“I get bored making just the same thing all the time,” says Mark Patterson, who was named JQ International’s Designer of the Year at 2009’s Retailer’s Choice Designer Awards. “There’s a lot of uniqueness to my designs. Most of my pieces are one-of-a-kind.” It seems that Mark’s personality and business sense are one-of-a-kind, too. Perhaps the combination of the three is why retailers are so enamored with carrying his jewelry that they honored him with the award.

Diversity of Designs

Mark Patterson’s collections offer plenty of variety. Promise, the bridal line, is the most classic; it’s a collection of diamond engagement rings set in platinum with lots of pavé accents, as well as some three-stone pieces. “The styling is very tailored and timeless,” describes Patterson. “It’s for everybody.”

Patterson’s clean, classic bridal aesthetic meets its complement in his fashion designs, which are a more daring and are characterized by vivid colored gemstones. John Henne of Henne Jewelers in Pittsburgh, says, “The fashion jewelry uses the best color you’re going to see. It’s unique without being out there—it’s very wearable. We love it.”

One of Patterson’s two newest collections, Graffiti, features one-word messages, such as “bliss,” “love,” and “peace,” in rose and yellow gold, with purple and orange stones. The other, Zen, includes rings, pendants, and earrings with aquamarines, amethysts, and yellow beryl and details that resemble Chinese characters. “It was inspired by a trip to Hong Kong,” explains Patterson. “The designs take details from furniture, architecture, and the hairpins that we saw Chinese women wearing.”

The Perfect Team

When Patterson says we, he’s referring to himself and his wife, Josette, who design the collections together. He finds that working with Josette—who’s also a sculptor and painter—creates a system of checks and balances, as well as the production of creative, consumer friendly ideas that could only come from a harmonious collaboration. “That’s really a strength of ours,” says Patterson. “We come from two points of view. I bring a little more conservative, traditional styling. Josette is very creative and tends to want to challenge herself more. If it were her alone, maybe the designs would be too over-the-top; if it were me alone, maybe they would be too boring.”

Henne says that his customers easily recognize the individuality and quality of Mark Patterson designs. “Clients come in and ask for it,” explains. “They say, ‘What’s Mark done recently?’ We feel very strongly about his line and regularly promote it.” Over the sixteen years Henne has worked with Patterson, the store has prominently displayed Mark Patterson pieces, and it’s hosted trunk shows and events centered around Patterson’s collections.

Personality Counts

Beautiful designs aren’t the only thing about Mark Patterson that wins retailers over. “He’s one of the nicest gentleman you’ll ever deal with,” explains Henne. Working with Mark and his company over the years has proven an all-around positive experience for him. “He has a unique niche. The company’s not so big that Mark doesn’t deal with things himself, but it’s not so small that things don’t run smoothly,” says Henne. “It’s the perfect balance.” Mark agrees: “We’re really reliable in terms of getting things to the retailer when they specify—and getting it right. That’s really critical for us.”

In the end, it’s the ability to offer it all—a variety of products, quality in design, and an amiable working relationship—that makes retailers so crazy about Mark Patterson. “It’s such a pleasure to sell his pieces,” sums up Henne. “He always does good by us, so we always do good for him.”   JQ