Beads for Collectors and Designers - RitaOkrent.com

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Beads for Collectors and Designers - RitaOkrent.com

Please come visit our website at www.ritaokrent.com to see the latest listings in Rita's collection! Liu, Ph.D. Rita passed away in 2005. Thank you!

Rita became interested in making jewelry in the early 1970s when she took a silversmithing class through the local community college. By the mid-1970’s, she had developed an interest in ethnic beads and artifacts and began designing necklaces. In 1977-1978, Rita and the family lived abroad as Rita’s husband, David, a professor at UCLA, was on sabbatical leave. Rita always had a good eye for intere

sting items, but on this extended 14-month trip she was able to explore and buy from dealers in the souks of Israel and Egypt, flea markets in London, Paris and Vienna and from sellers in Hong Kong, India, Taiwan and China. On each trip, she searched for ancient and antique beads and pendants, for small antiquities and for unusual collectibles. Upon returning to the U.S., Rita established her collection and designed necklaces using ancient and antique materials such as amazonite, amber, amethyst, coral, faience, glass, horn, ivory, jade, jet, shell and silver. She often combined these beads with a central pendant or several pendants, in designing ethnic, one-of-a-kind necklaces. She worked with a colleague to design her own hand-made, sterling silver hook-and-eye clasps, which we still make available in our Clasps section. She continued to develop her bead expertise and became an active member and President of the Los Angeles-area Bead Society. She held jewelry shows from her home showroom and at the Los Angeles Gift Show, as well as consigning items to local stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue. Rita’s work was featured in Ornament Magazine and she contributed to the book, “Collectible Beads” by Robert K. Rita traded with merchants from Ghana, Mali, Nigeria and other parts of Africa for more than twenty-five years, providing her with a broad collection of African Trade beads, as well as unusual African wall hangings and wood and ivory carvings and masks. Rita’s collection grew as she continued to travel and live abroad over the years, including trips to Syria, Egypt, Israel, and Morocco. Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s, Rita’s reputation continued to grow as a designer of original necklaces and as a dealer of ethnic and antique beads and artifacts. Rita’s husband, David, maintained the website starting in 1999. The website and collection are now managed by their daughter, Jocelyne, based in San Diego County, California. The beauty of Rita’s original creations and of her rich and outstanding collection are reflected at our website, www.ritaokrent.com. Our customers, both collectors and designers, come to us from around the world. We appreciate your business. Please come shop at our Etsy store, RitaOkrentCollection and at our website, RitaOkrent.com.

08/27/2025

Discovered this treasure among some miscellaneous goodies from Rita’s Collection. From the days when there were still International Bead Conferences‼️

08/21/2025

My mom and dad, Rita and David Okrent, pictured here in 1999, were both very much part of what made the Rita Okrent Collection a longstanding success. My dad supported my mom’s efforts from the mid-1970’s to start the business and helped run it until 2008, when I took over (and then he helped me). He traveled the world with my mom, set up shows with her and built her first RitaOkrent.com website in 1999. He was a nuclear physicist and professor, but he knew a lot about ethnic beads and jewelry. Most of all they were a great couple and this was their favorite song (My Funny Valentine). I write this because I don’t share enough about how they worked together as a couple and how my dad was such a constant supporter of my mom’s work, whether it be her jewelry design or her business as a bead and ethnic design element supplier. 💗I miss them both.❤️❤️

08/19/2025

Some pics of our booth at last week’s San Diego Whole Bead Show Pop-Up! Thanks so much for coming out to shop with us!😌 see our coming shows at https://ritaokrent.com/pages/shows-events!

08/14/2025

Come on out and shop with us at tomorrow’s Whole Bead Pop-up in Mission Valley! Here’s a smidgen of my prep - I will be bringing loads of antique and vintage beads, pendants and jewelry! Find us at the DoubleTree on Hazard center Drive from 12-5 0m, tomorrow, Friday, August 15! Can’t wait to see you there!🥰

08/13/2025

Come on out and shop with us in person this Friday, August 15 from 12-5 pm at the Whole Bead Show Pop-up in Mission Valley (San Diego) - at the Doubletree Hotel at 7450 Hazard Center Drive. Free entry! Can’t wait to see you there!🥰😘❤️

08/08/2025

Happy Birthday, Rita, who would be 97 years old today!❤️ Rita passed away 20 years ago this past June. A beautiful, talented, funny and loving mom, wife, sister, aunt, friend and grandmother. An inspiration to so many! We miss her every day.💔

08/07/2025

Hey So Cal friends! Come on out and shop with us in person next Friday, August 15 from 12 to 5 PM at the Whole Bead Show at the Doubletree Hotel on Hazard Center Drive in Mission Valley!❤️

06/07/2025

I am Yuki! I am helping my human prep for next weekend’s Bead and Design Show in Escondido at the California Center for the Arts - Fri-Sun June 13-15! Can’t wait to see you there!🐈‍⬛ 📿

06/04/2025

Come on out and shop with us in person! Can’t wait to see you there!❤️

06/03/2025

Rita would seek out rare and interesting treasures for collectors, and here are just a few! DM us for details.

04/24/2025

Hey So Cal friends! Come on out to get beads and ethnic jewels at this Saturday’s (04/26 - 10-4) Art of Adorning at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana! Many great sellers at a fantastic museum! See you there! .

04/22/2025

Come on out and shop in person with me and other fabulous merchants at the Art of Adorning this Saturday, April 26 at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana! Can’t wait to meet you there!❤️

Address

San Diego, CA

Website

http://www.ritaokrent.com/

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