Growing up in Southern California, Mark’s interest in jewelry began after he enrolled in a gemology class at the Gemological institute of America (GIA) in Santa Monica, CA. While at GIA, he met his wife, Josette, who was enrolled in the jewelry arts and design program. Soon after graduation, they both moved to New York City where Mark was hired by GIA's New York campus to work in the lab grading diamonds before teaching gemology. While in New York, Mark learned to make jewelry under the guidance of Kurt Gaum, who trained him in traditional Swiss goldsmithing techniques and became his mentor for many years. Josette was freelancing her designs and pursuing more design classes at the Parson School of Design and other art schools in New York City. Collaborating as a husband and wife team, they began their career as jewelry designers in 1985 when they established their own jewelry studio in the heart of New York City’s diamond district. They haven't looked back since. Mark says of his wife and partner, Josette, "My training as a goldsmith and jeweler gave me the skills I need to implement designs, but Josette has the vision. As a designer, sculptor and painter, she has the artistic eye that has helped define ...