Gem of a place for new jewelry

Newport Beach business owner Ira Israel doesn’t have a shop where he

can show off his Venetian glass beads, so events like the Gem Faire

are vital to his operation.

Much of Israel’s business is conducted over the Internet. He said

he brings his products to about 25 traveling shows per year.

The Gem Faire, a three-day bead, jewelry and crystal showcase that

visited the Orange County Fairgrounds Friday, Saturday and Sunday, is

one of his favorite events.

“This gives us a presence,” said Israel, co-owner of Via Murano, a

company that imports beads from Italy and sells them in jewelry

products. “Customers like to physically touch the beads. We’re local

and we do very well here.”

Israel set up shop for the weekend, answering questions about the

company’s two trademarked brands: Twisted Tornado Crimp, a product

designed to keep beads from falling off a strand; and Snapeez, a ring

that binds several strands together.

Hundreds of people passed by Israel’s booth at Gem Faire on

Sunday.

Shoppers maneuvered through aisles inside the building, looking at

everything from $1 beads to $100,000 diamonds.

Some carried blue Gem Faire bags and tried on products.

Others learned beading techniques and collected vendors’ business

cards.

Gem Faire makes 43 stops per year, mostly on the West Coast, said

Allen Van Volkinburgh, director of marketing for Gem Faire Inc., a

Portland, Ore.-based company.

With 155 vendors, many of whom reside in Southern California, the

Costa Mesa show is the company’s largest, Van Volkinburgh said.

About 1/3 of the vendors travel the circuit with the Gem Faire,

he said.

The event came to Costa Mesa in March and is scheduled to return

for three-day stops in both October and December.

Anaheim Hills resident Kimberly Johnson visited the Gem Faire on

Sunday in hopes of finding products to use in her work.

Johnson collects and creates necklaces and bracelets as a hobby,

but she said she hopes to start a small jewelry business in the near

future.

She was on the lookout for crystals and thin strands of beads.

“I like to be creative,” Johnson said. “It’s fun to find things I

can fit together to make a new piece.”

o7* ELIA POWERS is the enterprise and general assignment

reporter. He may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or by e-mail at

elia.powers@latimes.com.

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