When Troy Thollot of Thollot Diamonds & Fine Jewelry in Thornton, CO, first noticed the email from ABC in his inbox, he thought it was spam.
He’s glad he took a second look. A producer from the ABC series “Extreme Weight Loss,” had contacted store owners Troy and Joy Thollot to see if they’d be interested in designing an engagement ring for their “Love Can’t Weight,” nationally televised show.
Their Denver-area business was chosen, Troy Thollot says, after the producer had secret shopped, it and decided it was large enough for a camera crew, and pretty enough, for television.
The show was about Cain Myers and Tiffany Kasunich, a couple whose escalating weight problem was compounded by Cain’s gambling addiction. They wanted to get married, but not in their current life situation. Show host Chris Powell challenged the couple to lose more weight than any two-person team had ever lost in the history of the show. If they did, and if Cain could conquer his addiction, Powell promised to fulfill Tiffany’s dream of a cushion-cut diamond ring.
Thollot partnered with Hasenfeld-Stein to find a rare FireCushion-cut diamond. The FireCushion is rated “excellent” by the GIA in both polish and symmetry. Cain chose a 1.54 carat FireCushion set in a Thollot custom-designed ring.
“Cain wasn’t guaranteed the ring,” Thollot says. “He had a carrot in front of him to lose the weight. So we weren’t sure going into it if it would be Cain’s ring, or a stock piece.”
Cain and Tiffany lost a total of 272 pounds. Cain kicked his gambling habit, and was able to present the Thollot-designed FireCushion diamond engagement ring to Tiffany. The couple married on the show, which aired on June 23.
And the Thollots were able to market their involvement with the show, reaching out to the local ABC affiliate to arrange an interview on the morning show. They’ve also been featured in local print media, and used social media, including Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter to get the word out.
The spotlight helped established his small independent business as a diamond-jewelry authority with a direct connection to top-line brands and exquisite diamonds.
That helps Thollot to stand out in the Denver market.
“I think local media will come to us if they have questions about a scenario with jewelry,” he says. “Being on television gives you instant credibility. We’re beginning to make a name for ourselves in the industry, which is hard to do, and in the local community.”