCUSO BOYACK
Skills: Victorian, Edwardian & Art Deco jewels, diamond grading
Running a smalll jewellery business
Languages: English
I have been an antique and estate jewellery dealer in Beverly Hills, California for the past 30 years. I am a graduate gemmologist having started my career grading diamonds at the GIA laboratory in New York City. My love for jewellery started at an early age when I took silversmithing classes and immediately fell in love with all things jewellery. I was taught by a knowledgeable woman who passed on many important aspects of the business. Passing that insight along is part of the mentoring sensibility.
One of my mentor's quotes that I have used often over the years is "If you haven't made mistakes, you aren't buying enough".
CÉLINE K. CATALAA
Skills: Vintage signed jewelley 1940’s - 1980’s, auction & trade show practices
Languages: French & English
My first career was in journalism and television, a world that doesn’t do women any favours! In my family, jewellery is something passed on from mother to daughter - I have vivid childhood memories of my mothers and grandmothers “treasure chests”. It’s from them that I inherited the sensitivity and affection for the soul of these small objects and jewels. My friend and vintage dealer Christian Sicard believed in me and took me under his wing. Together we organised auctions at Druot; first fashion and luxury accessories, and progressively jewellery. Contrary to my first career, the jewellery world is one that values experience, where knowledge makes you better and stronger. While actively working as a consultant for auction houses, I created my company French Collection. I love my job and have never regretted the change.
“The best jam is made in old jars.”
VANESSA CRON
Skills: History of jewellery design
Researching skills, career advice
Writing jewellery-related content
(website, branding lectures social media etc.)
Various aspects of jewellery identification
Languages: French, English
French, based in Geneva, I am a historian specialised in the history of jewellery design and historic provenance research. I worked 4 years for one of the most important dealers in antique jewellery and exceptional gemstones, and 15 years at Christie’s as jewellery archivist and head of cataloguing. There I researched major jewels such as the ‘Peregrina’ pearl, the Empress Eugenie ‘Feuille de Groseillier’ brooch, the ‘Blue Belle of Asia’ sapphire and the ‘Grand Mazarin’ diamond. I am now an independent jewellery historian, lecturer, and consultant. I oversee the ‘Jewellery Design History’ class at the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD - Genève) and of the ‘History of Jewellery Design’ online course for Christie’s Education.
“I’ve always felt that the history of jewellery design was not always taken as seriously as the history of art movements, which motivated me early on to bring it to a wider audience. Through my teaching and mentoring at the HEAD school, or my various lectures and classes around the world, I do feel a lot of people would love to know more about jewellery but simply don’t know where to start. I am really grateful that I can better help them understand this magnificent art and its fascinating history.”
MARIE-LAURE
CASSIUS DURANTON
Skills: Gemmology, jewellery history
Languages: French, Italian, English
Art historian, a graduate of the Sorbonne University and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris, I first specialised in Renaissance Art and Culture. I taught Art History for seven years at the University of Reims, at the Pantheon-Sorbonne University (Paris) and at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Reims giving lectures and publishing articles on various subjects such as "Metamorphosis, Dream Representation" and "Eroticism during the Renaissance".
I also studied Gemmology and obtained diplomas from the ING (National Institute of Gemology) the FEEG (Federation of European Education in Gemmology) and the GIA. Being passionate about historic and vintage jewellery, I went for several auction houses, acquiring a good feel for the jewellery market and specialising in jewellery history. I later taught gemmology and developed the Jewelry History and Jewelry Market courses at the ING, then teaching at LFG (French Gemological Laboratory). In 2016, I began teaching and lecturing in gemmology and jewellery history at L'ECOLE – the School of Jewelry Arts. I also train luxury brand teams and publish regularly on the history of jewellery and gemstones. More recently, I joined the cabinet Déchaut-Stetten & Associés in Paris as a consultant for jewellery auctions.
“Teaching is sharing and comes naturally to me. During my long experience with students, I have given them knowledge and enthusiasm related to gemology and art history but at the same time they fed me with their questions, different perspectives, and experiences. I have always considered that we are better working as a team. I have trained many people in the French jewellery and art market, building a broad network that I would be delighted to share with younger, ambitious, and talented women.”
KIRSTEN EVERTS
Skills: Modernist, Scandinavian, Dutch & English jewels from the 1960's era, artist jewellery, old mine diamonds, antique cameos.
Languages: English, French, Dutch
German & Norwegian
My jewellery education started at Christie’s Amsterdam where I was a viewing assistant during my Art History studies in the early 1990s. It taught me how to open and close cabinets, handle jewellery and make polite conversation with clients. That sounds trivial but looking back, it was the only place to start. When an internship was required, I applied to Christie’s jewellery department in Geneva, which led to my fringe participation of a sale held in St Moritz. There was an overwhelming amount to learn but what I took away with me was an understanding of responsibility, to the client but especially to the company, which had, in faith, briefly taken me on to teach me things. As a consequence of my internship, I decided to complete the GIA G.G programme in Carlsbad. In the midst of my G.G programme, I interviewed for a position with Christie’s jewellery department in London where I started in 1999. There, I learned to catalogue, date, price, bid, exhibit, travel (with jewellery) and the subtle art of getting along with colleagues. From Christie’s, I moved to de GRISOGONO in Geneva managing what was called the stone department, which meant exactly that: organising endless amounts of stones for watches and jewellery. de GRISOGONO taught me how to keep track of stock, how to keep an inventory but, more importantly, I learned how to work with diamond and gemstone dealers. After a quick stint at Bonhams in Paris, where I learned to set up their jewellery department, which consisted of myself only, I ended up working for another sector of the jewellery world: insurance and art brokering. Gurr Johns in London taught me the world of insurance reports, valuations, court cases and private deals. Most importantly however, it taught me how to work independently, which eventually led to my decision to start up shop for myself. FRAM was founded in March 2018 and of all the experience I’ve had, this has been the most successful learning curve to date. Being financially responsible for your own style, choices and decisions is priceless.
“Looking back, what I missed was a mentor – someone who believed in me and was willing to form and accompany me from the bottom up. In fact, living my career backwards may have been a greater help to me today. So, my desire to mentor comes from having missed out myself and from understanding how immensely encouraging and useful this can be.”
DANA KIYOMURA
Skills: Antique & estate jewellery, retail merchandising, auction & trade show practices, running a small business
Languages: English
I had an unconventional upbringing. Being an Army brat, I travelled the world with my parents. I was fortunate to see the art and culture of Europe and the Far East up close in my youth which fuelled my passion and curiosity for world history.
I graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in history but really discovered my calling when an internship at Christie’s turned into a job opportunity in the jewellery department. I was fascinated by the pace of the dealers and the values. My curiosity was particularly piqued when similar items fetched disparate prices. Soon, an affinity for the quality, craftsmanship and design of jewellery ignited my passions! After a few years, I was hired as the Director of Acquisitions for Fred Leighton. There I brought my knowledge and perspective to a devoted audience. Buying for the finest retailer in the world was a great experience, my passions only grew as I was able to acquire the pieces that I loved for the store.
After six years I decided it was time for my own endeavours. Looking for a name that “unlocked” beauty and nostalgia with the sentiment for “love” I didn’t need to look further than my own surname for inspiration. Kiyomura turned into Key and Amour and thus, Keyamour. Together with my partner Richard Tilles I sources unusual, sentimental and collectible pieces around the world. Focused on antique jewellery that isn't stuffy or "old" looking, but rather “with it” and whimsical.
“The jewellery trade is one that is steeped in traditional behaviour. Take the time to learn and respect its practices. When in doubt, ask. There are no stupid questions!”
KATHIA PINCKERNELLE
Skills: Career advice, CV presentation, cataloguing, general jewellery history
ranging from ancient Greek to modern
Languages: English, German & French
I studied Classics, became a gemmologist and worked in London, Geneva, Scotland, Jordan, and Moscow before finally settling in Geneva. While studying for my master's degree in Greek and Roman jewellery, I worked at Christie’s cataloguing jewellery and training other cataloguers. After a joyous period teaching English and editing, I returned to Geneva to join Cartier Tradition buying and cataloguing vintage Cartier jewellery and now work for a contemporary jewellery designer. While my interests are broad, my strengths are primarily in jewellery design history up to the mid-20th Century, cataloguing practices and helping people find their calling (or just improving their CV). I speak English, German, French and Spanish and enjoys cold water swimming and a good laugh!
"My first mentor told me “No one is irreplaceable." Wonderful - it gave me freedom!
Don’t let convention hold you back."
DIANA SINGER
Skills: Design criteria, jewellery history, weight estimations
Languages: English & French
I am a third-generation diamond and estate jewellery dealer. At 20, I decided law school wasn't for me. At my family's suggestion I went to San Francisco to run our recently purchased retail jewellery store (we had always been wholesalers) until I decided what I wanted to do. The jewels, the situations, and the people were so interesting that I made it my life’s career. I subsequently obtained a Graduate Gemmologist degree from the GIA and am currently the president of the American Society of Jewellery Historians. I also started a small retail company as well, Abbott & Austin.
"When I started in the industry 40 years ago, women were pretty much excluded from a lot of the real activity. No one in my family taught me anything- I had to learn it all on my own. There was one extremely kind man, a concentration camp survivor, who sat down and taught me how to use a melée gauge- he was the only one. So, anything I can do to help younger women learn and get ahead in the industry makes me feel I’ve “paid it forward.”
ANN MARIE STANTON
Skills: Estate & antique jewellery,
emphasis on retro design
Statement jewels, Bulgari
Running a small business
Languages: English
I have been an antique and estate jewellery dealer in Los Angeles for over twenty-five years. I love doing research to discover the past of each special piece as well as assisting my clients in curating and developing a collection. I am a graduate gemmologist with a true passion for jewellery.
“Pretty always sells."
LEONORE VAN DER WAALS
Skills: Research, auction
Retail merchandising, social media
Running a small business
Languages: English, Dutch
After the war Inez’ father opened a store in Rotterdam where he sold everything antique: Chines objets, paintings, furniture and jewellery. He taught Inez the trade by his side until she opened her own shop in Amsterdam. Inez preferred jewellery to paintings and furniture and loved anything small: boxes, perfume flasks, micro-mosaics. After finishing my studies, I had a short-lived career in law, but the calling of the family business pulled me in… It turns out that I love jewellery so much more than the law! I recently took over the store, but as is customary in our family, my mother Inez and I work together very closely.
"Buy the best you can afford!"