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Death of Stephen Kretchmer

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oldminer

oldminer

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I hear from some sources that this expert metallurgist / jeweler was killed in a motorcycle accident. No other details as yet, but the industry will miss such a talented person. This is the person who brought us the original Tension setting solitaire designs.
 
wow that''s shocking news dave...please let us know if you hear more.
 
Very sad and shocking news to hear.
 
wow, absolutely shocking is right. please keep us posted...
 
His loved ones are in my thoughts...
 
I''m shocked too. That is so sad.
 
So sorry to hear that. His tension settings are incredible...i''ve always been a fan.
 
What sad news.
I love his design style. He paved his own path in the jewelry industry, a true pioneer and trend setter.
 
His designs were the first that I really admired when I started feeling that my engagement was impending. What a talented designer. I''m shocked and saddened to hear this.
 
How horrible.
What a tragedy!
 
Hi David ~
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Thank you for taking the time to let us know this uneasy news.

A shocking tradgedy which many in this idustry will certainly feel.

Prayers and thoughts to his family and friends ... during their time of mourning.

Take care ~
emrose.gif


 
very sad. prayers go out to those effected by this tragedy.
 
thanks for the link Pricescope. My heart and prayers go out to his family. ]
 
Thanks for the link. I will be praying for his family during this time of sorrow.
 
So sad... my heart goes out to the family.



The guy who caused the accident was 85 years old. People 85 years old shouldn't be driving and need to be retested each year. The guy is on the 18th hole of his life and is waiting to putt out and shouldn't be driving at that age.


So sad...
 
prayers outgoing for comfort for his family and friends.
 
Very tragic. . . very sad.
 
So sad. He was a great character and visionary. I''m sure his family is devasted. We just never know when it''s our turn, life is uncertain.
 
This is so tragic, and it''s yet another reminder of how fragile and mortal we are. You just never know. How wonderful, though, that he had made such a huge contribution to his art. Prayers outgoing for his family.
 
What an unfortunate accident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.
We will miss his great talent.
 
Steven was a visionary and more importantly an absolutely wonderful person who clearly had a passion for his work. Robin and I spent quite some time chatting with Steven and his wife at a trade show a few years back and simply marveling over the beauty of his creations. Although we never had the honor of representing his line (because another jeweler in our vicinity already had the exclusive) we had great respect for his work and recommended it quite often to people who sought a unique look. Steven will be greatly missed and our heartfelt thoughts go out to his family and co-workers.

-- Todd


From today''s National Jeweler:

Crash kills upstate New York jewelry designer

JULY 10, 2006 - Woodstock, N.Y. -- Jewelry designer Steven Kretchmer, known for perfecting the art of tension-set jewelry, died in a motorcycle collision Saturday afternoon. He was 52.

The Palenville, N.Y., resident''s motorcycle collided with a car that was turning around on Route 212 in Woodstock, N.Y., local police told the Daily Freeman in Kingston, N.Y.

The newspaper reports that paramedics took Kretchmer, to Benedictine Hospital in Kingston, N.Y., where doctors pronounced him dead.

Kretchmer had been wearing proper safety equipment, police told the paper. The car''s driver received a citation for failure to yield the right-of-way and neither the driver nor his wife sustained injuries in the crash, according to the newspaper.

Kretchmer, who operated a studio in Palenville, N.Y., was well known for his work with tension-set jewelry. In his trademarked Tension-Set by Kretchmer pieces, the strength of the setting itself secures the stone in place by a compression force of 12,000 pounds per inch.

He is survived by his wife Alma and daughter Claudia. Funeral arrangements are pending.
 
so sad, definitely underscores our fragile mortality...
 
very sad...my condolences
 
How unbelievably awful & scary. My thoughts are with his family & friends & fellow artisans.

Here''s a link to the bio on his site link

The accident happened about five miles from my house! I had no idea he lived & worked up here.
 
The jewelery industry has lost what is perhaps the brightest mind in the jewelry industry of the 20th century. Steven was a close friend of mine and my wife Dana and my heart just bleeds with news of this tragedy. Steven and I spent countless hours conversing about jewelry and what could be done using different techniques to create art that the world had never seen. He was the most stubborn man you would ever know but his love for what we love was unquestioned and we will miss him beyond. His wife Alma has advanced breast cancer and I know this is a very difficult time for her. Support you would give for this terrible disease would be appreciated and emails of support would probably be very much appreciated. www.stevenkretchmer.com
 
Wow, how horrible
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Date: 7/10/2006 7:25:29 PM
Author: mepearl53
The jewelery industry has lost what is perhaps the brightest mind in the jewelry industry of the 20th century. Steven was a close friend of mine and my wife Dana and my heart just bleeds with news of this tragedy. Steven and I spent countless hours conversing about jewelry and what could be done using different techniques to create art that the world had never seen. He was the most stubborn man you would ever know but his love for what we love was unquestioned and we will miss him beyond. His wife Alma has advanced breast cancer and I know this is a very difficult time for her. Support you would give for this terrible disease would be appreciated and emails of support would probably be very much appreciated. www.stevenkretchmer.com
Click to expand...
Thanks Bill. This is a huge loss for you. I sent an email of support. I''m just so sad. I will be praying for Alma, and the rest of Steven''s family and friends. This is the kind of thing that happens out of no where, and you are just at a loss for words. So sorry. Lisa
 
Date: 7/10/2006 7:47:10 PM
Author: Kaleigh
Date: 7/10/2006 7:25:29 PM

Author: mepearl53

The jewelery industry has lost what is perhaps the brightest mind in the jewelry industry of the 20th century. Steven was a close friend of mine and my wife Dana and my heart just bleeds with news of this tragedy. Steven and I spent countless hours conversing about jewelry and what could be done using different techniques to create art that the world had never seen. He was the most stubborn man you would ever know but his love for what we love was unquestioned and we will miss him beyond. His wife Alma has advanced breast cancer and I know this is a very difficult time for her. Support you would give for this terrible disease would be appreciated and emails of support would probably be very much appreciated. www.stevenkretchmer.com
Click to expand...
Thanks Bill. This is a huge loss for you. I sent an email of support. I''m just so sad. I will be praying for Alma, and the rest of Steven''s family and friends. This is the kind of thing that happens out of no where, and you are just at a loss for words. So sorry. Lisa
Click to expand...

ditto. I sent and email as well.
 
Date: 7/10/2006 7:25:29 PM
Author: mepearl53
The jewelery industry has lost what is perhaps the brightest mind in the jewelry industry of the 20th century. Steven was a close friend of mine and my wife Dana and my heart just bleeds with news of this tragedy. Steven and I spent countless hours conversing about jewelry and what could be done using different techniques to create art that the world had never seen. He was the most stubborn man you would ever know but his love for what we love was unquestioned and we will miss him beyond. His wife Alma has advanced breast cancer and I know this is a very difficult time for her.
Click to expand...

Oh, no! How much worse can this get?


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