The Jewel of the Hop

In October, the refurbished jewelry studio located in the Lower Jewett Corridor of the Hopkins Center was officially dedicated as the Donald Claflin Jewelry Studio in memory of the famed designer of David Webb's and Tiffany's. Funds for the renovation work were donated by The Howard Gilman Foundation. Foundation President Howard Gilman '44 was on campus to attend the dedication. Gilman, a long-time patron of the arts, previously served two terms as an overseer of the Hopkins Center. The Gilman Foundation has been a major supporter of Dartmouth, and its donations include the Gilman Biomedical Center and the Gilman Life Sciences Building.

In his dedication remarks, President McLaughlin called the Claflin Studio "a centerpiece of this institution, consistent with the spirit of the Hopkins Center."

Prior to the dedication ceremony Angela Cummings, one of America's foremost jewelry designers, presented a retrospective slide show of Claflin's work. Cummings, a former assistant to Claflin, remarked how the late designer had "an unerring sense of taste and style." Claflin is known for using large gems in intricate settings of gold and platinum. He was also the first to use tanzanite, a deep blue gem that was discovered in 1968.

Although the rebuilt studio is more comfortable and more aesthetically pleasing than before, much of the costly renovation work is not visible. New lighting makes fine detail work less taxing, and a sophisticated ventilation system removes cyanide and lead fumes and, maintains proper air temperatures and pressure for the diffusion of the gases.

President McLaughlin and Howard Gilman '44 toured the College's renovated jewelry studio in the Hopkins Center.

Howard Gilman, left, and Mark Bunker'87, right, inspect a gold ring cast aspart of the dedication program for theDonald Claflin Jewelry Studio.