A remembrance of our friend and colleague Christie Romero by Kevin Jones, FIDM Museum curator.

It is with regret that the FIDM Museum announces the loss of one of its own, jewelry historian Christie Romero (1948-2009). Christie had been with the Museum for two years, working as co-curator on a long-ranged book project titled Adorned: Two Centuries of Jewelry and Dress, 1800-2000. Christie was best known as a jewelry historian, consultant, gemologist, and instructor of antique and period jewelry history. She had taught classes in Southern California since 1988, and at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising since 2007 in the Jewelry Design program. Christie authored three editions of the respected book Warman’s Jewelry and the informative Collector’s Timeline, a pocket-sized reference guide of jewelry facts.

Christie lectured throughout the country at conferences, symposia, conventions, and special events; including the annual summer conference on “Antique Jewelry and Gemstones” at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. She lectured for the American Society of Appraisers, the College for Appraisers, the Gemological Institute of America, Women’s Jewelry Association, the Northwest Gemological Institute, and many other professional organizations. Christie also appeared regularly as an appraiser on the popular television program, “The Antiques Roadshow.”

Christie’s own on-line Center for Jewelry Studies was founded in the 1990s as a means to disseminate information on the history, identification, and marketing of antique, period, and vintage jewelry. The Center provided, and will continue to do so in the spirit by which she created it, quality information and programs designed to supplement the careers of those in jewelry-related fields—including dealers, appraisers, jewelers, and gemologists—as well as enhance the enjoyment of collectors and jewelry lovers.