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IndependentsApr 20, 2016
Award-Winning Jewelry Designer James Currens Dies
The Thailand-based craftsman, who won a total of 19 AGTA Spectrum Awards, died suddenly Thursday at the age of 58.
Bangkok, Thailand--Award-winning jewelry designer James Currens died suddenly Thursday at the age of 58. The cause of the death is believed to have been a heart attack.
Thailand-based Currens created intricate pieces much beloved and appreciated by many.
The designs of his brand, J.W. Currens, received numerous awards over his many years in the jewelry industry, including 19 overall AGTA Spectrum awards--five of them Best in Show honors--and four MJSA Vision awards.
“Everything that Jim did, he did exceedingly well,” said designer Naomi Sarna, who worked under Currens, adding that he could’ve been a professional chef because he was such a great cook or a professional golf player because he was such an “outstanding” athlete.
“He took a lot of pride in being a fine athlete, in the same way that he took a lot of pride in being the finest jeweler possible.”
Sarna also said that “his work shimmered because of the little, itty bitty things that he did that almost no one else did or could do, that you couldn’t even see unless you were using a magnifying glass or microscope. His work was so exceptionally and mechanically fine.”
AGTA CEO Doug Hucker said of Currens, “Jim was amazingly creative. He was not only incredibly technically proficient in his work, he was also innovative in his thinking. We lost an immensely talented, passionate man and someone who was a mentor and friend to many.”
Currens is survived by his wife, Helen, who was her husband’s business partner and a very important part of the J.W. Currens brand.
A memorial service will be held in his honor this coming Monday, April 25, at 11 a.m. at the Foster-Warne Funeral Home in Audubon, N.J.
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