Description

Specialties

• Inventors of the one-piece collar button, bean-and-post cuff button and bodkin clutch vest buttons, and other gentleman’s jewelry.
• Became the preeminent collar button producer worldwide.
• Developed a technique for fusing gold onto base metal

Founder:

• George Krementz, (1837-1918).
• Emigrated to the U.S. at age 8 or 9.

1855: Apprenticed with a Alling, Hall & Dodd of Newark

1866:

• 14 Oliver St. Newark NJ
• George and his cousin, Julius Lebcheucher (with investors) started a jewelry manufacturing Firm.

1869:

• Krementz and Lebkuecher renamed the company Krementz & Co.
• Krementz made the jewelry and Lebcheucher was the salesman.

c.1876: George adapted cartridge shell machines to manufacture collar buttons.

1884: Patented his collar button technique.

c.1900:

• They manufactured most of the collar buttons in use throughout the world.
• George’s brothers formed Frank Krementz & Co. to compete.
• Richard and Walter (George’s sons) toured Europe after college reporting back about design trends (Art Nouveau)

Post WWI:

• Krementz specialized in gold overlay and electroplated jewelry.
• Bought out many failing Newark jewelry companies.

1918: FIrm was run by Richard and Walter Krementz and Carl Lester (Lebkuecher)

c.1930s: Detachable collar was no longer in vogue eliminating the need for collar buttons.

c.1938: Purchased Jones & Woodland and their gemstone and high-end jewelry lines.

c.1940: Purchased Abelson & Braun and their wedding and engagement ring lines.

• Added Diana by Krementz which included 10k and 14k gold jewelry and wedding bands.

WWII: Purchased George O. Street company for its gold license.

• While still producing gold jewelry during the war, a portion of their manufacturing plant was set up to make dies for shells and metal radio parts for the military.

c.1950: 49 Chestnut St. Newark 1, NJ

• SNAP-BAR
• KREMENTZ
• KREMALOY
• DIANA

c.1960s: Richard Krementz Jr. brought his love of colored stones to the business.

1965: Purchased George Schuler & Co., specializing in handmade jewelry.

1975: Purchased McTeigue & Co., makers of 18k gold and diamond jewelry.

c.1990: Sold McTeigue, Krementz Gold and Krementz Wedding Rings.

c. late 1990s: All non-gem-related divisions were sold.

2012: Death of Richard Krementz, Jr. and the end of the Krementz gemstone division.

JCK:

c.1915 – c.1950: 49 Chestnut St. Newark NJ