Copper Gives Necklace Polished Look

Retired after 44 years as an executive for the fashion division of J.L. Hudson Co., Joyce Hurley of Huntington Woods continues to share her sense of high style as a beaded jewelry maker.

"After several years of retirement, I decided to become a jeweler designer and maker," says Hurley, whose stunning creations make a bold and sometimes ethnic statement.

She enhances the beauty of semi-precious stones by adding silver beads as a visual contrast to many of her designs. More recently, she sometimes uses copper in place of silver, giving her work an entirely different look.

"I've been introduced to working with copper. It's been about a month now, and I've really adopted it. It's become about an eighth of my inventory," Hurley remarks. "The more I saw it, the more I could see how well it went with the kind of jewelry I make, and the kind of natural stones I like to work with."

Hurley, who makes "mostly one-of-a-kind" pieces, admits to buying the bulk of her beads from "a wholesaler in Royal Oak and from bead shows."

She adds, "I find them (shows) a good source of things you don't see locally. I don't buy anything from a retail store, unless I run out of something basic, like a clasp."

This is the third year Hurley has sold her jewelry on Saturday mornings at the Grosse Pointe Park Farmers Market, which operates May through September. Her necklaces range from $36-$70.

By: Jocelynn Brown
Detroit News; September 20, 2008