Designer Profiles

5 Things We Never Knew About Henry Dunay

Did you know he once caught 10 piranhas on the Amazon in Bolivia?

Published

12 years ago

September 28, 2012

INSTORE Staff Instore September 2012 Issue

5 Things We Never Knew About Henry Dunay

When I was 14 years old, I swam the breaststroke in the Pan American Games.
I once caught 10 piranhas on the Amazon in Bolivia. I never even realized I wanted to go piranha fishing until I got there and did it. Now I’d like to do it again!
I’m a big fan of mystery books and films — not the blood and murder kind, but stories that let you follow the characters as they gather all the details and finally solve the mystery. Sherlock Holmes is one of my favorites.
I’ve done 500-plus scuba dives in places all over the world. I especially loved the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. The islands are granite, and underwater, the boulders look big and round, like giant potatoes.
My favorite gemstone is padparadscha sapphire. The highest price ever paid for one of my pieces at auction ($450,000) was a ring with a 19-carat oval padparadscha.

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.”