Designer Mark Cohen Dies at 63

RAPAPORT... Mark Cohen, the co-owner and designer at wholesale jewelrybrand J.J. Marco, passed away on May 27 at the age of 63. Cohen and his wife, Julianne Jaffe, founded the company in1990. They ran it for 15 years as a jewelry wholesaler, supplying to clients suchas Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Thepair opened a retail location on New York's Madison Avenue in 2005, and Cohenalso designed custom pieces for customers. Cohen learned the business by working as a bench jeweler inhis father's fine-jewelry workshop. He earned an art degree from PrattInstitute. "He was a wonderful photographer and sculptor, as well as ajewelry designer," said Jaffe. "But the first thing everyone noticed about himwas 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)