Literally Breaking The Mold On QVC Jackie Kennedy Jewelry Line
Say goodbye to the Jacqueline Kennedy Collection on QVC. And here is the the $64,000 Question: Did Caroline Kennedy put the final kibosh on the fashion jewelry line?
The line of reproductions of Kennedy’s jewelry, a popular staple on the home shopping network for a decade, is permanently retiring. On Saturday the line’s guru, Kennedy historian Phil Katz, did several shows talking about the collection and selling its remaining inventory. Fans of the jewelry were heartbroken.
Say goodbye to Jackie Kennedy’s jewelry on QVC
We missed the Jackie jewelry show Saturday night (we were at Mass), but BFF Ann saw it and told us that Katz, in a rather sad ceremony, was using a hammer to smash molds for the pieces on-air. After destroying each mold, Katz would say, “This is retiring, never to be made again.”
“I’s so sorry to see the line is going,” one viewer from Massachusetts, Kennedy Camelot, lamented.
http://www.qvc.com/Jacqueline-Kennedy-Jewelry.category.1001.html?metaeSpot=Home|Home&refine=1046658 4294965937
On QVC.com and his own company’s own website, Katz wrote a send-off the the collection.
Here is part of it:
From the start, we always knew that the pieces would be limited in availability and duration. Due to your amazing support and loyalty, we’ve enjoyed extending the timeline far beyond our original intentions.
Now we feel it’s time to bring this fabulous chapter to a close. We’ve rendered all the pieces in her collection that are currently available to us, and we’ll continue to offer the line only as long as inventory exists.
We wrote a blog about a brouhaha over QVC selling the Jackie jewelry reproductions back in August, sparked by a New York Post gossip item. Our headline was “Is QVC’s Jackie O Jewelry Line ‘Tacky,’ ‘Sleazy’ And ‘A Ripoff’?”
The Post’s Page Six, in a real hatchet job, said that Caroline Kennedy was upset about QVC’s Kennedy jewelry line, which was manufactured by Camrose & Kross of Boonton, N.J. (Go Jersey!)
Caroline had apparently made the manufacturer put a disclaimer on its website saying that neither the Kennedy family nor the John F. Kennedy Library endorsed or were associated with the venture.
Page Six described the QVC Jackie jewelry as “tacky” and “sleazy,” adding that the First Lady “would not be caught dead in ‘gold tone’ jewelry.”
We — and many of our readers — thought Page Six was full of crap. One, Katz respectfully and informatively would tell QVC viewers the history of each Jackie jewelry piece he sold. He would explain where she got the necklace or bracelet or pin, and show photos of her wearing it.
As for “gold tone jewelry,” our bright readers told us that Jacki often wore costume jewelry, despite the snide and misinformed comment in Page Six.
Here is one poster said just today.
The original, famous paperclip necklace owned by Jacqueline Kennedy, created by Coco Chanel was not made in a precious metal. It was fashion jewelry, it’s color is based on the gold jewelry worn in Europe during the era in which it was made.
Therefore to say the necklace is tacky or cheap is calling the original piece owned by the first lady and her taste in jewelry tacky and that is incredibly disrespectful. By the way many of Mrs. Kennedys ‘ pieces were fashion jewelry. That is a fact that is easy to look up..
We can’t help but wonder if Caroline, and/or her family, were responsible for the demise of the Jacqueline Kennedy Collection.
QVC shoppers were sorry to hear it was the end of the line, too, and said as much on Camrose & Kross’s Facebook page.
“Very sorry to hear this,” one wrote. “I have purchased several pieces from the collection over the years and had looked forward to seeing more. I treasure my crystal cross, my Russian Cross and Mr. Katz’s stories that went with them, as well as my watch, my bracelet and my necklaces. Jackie Kennedy was a woman of intelligence, quality and substance, as well as excellent taste, and I am happy to have these mementos of her and her time.”
Another posted, “I will miss Phil Katz and these shows. I have thoroughly enjoyed not only the beautiful jewelry but Phil’s delightful history & stories. I hope Camrose & Kross continues to make jewelry of the same high quality.”
Yet another wrote, “I am so sad… the collection could have continued with the same pieces though! I will miss this show, one of the reasons I watch QVC.”
Katz was a class act, and we hope he will be back on QVC with another line. There was some talk about an Audrey Hepburn collection somewhere down the road. We hope it’s true.
