Randi Molofsky rocks a very cool, retro-glam vibe.  And to accessorize her looks (think: caftans, maxi-dresses, disco glamour), she can usually be seen wearing a curation of jewels that includes at least a few pieces by designers represented by For Future Reference, the showroom-cum-brand development agency she founded to promote independent fine and precious jewelers—the current #FFRSquad includes Buddha Mama, Circa 1700, Harwell Godfrey, HOWL, Jade Ruzzo, Lizzie Mandler, Retrouvai, and Vanessa Fernandez—alongside her signature 1960s double-spiral Bulgari Serpenti Tubogas watch, and one or two bold, invariably estate, statement pieces.

So, when Molofsky told me this past spring that she’d be launching For Future Reference Vintage—a curation of a curation, if you will, done in partnership with her peeps at Excalibur Jewels (a leading specialist in estate jewels, both signed and unsigned, for more than 50 years)—at The COUTURE Show, I couldn’t wait to see what she had up her full, floaty sleeve.  Then, in the For Future Reference villa, she led me to the FFR Vintage case, and upon viewing this trove of incredibly wearable pieces of fine and precious jewelry, mainly from the 1940s through the 1980s, I nearly peed my pants.  It was all so good! 

Unlike most purveyors of estate jewelry, For Future Reference Vintage specializes in unsigned pieces (except for watches, which are all signed timepieces from yesteryear by Piaget, Rolex, Corum, etc.).  And while you won’t find signed jewels by the likes of David Webb, Marina B., LALAoUNIS, or Van Cleef & Arpels, you are very much going to see jewelry designed in the styles of those designers from the same time period, often created in the same factories (sometimes using the same molds!).

So, why would someone want to buy unsigned estate jewelry as opposed to signed?  As with most commodities, economics.  While signed pieces retain their value and can often be found at auction, what you’re paying for with an unsigned piece is the materials and the design.  So, if you don’t care about maintaining a jewel’s provenance or intend to sell it at auction in the future, it can be a win-win!  Perhaps it’s a small ring that you want to make larger.  Maybe it’s a gold pendant with a fabulous emerald, and you really just want the emerald to be put in something else, and will have the gold melted down.  While these sorts of situations are anathema to collectors of signed pieces (and rightly so), to the owners of unsigned estate pieces, they don’t warrant even a moment of disquiet.

But don’t take my word for it...  The first store to pick up For Future Reference Vintage was none other than Bergdorf Goodman (New York, NY), followed in very short order by the likes of Twist (Portland, OR, and Seattle, WA), Just One Eye (Los Angeles, CA), and Marissa Collections (Naples, FL).  What these and other retailers appreciate is that Molofsky will fine-tune their orders to meet the needs of their customers.  So, for instance, while Bergdorf could be on the lookout for chunky statement pieces (as with the necklace of 18K gold set with an antique bronze coin which Taylor Swift loved so much she bought it; or the large, concave starburst ring of 18K gold and diamonds that’s been seen on both Rihanna and Jennifer Lopez, of late); the folks at Twist could be more interested in antique-looking pieces and anything with coral, while the team at Marissa might have a coterie of clients clamoring for anything in the style of David Webb.

Explains Molofsky, “We very much curate specifically for individual retailers and their clients. It's always with an eye toward the brands and the types of jewelry that I like—these bolder, gold-forward, gem-focused pieces—that I also think are in the zeitgeist. However, if some stores are a little artier, or slightly more organic, or prefer certain colors, or tend towards a slightly different silhouette, we can accommodate all of that.  So, every store really has its own very special assortment; a huge plus for clients who want exceptionally unique jewelry.”

FFR VINTAGE will return to The COUTURE Show at Wynn Las Vegas from Wednesday, June 4, through Sunday, June 8, in Villa 310.

For Future Reference Vintage
Los Angeles, CA | New York, NY
Click HERE for info

Get into it!
#FFRVintage