Designer Mark Cohen Dies at 63

RAPAPORT… Mark Cohen, the co-owner and designer at wholesale jewelry
brand J.J. Marco, passed away on May 27 at the age of 63.



Cohen and his wife, Julianne Jaffe, founded the company in
1990. They ran it for 15 years as a jewelry wholesaler, supplying to clients such
as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The
pair opened a retail location on New York’s Madison Avenue in 2005, and Cohen
also designed custom pieces for customers.


Cohen learned the business by working as a bench jeweler in
his father’s fine-jewelry workshop. He earned an art degree from Pratt
Institute.


“He was a wonderful photographer and sculptor, as well as a
jewelry designer,” said Jaffe. “But the first thing everyone noticed about him
was what an incredibly thoughtful, kind, generous person he was.”



In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children,
Stefanie and Jeremy.


Image: Mark Cohen. (Julianne Jaffe)