She was 76.
Camilla Dietz Bergeron, founder and president of New York-based estate jewelry firm Camilla Dietz Bergeron Ltd., has died following a long illness.
She was 76, according to a news release from Vanderbilt University. She was an alumna and emerita trustee of the university.
Bergeron founded Camilla Dietz Bergeron Ltd. in 1987 with her business partner, Gus Davis, building a niche company that deals in antique, period and estate jewelry. On the company’s website, she talked about the importance of exceeding her clients’ expectations: “I love to search for that one-of-a-kind piece — the pearl in the oyster. Chic isn’t some kind of formula; chic just is.”
Bergeron was a former executive board member and president of the American Society of Jewelry Historians, according to the release. She taught at an annual jewelry and gemstone conference on Long Island and lectured frequently for museums and other organizations on jewelry and other business topics, including at the Nashville Antique and Garden Show.
She also was a longtime Vanderbilt supporter whose contributions included the establishment of a scholarship for men’s basketball student athletes.
Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration
After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years."
Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations.
The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.
