 |  |
| January 1999
Image Rin Tin TinCompanies adapt popular watch packaging for concept jewelry collections Unconventional watch manufacturer Fossil shook up tradition several years ago by packaging its novelty timepieces in tin boxes. Covered with intricate 1940s designs, the metal packaging became as collectible as the watches and complemented their rugged, adventuresome look. Levine Design – a consulting firm in New York City specializing in brand identity, packaging and display – adopted the tin concept for some jewelry manufacturers it serves. The tins work well for themed jewelry collections under a certain price threshold, says the company. "They're rigid and hard, and they work well when illustrations or graphics are important to the packaging concept," says owner Pam Levine. One client, Frederick Goldman in New York City, wanted to transcend its image as a traditional wedding band company when it launched its Orbit Design Studio collection, so Levine designed a round tin with bold black and red graphics. "We were marketing to men, so we wanted something that would feel masculine, current, hip. But we also had to communicate there was precious metal inside." She used tins in a different way with Circle of Wishes, a company with a themed collection of add-on gold charms. Because the circle was part of the collection's concept, Levine needed a round package into which she could fit a small pouch and pamphlet. "We took it outside the tin box arena and made it very feminine, and it was a nice fit in terms of scale," she says. She plans to use metal-sided pillboxes for a new youth-oriented jewelry collection, which also calls for graphics on its packaging.
Levine Design used tins to create a modern, masculine look for Orbit Design Studio by Frederick Goldman. – by Stacey King
|
