Carolyn Pollack

[beach-mom]

I noticed there are two AW Big Deals this weekend:

J422989 -  Tonal Braided Leather 3-Stone Gemstone and SS Necklace

17" and 20" - $99.00  Black, Blue, Brown, Pink

J422990 - Tonal Braided Leather 3-Stone Gemstone and SS Coil Bracelet 

$72.00 - Black, Blue, Brown, Pink 

One thing I noticed: The wording has changed. A few of the older pieces say "Designed and crafted in New Mexico, USA.

This Big Deal, and some of the older pieces, say "Designed in New Mexico, USA.

I'm just glad Carolyn is still designing, and she has a Big Deal for Memorial Day!    

[Kachina624]

I've not been interested in  the line for a long time.  Quality has gone down the tubes and prices are riduculous.  I suppose it's now being made in China.

[Bookplate]

I just noticed there are only two pages of American West items - pretty sad.

I am also glad she is still designing, but very sorry that her jewelry is no longer being made in American workshops.  If it is being manufactured in China or another low-wage country the prices SHOULD be lower, but probably won't be.

[Venezia]

@Kachina624 - The jewelry that Carolyn sold on her own website, until it closed down about a week ago, was still made in Albuquerque, NM.

I ordered quite a few pieces during the closing sales and the quality was still excellent.  Several of the pieces were, IMO, stunning.  (I got pendants, rings and at least one necklace.  A cross pendant in particular was so much more beautiful in person than it appeared online.)

Did you order from somewhere else, where the quality wasn't up to the old standard?

I'm not interested in ordering anything more, if the manufacture has been moved out of the country by QVC.  (You're likely right about China.)  But I'm very glad to have the large collection I already possess.

[Venezia]

BTW, I'll be recording the shows, then watching them, just to see what they say about where the jewelry is manufactured now.  Or whether they'll just gloss over that.

After all, it was always a big deal on these holidays to say that things were "proudly made in America".

[Kachina624]

@Venezia   I have one very large jewelry box that is exclusively CP jewelry, almost all older pieces.  I rarely wear any of it.  I was recently looking for a piece I wanted to give as a gift and was just flabbergasted at the difference in quality of the older stuff compared to the newer.

Mostly all I've gotten in recent years is earrings and they've been so little and insignificant that I've sent most back.

My advice to anyone wanting CP pieces would be to pick up all you can afford from old stock on the secondary market like eBay, Etsy or Amazon.

[Kachina624]

@Venezia  No, I've never order from  anyplace except QVC .  Maybe what you got was liquidation from old stock.

[Venezia]

@Kachina624 - I know what you mean about the earrings.  I don't wear really large earrings, but I ordered some during the closing sale.

They were 80% off, so only cost me maybe $10 or $12 a pair?  While pretty, they were all smaller than I expected them to be.  However, I have a friend who only likes smaller earrings, so they'll make nice gifts for her.

And the ones I got, IMO, don't really have anything to do with Southwest or Native American jewelry.  I believe they were all from the "Carolyn Pollack" line, where she veered off into less American West, more just "pretty" designs.

One of the things I ordered and love was the five-stone (cabochon) cuff bracelets that she did.  I ordered it in red jasper but, when it arrived it was blue denim lapis, which I already had in the smaller five-stone cuff.  Still really nice though and substantial.

I emailed them and was told to keep it, as it was their mistake.  The red jasper was sold out, so they just refunded my money!

[beach-mom]

I just watched the video for this. Carolyn was in studio and Julia was the host. They presented the Big Deal.

Carolyn said this was designed and crafted in Albuquerque - designed AND crafted. Do you think, even though she closed Relios and she is still going to design for QVC, there is a facility there that will manufacture the designs? 

I was planning to enjoy what I already had too, but if it is still made in New Mexico, I might change my mind - LOL!

Anyway, Carolyn has two shows Monday- 9:00 with Leah and 4:00 p.m. with Julia.  

[beach-mom]

I just noticed there is also a show with Steve tomorrow at 1:00 a.m. for 2 hours.

There are some new/older pieces on the website. I wonder if there will be more.

Has anyone figured out if the jewelry is still made in Albuquerque?