b'N ew York nativeI guess word got out that I was here and I also manufactured. So, I CLEOPATRASMarilyn Janss spentwould design a lot of jewelry for people and still do. Ive made jewel-BARGE a lot of time at thery for three generations of people.Metropolitan Museum ofJanss, a former model, says she trained with some of New Yorks best Naples, Florida Art as she grew up, strollingjewelers to learn her trade, including those who designed and manufac-through its Egyptian Arttured jewelry for Cartier, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels.section and marveling at theWith original designs and a unique name, Cleopatras Barge wasnt priceless wonders. easily forgotten. Janss recalls a man walking into her store recently with The Mets collection comprises more than 26,000 pieces ofone of her original business cards ancient Egyptian art from the Paleolithic to the Roman period,still in his pocket, 56 years later.including jewels. There has been some confusionEverybody seems Janss moved to Naples, Florida in 1966, but that inspiration andover the years though, admits Janss. to love [the name], her love of Egyptology didnt get left behind.Everybody seems to love [the Upon her arrival in Florida, she lived in an impressive houseboatname], although I do have somealthough I do have named The Big Dipper, replete with 15 rooms across three decks. peculiar things happen. Like Ivesome peculiarWhen she opened her jewelry store the same year, she dubbed ithad people come in and they get athings happen.Cleopatras Barge, an homage to her love of ancient Egypt and the sea. little surprised that its jewelry be- Marilyn JanssThe first yacht built in the United States was named Cleopatrascause theyre looking for Egyptian Barge, notes Janss, crafted in Salem, Massachusetts in 1816artifacts or something, she says.by shipbuilder Retire Beckett for wealthy merchant GeorgeJanss traveled to Egypt in 1971, returning with chairs inlaid with Crowninshield Jr. mother-of-pearl, but her store doesnt stock ancient artifacts.Located in downtown Naples, the store had wooden beamsAfter more than five decades in her current location, Janss is mov-across the ceiling and down the walls, like the inside of a barge, soing to a new space, but she is taking the name with her.it felt like a perfect fit. I decided that really my passion is designing and making your old It wasnt until 10 years later that Janss decided to add Finejewels into new jewels, or, in some cases, starting from scratch, she says.Jewelry to the end of her stores name, but positive word-of-mouthRather than a traditional retail store, Janss will have an office and already had gotten around about Cleopatras Barge.see customers by appointment only.Naples has grown into a vibrant community, but back in the lateAfter nearly six decades behind the counter, shes ready to make 60s there were only about 7,000 residents, recalls Janss. her own schedule and set sail for the next adventure.I was pretty much the only jewelry store in town, she says. And M ary Margaret BeaverIts a little tongue in cheek. Its not was in the jewelrymeant to be so serious, she says.industry for two de- Though Beaver doesnt worship jew-cades before her dream of own- elry, per se, she holds a special rever-TINY GODS ing her own store was realized. ence for its power. Charlotte, North Carolina When it was time to selectThey are vessels of personal a store name, she called on theexpression and symbols of love and experts at Mucca, a Brook- significance. It can be so empowering lyn-based design agency thatsfor its wearer.worked with big names like Sephora and Whole Foods. Though it may not be immediately obvi-I knew I wanted something different. I didntous that a store called Tiny just want to use my name. I wanted somethingI knew I wantedGods sells jewelry, Beaver believes that would resonate with people and pique theirsomething different. Iin the strength of her brand.interest at the same time, says Beaver. It is bold enough that I didnt really want to Beaver took some time to decide on a namewanted something thatdilute it. I didnt feel the need to have to explain before settling on Tiny Gods, which opened inwould resonate with peopleit further, [to spell out] that it was jewelry, she November 2020. and pique their interest says. It seems to prompt people to discover I was worried that because I used the wordat the same time. that for themselves and, in a way, that is more God that some people could misinterpretcompelling because then they have their own that, says Beaver, but she doesnt mean it in aMary Margaret Beaver experience with what theyre finding.blasphemous way. People do ask her about the name quite a bit, She reached out to people she loves andshe says, but shes big on sticking with Tiny Gods.respects, particularly those with strong religious beliefs, and foundIm still growing this new, young brand and definitely never con-there to be no conflict. sidered changing the name at all.Continued on page 39NATIONAL JEWELER 37'