PASSMAN

PASSMAN, also known as Passman Jewelry, is a jewelry and decorative-arts brand associated with sculptor and jeweler Bernard Passman. The brand was established in 1975 on Grand Cayman and became known for combining black coral with precious metals and sculptural craftsmanship. Its output extended beyond conventional jewelry into large-scale and presentation pieces, including sculptures, religious objects, ceremonial gifts, and tableware. Black coral was central to the brand's identity. Passman's work used the material as a sculptural and ornamental element, often pairing it with gold or sterling silver. This positioning distinguished the company from mass-market jewelry businesses and placed it closer to luxury craft, bespoke commissions, and high-value objects. The brand's documented commissions and gifts included gold-and-black-coral works made for the White House, a gold-and-black-coral crucifix associated with the Pope, and a 97-piece sterling-silver and black-coral tableware set presented by the Cayman Islands to Prince Charles and Lady Diana for their 1981 wedding. Other reported works included a miniature set commemorating the birth of Prince William and black-coral animal sculptures depicting a horse and corgi dogs for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. During its earlier operating period, PASSMAN maintained galleries and retail outlets in several tourism and luxury-shopping destinations. Locations mentioned in reference material include George Town in the Cayman Islands, Charlotte Amalie in the United States Virgin Islands, Las Vegas, and Beverly Hills, as well as other unspecified locations. This distribution footprint connected the brand to Caribbean tourism while also giving it visibility in major American luxury-retail markets. Bernard Passman died in 2007. Following his death, the company was acquired by Active Capital Ltd., a Cayman Islands-based company. The acquisition represented a change in ownership after the founder's death, although the available reference material does not identify the detailed terms of the transaction or the subsequent management structure. In 2013, the company closed and production temporarily stopped. The brand is currently described as being produced by Brindle & Fig under license. Publicly available reference material does not establish the full scope of the current licensed collection, its production volume, its retail network, or whether all historical product categories remain available. Accordingly, PASSMAN is best characterized as a historically significant, founder-led luxury jewelry and sculptural-art brand whose identity rests on black-coral craftsmanship, ceremonial commissions, and Caribbean provenance. Its current status reflects licensed production rather than the uninterrupted operation of the original company.

PASSMAN was created in 1975 by Bernard Passman, a sculptor and jeweler who operated from Grand Cayman. From its beginnings, the brand was associated with black coral, a material used in jewelry as well as in larger sculptural and decorative works. Passman's practice combined black coral with gold and sterling silver, allowing the company to serve both individual luxury customers and institutional or ceremonial commissions. The brand's documented body of work included objects made for prominent political, religious, and royal contexts. Examples cited in reference material include gold-and-black-coral sculptures for the White House and a gold-and-black-coral crucifix sculpture connected with the Pope. In 1981, the Cayman Islands gave Prince Charles and Lady Diana a 97-piece set of sterling-silver and black-coral tableware for their wedding. A miniature version was made to mark the birth of Prince William. Passman also produced black-coral sculptures of a horse and corgi dogs for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. These commissions helped define the brand as a maker of collectible and presentation objects rather than solely a conventional jewelry label. Before its closure, PASSMAN operated galleries and retail outlets in tourist and luxury-shopping destinations. Recorded locations included Charlotte Amalie in the United States Virgin Islands, George Town in the Cayman Islands, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, and other locations. The network gave the brand a commercial presence in the Caribbean and the United States and connected its products with destination shopping and high-end craft retail. Bernard Passman died in 2007. After his death, the company was acquired by Active Capital Ltd., which was based in the Cayman Islands. The available historical account does not provide further information about the acquisition price, the post-acquisition leadership team, or changes to the product range. In 2013, the company closed and production temporarily ceased. The PASSMAN name later continued through licensed production by Brindle & Fig. The available source identifies Brindle & Fig as the current producer under license, but does not provide a detailed account of the licensing agreement, current collections, manufacturing locations, retail channels, or present corporate ownership. The brand's history therefore consists of an original founder-led period, an ownership transition after Passman's death, a closure and production interruption in 2013, and a later licensed-production phase.

• 2013

  Company closure and production interruption

  [1]Passmanen.wikipedia.org

  The company closed and production temporarily stopped.

• 2007

  Death of founder and ownership transition

  [1]Passmanen.wikipedia.org

  Bernard Passman died, after which the company was acquired by Cayman Islands-based Active Capital Ltd.

• 1981

  Royal wedding tableware commission

  [1]Passmanen.wikipedia.org

  The Cayman Islands presented Prince Charles and Lady Diana with a 97-piece sterling-silver and black-coral tableware set associated with PASSMAN.

• 1975

  Brand founded on Grand Cayman

  [1]Passmanen.wikipedia.org

  Bernard Passman established the PASSMAN jewelry and sculptural-arts brand on Grand Cayman, with black coral as a central material.

• Licensed production by Brindle & Fig

  [1]Passmanen.wikipedia.org

  The PASSMAN line is described as being produced by Brindle & Fig under license. The available reference does not specify the start date of this arrangement.

Luxury jewelry and sculptural craft centered on black coral, precious metals, bespoke commissions, and Caribbean heritage.

• Jewelry · 1975

  Black coral jewelry

  The brand's core category consisted of jewelry incorporating black coral, a dark organic material that gave the collection its distinctive visual identity. Historical PASSMAN production was positioned as luxury craft rather than mass-market adornment, with the material used in combination with precious-metal settings and sculptural design. The current licensed range is not documented in detail.

• Sculpture and decorative arts

  Gold and black coral sculptures

  PASSMAN produced sculptural works that combined gold and black coral. These pieces extended the brand beyond wearable jewelry and included works made for prominent institutional, religious, and royal contexts. The cited historical examples include sculptures associated with the White House and a crucifix connected with the Pope.

• Luxury tableware · 1981

  Sterling-silver and black-coral tableware

  The company made ceremonial tableware combining sterling silver and black coral. Its best-known documented example was a 97-piece set given by the Cayman Islands to Prince Charles and Lady Diana for their 1981 wedding. A miniature set was also made to commemorate the birth of Prince William.

• Sculpture and gifts

  Black coral animal sculptures

  The brand created representational black-coral sculptures, including a horse and corgi dogs made for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. These works illustrate PASSMAN's role in producing personalized and ceremonial objects in addition to jewelry.

• 2013

  Closure and temporary production stoppageStrategy

  Background

  After its founder's death and subsequent ownership change, the company reached a later operating disruption.

  Action taken

  The company closed and production temporarily stopped.

  Aftermath

  The brand is subsequently described as continuing through licensed production by Brindle & Fig, although the timing and scope of that arrangement are not specified.

  Source

• 2007

  Acquisition after the founder's deathM&A

  Background

  Bernard Passman died in 2007, creating a transition point for the founder-created company.

  Action taken

  Active Capital Ltd., a Cayman Islands-based company, acquired PASSMAN.

  Aftermath

  The available source does not document the acquisition terms or detailed effects on management and production.

  Source

1. 1Passmanen.wikipedia.org