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.