Five Things I Know For Sure: Kelly Williams

Published

9 years ago

March 17, 2015

Kelly Williams

K.W. Goldsmith, Minneapolis, MN

This article originally appeared in the April 2015 edition of INSTORE.

When Kelly Williams graduated college with a degree in fine art in 1995 and a jewelry apprenticeship, she became hooked on metalwork almost immediately, moving on to work as a designer goldsmith and to study at top trade schools. In 2010, she became sole proprietor of K.W. Goldsmith, a full-service custom trade shop. In that role, she’s also the goldsmith for half a dozen retail stores. In 2012 she launched her own line of cowgirl jewelry, Whiplash Designs. — Eileen McClelland

1
Inspiration will strike whenever I least expect it, so I always have a sketchbook handy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten up in the middle of the night to sketch an idea I just had.

2 Take care of your tools and they will take care of you. Any time you invest in tools, it’s always a good investment. If it makes your job more efficient and saves you from frustration, it’s always a great purchase.

3 Coffee makes everything better.

4 A goldsmith must pay attention to detail. Not only when you’re creating a piece — to make sure everything fits together and is functional — but also, attention to what the client wants. Sometimes you have to read between the lines to understand what they are trying to communicate. They come to you with a vague idea; they have something pictured and you have something pictured and you have to get the two pictures to match up, to figure out a design that will be functional and durable and still what they are visualizing.

5 Nothing goes 100 percent according to plan. Always have a backup plan, a plan B and a plan C.

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”