November 26, 2024: Fun with Vendors
We have been using "Downpay" since their service was introduced last year. I think we were one of their first customers and they asked if we could put together a customer testimonial for them ... which we gladly did!
So nice to have good support from other small businesses! Thanks to everyone from Downpay for a well made product and fantastic customer support!
October 31, 2024: Milestone Reached
We started 20 years ago with an eBay store, but have tried different things along the way and for the past few years have relied on Shopify as a "host" our business.
Shopify's role is to provide a stable and secure platform for businesses like ours to create their web presence using all the latest technologies. If you are starting an e-commerce business check them out - they have our recommendation.
ANYWAY: They just sent us this recognition "award" for our 10,000th order (which happened in April), so we wanted to convey a big "thanks" not only to our customers, but also to the hard work of our designers and employees for making it all happen.
October 29, 2024: Christmas Deadlines
November 10:
Gerochristo, Evangelatos, Yianni
November 17:
Al'Oro, Kouzoupis
November 30:
Stilvi, Maramenos & Pateras
Because most of your purchases need to be made in Greece just for you, we advertise lead-times for each of our designers (such as: "Made for you in Athens, Greece. Estimate 4 to 5 weeks for delivery")
At Christmas we change things up a bit in order to make a firm commitment to our customers about getting everything delivered on time. Please follow the deadlines posted here to make sure we have time to serve you!
!! Also be sure to get your newsletter or return customer discount (contact us if you need help) !!
Thanks! Pete & Joanne
Today is September 11
We would like to say “thank you” to all the firefighters on this day.
When I close my eyes, I can still see the exhaustion in yours as you climbed those stairs.
You may be gone, but part of your spirit lives on in us and in every good thing we do.
God bless you. May He keep you and treasure you as much as we still do.
20 years
When Joanne and I first met she asked what I had been doing in Greece for 9 years. The simplest answer was "taking photographs of jewelry." In fact, it had been about 1,350,000 photographs, and through that process that I fell in love not only with the art, but also the people who made it and the industry we represent.
These days Joanne and Orestis take most of the photos, but we all go through the same process. We start with an "object" (maybe a ring or pendant) and we concentrate on the lighting and focus. But we quickly start to see the designer's effort & the hopes they have for a piece or collection. Then we see the meaning, history, romance and spirituality engrained by their experiences in life. By the time we're done shooting, it's no longer an "object", but a new friend.
Understanding this site is easy—it's just a photograph. A photograph of our industry, its struggles, failures and successes. A photograph just for you, because you should know where your new friend comes from.
Thanks for enjoying this with us! - Pete & Joanne
Photo: Tommy in 2006 - helping his dad take photos
Accessories?
We love what we do. Our customers, our designers, our employees, the products and the tradition they come from are on a long list of reasons why.
Spending time with our designers and photographers in Greece was a joy and we're looking forward to getting back for more photo shoots soon.
Our designers need a vacation!
To receive your order before September, here are the deadlines:
Gerochristo and Kouzoupis workshops are accepting orders through Sunday July 14th. All orders placed this week will be shipped from Greece by August 15th.
Evangelatos: Orders placed prior to July 18th will be shipped before August 7th.
Maramenos & Pateras will be accepting orders until August 6. These orders will be shipped before August 14th.
Orders placed after these deadlines are slated for September delivery, so if you have a baptism, birthday, wedding or other important date coming up soon— please order now!
Thanks so much for your understanding and support! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Wow! and Thanks!
For the second quarter of 2024 we "scored" and all time high 48.2% return customer rate. Almost half of everything sold was to somebody that was happy about a previous purchase!
What we keep hearing is: "great product quality", "great customer service" & "reasonable pricing"
We love our business, and we'd like to express our gratitude to everyone who has participated as a designer, customer, employee or even just "window shopper". You are each a pleasure to serve!
A "Girl and a Guy-a" head to Greece
It may take a while for us to get all of our trip "screen-ready" but we've selected a few videos from Santorini. We'll be adding more content from Athens (aka: the "work" part of the trip).
On the schedule: Tips on shopping in Greece, behind the scenes content at photo-shoots, comments on the Greek Jewelry industry, Greek Easter, more from the "little church", and workshop videos.
Santorini Stairs
Generally speaking; Greece is a rugged place. If you are suffering from bad hips or knees it can be a bit challenging to get around at times.
Even if your impediment is self-inflicted (a few beers were involved in the cat video below) climbing the Ammoudi stairs back to Oia can be a bit of a chore :-)
Life is best served with a touch of contrast so don't avoid little challenges ... we baked off some of that lunch anyway!
Pro Tip: Tavernas!
Don't go to Greece to fine dining. Honestly, if you are from any major city in the U.S. it's a waste of time.
Eat Local:
Go to tavernas to get foods like fried gavros, saganaki, kabobs, tzatziki, spanakopita & keftedes.
It's all good–REALLY good! and reasonably priced enough to share with your new (furry) friends :-)
Other Americans!
I get a kick out of seeing my fellow Americans overseas. And Joanne and I are "helpers" by nature, so when they said they hadn't gotten good photos of themselves yet we couldn't resist.
Congrats to Grant and Alex on your engagement - we wish you a long and happy life together!
Travel Tip - Mentality!
Getting your body to Greece is easy.
Getting your mind there is another story.
Bake-off the jet lag and decompress at a taverna with a view. Tavernas in Greece don't care how long you sit there, so take advantage by slow-ordering the day away. Don't plan any excursions, don't try to conquer the day, just let the sun and water repair your soul for the day.
Ahhhh! Welcome to Greece!
Travel Tip - Dressing for Greece!
The Greeks make great jewelry, but they do a great job with clothing and leather goods too. One of the reasons to pack light not only so you can get some new threads that work well for the weather and environment.
One thing that I missed saying in this video: Sunscreen!
Shout Out to Philly:
The hat is from Longwood Gardens!
Travel - Tip Packing!
Airbnbs are popular in Greece. They are less expensive than hotels and typically offer a washer and dryer for your clothes, which is not only convenient but also allows you to get around more easily.
We started our trip with a full bag of camera equipment and two carry-ons containing about four days’ worth of clothes for a 14-day trip. We left with four carry-ons stuffed with loot and still didn’t have to wait around the airport to retrieve our checked luggage. We simply got off the plane and went straight to our car.
Travel Tip - Airlines!
Have a business? Get points and discounts by putting your advertising budget on an airline card. We fly Emirates because they fly direct from Newark to Athens, and they treat passengers like human beings, not cattle (a night-and-day difference)!
Allow 2 hours for your connecting flight to your island of choice, but wherever that is, it will be a short flight (90 minutes to Santorini), so it’s not worth business class.
Getting Ready!
Inside Information:
Jewelers and anxiety-filled-entrepreneurs are known to have somewhat suspicious looking fingernails.
Joanne had enough!
We're heading to Greece!
And you're coming with us!
(virtually at least)
We will be in Santorini and Athens soon and have decided to "open the doors" to our trip by making videos along the way.
Topics to Expect:
Highlights of Santorini - What to see in Athens - Where to eat - Where to stay
A photo shoot with models - Introduction to jewelry designers (if they aren't too shy) - Introductions to new jewelry collections
(and other stuff along the way)
Update: April 1
Pete and Joanne will be in Athens from May 5th thru the 11th for a very busy week of photo-shoots for several of our designers.
If you happen to be there are would like to say hello please let us know - if we have the time we'll hop into a local taverna for a refresher :-)
Update: March 1st:
We are working through a flood of new photos and products right now.
Al'Oro (above) has a new line of 18k Gold pieces that we are excited about.
Gerochristo (below) has new pieces and new photos of existing pieces.
Update: February 7:
Welcome to Γιαγιάς store!
In English the word sounds like "Yiayia" and means "Grandma"
So why is it Yiayia's store? Because she did as much to help build it as anyone! Yiayia is a Greek American that knows what good jewelry looks and feels like. Her yiayia wore it, her mother wore it, and she herself has worn it her entire life. She is proud of her heritage, has high standards and knows when it's done right. The final test of any new piece comes on Sunday at church when she shows her friends what she bought (no matter how big or small), and can proudly claim that hers is the best :-)
So on our 20th Anniversary, we would like to just give a special "thanks" to all of the Yiayia's who have blessed us with their patronage.
You are our biggest supporters and we will continue serving everyone with you as our North Star!
Update: December 22:
2024 marks our 20th year in business
On the morning of September 11, 2001 Pete climbed the stairs out of a subway station to a picture perfect morning. He had just gotten home from Santorini and resumed his routine ... with a cup of street coffee and a copy of the New York Times he proceeded to his job on the 39th floor of the World Trade Center.
Photo Left: The Maltese Stone Cross was the first piece sold by Athena's in September of 2004
Photo Right: The Cyclades Earrings was the first item with multiple sales ... also in September '04
Maybe it was the fatigue of working for an investment bank, or maybe it was just that 12 years in NYC was enough, but when his son was born in 2003 he knew a better way had to be found.
Photos: "Alexander the Great", our most recent commission by Giorgo Damaskos and Luigina Rech
To be continued!
We will be bringing more of the story each month along with special offers to commemorate the pieces that Athena Gaia was built on.
Update: November 30:
The question we hear most: Do you have a physical location?
We have been working with R. Weiss Jewelers of Bernards, NJ for close to seven years. Rick handles our alterations with a rare expertise and it's been a joy to have his care and concern where our customers are concerned.
Our big announcement today is that they have set aside a counter for our in stock items. So for those of you who would like to see a limited selection of our items in person, we finally have that option!
We currently show about 50 pieces at the store but even if your size isn't available you can have a piece custom made in Greece.
If you are in Central / North Jersey and would like to see the collection in person (or you just have a watch or jewelry piece that needs attention) please be sure to pay us a visit at:
R. Weiss Fine Jewelers
www.rweissjewelers.com
80 Morristown Rd Unit 21,
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Update: November 22:
The deadline for Stilvi is December 3rd.
Update: November 22:
The deadlines for Kouzoupis and Maramenos & Pateras are both Midnight - Sunday 26th.
Update: November 12: A thought on Veterans Day, and who we are now
Someone once told me a bumble bee and a human being are 97% identical in regards to our DNA strands.
If we humans are 97% the same as an insect ... then how different can we be from one another?
As an ex-infantryman in the US Army ... this video brought that home to me. I hope you'll forgive my reposting it here, but it seems that our differences are much smaller than our similarities and it struck me as important.
Merry Christmas everyone ... it's never too early to celebrate that which we all hold dear ... together.
Update: November 6: Christmas 2023 Deadlines
In almost every household across our great land there exists that one gifted soul who knows with certainty that December 23rd is the best time to get the gift shopping done. It makes perfect sense to me (editorial note: this is Pete writing - not Joanne). Your last minute shopping gives family members less time to discover the gifts you hid under the tarp in the garage right?!
That aside: It takes SLIGHTLY more than 2 days to get things made in Greece and shipped on time. So to help you get your orders in on time; here are some preliminary guidelines:
October 29th
Gerochristo's deadline for guaranteed Christmas delivery was last weekend, but there is still time to place an order for "probable & hopeful" deliveries. If you are interested in getting a piece for Christmas give us a shout to see what's still possible.
November 19:
November 26 (Black Friday)
Maramenos & Pateras, Kouzoupis
December 3
You can feel a child's sad and wondering heart when they see the empty room,
something special that once was there is gone.
What was your favorite thing about Gram?
Was it the gifts she gave you?
Was it all the hugs and love and attention?
Take heart. The best things about her are still right here, right inside of you, just look and see:
Whenever you give a gift you'll pass along Gram's kindness.
Whenever you give a hug you'll pass along her warmth.
Whenever you love somebody you will be lifting the torch of all things good,
and warm the world not just with your own heart, but Gram's too,
because she made yours so strong.
Barbara Borek
1939 - 2023
Update: July 27: A new way to pay!
We have a new payment method
The new option is delightfully simple and requires no sign-up, personal info or credit checks. You simply opt to make a 50% deposit instead of full payment and when the piece gets done and has been shipped from Greece you pay the rest.
Crafting jewelry to order can take time and we don't want to make folks feel anxious while they wait - this is especially true of new customers that haven't experienced a purchase with us yet.
We are hoping that this payment method makes our art more accessible while at the same time empowers our buyers with the piece-of-mind gained from the delayed second installment.
Update: July 18: Lead Times for Christmas
Christmas: We know it's way too early to be thinking about Christmas ... but the deadlines surrounding August get us thinking about it. We will announce Christmas lead-times for each of our designers as soon as we know more, but once again highly advise getting your shopping done early. Last year's August orders REALLY helped us open up the schedule for the ensuing rush in late October & November.
So if you like being the early bird or just don't want to get stressed in November ... now is a great time to order.
Thanks to everyone for following along with our trip to the JCK show! It was nice to hear so many people chiming in with advice for visiting Vegas and well wishing for a safe trip home!
This final video features Antonis Pateras showing Joanne that incredible bracelet so many have commented on! The biggest question has been "how does it get worn?"
So here is Joanne showing us!
The Ocean Waves Collection
The Four Seasons Collection
The Byzantine Embroidery Collection
Update: June 15: The JCK Show in Las Vegas (part 2)
Last year ago we were fortunate to commence business with 2 of Greece's most established goldsmiths; Kouzoupis and Maramenos & Pateras.
We've visited both at their workshops and have gotten to know them pretty well just in the course of doing business, but it's great to just get some face-time with our friends and business partners and Las Vegas proved to be an ample venue.
This video features Antonis Kouzoupis giving us the grand tour of their new "Olympians" collection
Update: June 9: The JCK Show in Las Vegas
Every year the world of jewelry comes together in one place: The JCK and Couture Shows at Las Vegas Nevada!
This year several of our friends showed up; Gerochrsito, Kouzoupis and Maramenos & Pateras. It was great to see them all and finally getting to pick up the bill for dinner (good luck with that in Greece if you have friends there - these folks are notoriously generous!).
We also got to see a bunch of new pieces, and get videos of some older ones - so the trip was a big success for us and we'll be sharing the details over the next few weeks right here in the blog!
Update: May 26: How to "Be"
If you want a successful business the very first thing I'd recommend is being good to your people and helping them grow. If you can create a workplace full of people who feel included and empowered, you'll be something better than successful, you'll be happy!
Tommy is a local guy who needed a job while waiting for his application for the merchant marines to come through.
We knew he'd only be around for a few months but thought it would be fun to give him a few skills while we had him. This video tells a little bit of his story.
Well done Tom - and good luck!
Update: March 31: What do we wear?
We get asked!
"What jewelry do Pete & Joanne wear?"
Hopefully we'll get Joanne's response soon, but her answer gets kind of extensive and might take a while to record (she owns a jewelry store after all).
Pete, on the other hand, only owns 2 pieces but wears them on a regular basis and was prepared to talk about them!
Update: February 28: New FAQ Videos
We get a lot of questions!
We love talking to our customers and over the years we've realized that many of the questions we get are similar in nature. So we established a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page to help out and have recently added more info and videos.
It's worth mentioning that we've been lucky as of late to have the help of a "new guy" in Thomas Ferguson. Tommy is waiting to ship out with the Merchant Marines so before he gets on with his life we've been pumping as many skill sets as we can into him (video editing being one of them). Thanks for the help Tom!
Update: February 3: Making Shopping Easier
The Wish List!
We've had customers asking about a wish list for as long as we've had the store. Finally, we have something worth offering!
You'll start seeing little heart symbols all over the site - clicking a heart adds the associated piece to your wish list!
Use your wish list as a reminder of the pieces you like ... AND ... to share that list with your generous, loving spouse!
You'll need to create a login to our site for your list to stay put after you leave. This login will also allow you share your wish list with other people. This account is free and easy to set up!
Chat with us!
We tried a chat service once before but it was tied to a large social media company that we'd prefer to avoid (your purchases are none of their business).
This version is better because we can usually see what piece you are asking about. We can also share coupons, automatically answer frequently asked questions and order updates ... and chat with you directly about anything else!
HEADS UP:
We now prioritize chat over e-mail. Our inbox has been targeted by more spammers than we can shake a curmudgeonly "get-off-my-lawn" fist at, so we tend to just look at it 3 or 4 times a day instead of incessantly & pathologically ... chat is our new favorite thing so please use it for the best service!
Update: August 27: "The Loop Chains"
If you are caught between wanting something small and something big, a loop chain might answer the question.
You can wear it by itself, or build up a pendant's presence with it. Either way, it's a smart addition to your collection. We made a quick video explaining some of the differences.
God Bless you and Keep You
Pete & Joanne, Owners of Athena Gaia
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