DiveFlagJewelry
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You may have seen Dive Flag Jewelry at Beneath the Sea in March, at June’s Scuba Show in Long Beach or at other dive expos across the country. They offer a selection of items—rings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets and key rings—all with the iconic divers down flag. The metal is bronze or brass, chip inlay creates the flag design, and the items are plated with rhodium so they won’t tarnish.
Do you ever wonder how someone decides to make jewelry especially for divers? We asked Evonne Dunn, owner of Dive Flag Jewelry, that question. Turns out she has had a chance not many are lucky to get. She has turned the clock back…sort of!
Back in the mid 1970s, Evonne and a friend started a jewelry business in North Miami Beach, Florida. Working out of a shop attached to a small motel, she was able to produce and sell a lot of seashore-oriented merchandise. Shark teeth with heishe and pukka shells were big sellers. (Remember them?!)
During the winter tourist season in Florida, Evonne would jump in her car and travel to Key West, stopping along the way to sell her items wholesale to other gift shops. After Spring Break, it was time to close her shop in Florida for several months, so she could continue selling her wares as far north as Maine.
In addition to all the gift shops she encountered on the road, Evonne stopped at a lot of dive shops to sell her products. Not a diver herself, she figured, “Divers like ocean-related souvenirs, too, right?” But, inevitably, dive shop owners would ask, “Where’s the jewelry just for divers?” After a couple years of hearing this refrain, Evonne was able to work with one of her suppliers to design and produce the first pieces in the Dive Flag Jewelry line. The pieces sold well in dive shops and via the 1970s version of online, magazine ads. Shoppers had to call in their orders, if you can imagine that!
Fast forward to the mid 1980s, when Evonne moved to Denver and started life in the corporate world, leaving her jewelry days behind. She found a great career awaiting her, helping large employers communicate with their employees about benefits enrollment, compensation and organizational changes, to name just a few areas Evonne handled in her 25 years as a human resources communications consultant.
During the 1990s, Evonne finally became a diver. The thought of diving terrified her, but nowadays, after logging over 300 dives, she is even more of a fan of scuba diving than her husband, who talked her into getting certified.
In the 2010s, as it was time to consider the next phase of her life, Evonne fondly remembered the jewelry days of her youth. She set about recreating the unique dive flag items that had previously been so well received.
Dive Flag Jewelry made its debut at the DEMA show in November 2014, to rave reviews. Again featuring rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, anklets and key rings, each item uses simulated red coral and mother of pearl to form the classic dive flag. Tarnish is a big problem at dive retailers located near salt sea air, as most of them are. The rhodium used to plate Dive Flag Jewelry is a member of the platinum family, which is wear-resistant and will never tarnish. The chip inlay is also extremely durable, since the dive flag is inlaid into channels cut into the rings and pendants. Use of simulated inlay protects our reefs.
In 2018, having come full circle, Evonne enjoys being back to her roots in the jewelry business. She says, “Our jewelry line provides divers an opportunity to express their passion for the sport,” a passion she now shares. “It’s a great way to let the world know you’re a diver!”
Dive Flag Jewelry is available for both retail and wholesale buyers. Find them annually at the DEMA show and online at www.diveflagjewelry.com.
