The Three Graces has taken time this year to reflect on where we’ve been, who we are and what we represent. More importantly, where are we going? How do we continue to create an exceptional environment for you and also showcase our growing collections. Expanding and improving over the years, we decided it was time for some major changes. So, some wonderful and exciting things are in store for the future and all (or much of it) will be revealed in January 2015!
But what is the fun in waiting without a few little hints and teasers along the way?
Where did the seeds of change begin? It began with our logo. At our inception, we based our logo and name upon a piece of jewelry we own. A 17th century enamel slide bracelet with the images of, of course, The Three Graces. That image still resides in the footer of the website today. The Three Graces, from Greek and Roman mythology, represent truth, beauty and joy. Three attributes are the embodiment of everything we wanted to be in a business and what we wanted to bring to you and all our clients and visitors.
Many years ago, we added a hand drawn image of an 18th girandole. A favorite motif of the owner, and one used in jewelry designs to this day, its elegance and yet ornate design were an emblem for our collections.
When it came time to update our logo, we will admit, we had a difficult time! In fact, it was nearly impossible to contemplate. How does one encompass the meaning, the heart and the 12 years of hard work in just one picture? All those clients we helped, all the jewelry that we were fortunate to pass along, how can it be done? Not only that, but how do you make an elegant but simple first impression? How do you not include our beloved Three Graces?
We hired an amazing creative team and so the pressure was on. We knew we had to get this right. We were looking for that “ah ha!” gut feeling. So meander with us down the rabbit hole of some of the design process.
Some of our first thoughts are below, where “our heads were at” so to speak, what in short we felt about The Three Graces:
Then began going through quick sketches to flesh out a direction. Some are more finished than others but here are just a few of the many iterations:
Our heart initially were set on using hands in some way. But that was before it proved so challenging! This was one of the first sketches that incorporated hands that resonated. But then the “The United Way” or “Fifa” logos seemed too close so onto other ideas.
Conclusion: No Hands.
A stamp idea was discussed. Can you see those three G’s linking together? They represent The Three Graces and it seemed to work - those G’s clasped together, much like a necklace or a bracelet. Overall shape was a factor, the diamond not only represented just that - but it also eliminated any empty space in the center that a circle might have left. Circles in themselves seemed too closed, too much of a hole, the eye stopped there.
Conclusion - No circles and more open designs to fit our aesthetic and values.
We then thought about literally incorporating The Three Graces in to our logo again but updated, it was beautifully designed, but once we saw it as a reality the only thing that came to mind was?
A simpler idea arose: A smaller logo with The Three Graces written out in a font. Clean, precise, this starts to tell you who we are but in an elegant regal way.
Have we sparked your interest? That is just the begining!
Stay tuned- January 2015 will be full of surprises!