Press Releases

Award-Winning Jewelry Designer Ellie Thompson Announces New Book

Embark on Ellie Thompson’s journey through ‘Designing American Jewelry.’ Preorder now, available June 20, 2024.”

Published

11 months ago

May 29, 2024

Press Releases

(PRESS RELEASE) CHICAGO, IL — Ellie Thompson, the celebrated Chicago-based designer of fine jewelry, announced the publication of Designing American Jewelry: From City Rhythms to Western Dreams. Both a personal memoir and a compelling retrospective of her life’s work, the book describes Thompson’s vision as a contemporary American designer, as well as her perspective on the meaning and potency of jewelry in the modern age.

“Good design has a broad sensual appeal. It is aesthetically balanced, interesting to touch, yet comfortable. It tells a story, starts a conversation, and enhances individual style.”
— Ellie Thompson

From her humble beginnings as a teenage shop-girl in New Haven, Connecticut, Thompson tells the tale of her career as a highly regarded gemologist and designer in Chicago and beyond. Designing American Jewelry highlights the myriad inspirations for her work, reflects on the influence of people and places along the way, and is a testament to living a life of curiosity.

Thompson displays a gift for finding inspiration in unlikely sources, capturing the essence of a moment, a place, or an emotion, from urban architecture to the flora, fauna, and light of the American West, from the Fibonacci Sequence to the very rhythm of time passing. That same talent comes through in her writing as she captures pivotal moments in her life with the ease of a seasoned essayist.

The beautifully designed book includes nearly two hundred color photographs illustrating this remarkable American designer’s quarter century of design, ambition, and resilience.

The book debuts on June 20, 2024. The book, Thompson’s first, will be available in hardcover, at Amazon, local Chicago booksellers, the Driehaus Museum Shop, and Ellie Thompson + Co., in-store and online by June 20, 2024. Preorders will begin on May 20th at www.elliethompsonco.com.

She is @elliethompsonco on Instagram and Facebook.

Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success

After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.