Gem Quiz

Here’s the Answer to September’s Gem Quiz

And congratulations to our winner!

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2023

INSTORE Staff

AND THE WINNER IS…

Congratulations to Laura Pool, owner of Laura’s Jewelry Designs in St. Robert, Missouri, who correctly identified September’s mystery gem – Chrysocolla, which many jewelers also know as a soldering agent. Indeed, our quiz triggered happy memories for Lisa Charny of Barons Jewelers in Dublin, CA: “I actually knew this. My dad employed a very old school jeweler a loooong time ago who would use this for soldering. I was a kid at the time and simply called the gem ‘Cola’, as in ‘Coca-Cola’ not knowing any better. (Truth be told, I had to look up the spelling, as I always just referred to it simply as cola! Ha!”

Thanks for the story, Lisa, and also to all the other Honorable Mentions who entered the quiz and contributed the correct answer.

Honorary Mentions

Stuart Adelman
Artelle Designs Fine Jewelry & Custom Design
Plymouth, MN

Matthew Baker
Sanders Diamond Jewelers
Pasadena, MD

Rowan Becker
Rowan Becker
Thurmont, MD

Denis Boulle
DeBoulle
Dallas, TX

Heather Burleson
Burleson Valuations
Lexington, KY

Mike Burnette
Gem Shopping Network
Duluth, GA

Ray Chylewski
Hope Diamonds
Grass Valley, CA

Trisha Corleto
DePrisco Jewelers
Osterville, MA

Keith Courtney
David Scott Fine Jewelry
Panama City, FL

Kim Hatchell
Galloway & Moseley
Sumter, SC

Whitney Jahn
Silverado Jewelry Gallery
Saratoga Springs, NY

Karen Kuhn
Arabesque Jewelers
High Ridge, MO

Cindy Lanoux
Pattons Fine Jewelry
Baton Rouge, LA

Troy Lob
Irvine, CA

Aidan Long
William Jeffreys Fine Diamonds and Jewelry
Mechanicsville, VA

Lynne Millard
Henley Jewelers
Eldon, MO

Robert Mitchell
Nord Jewelers
Kalamazoo, MI

Julee Morris
Stambaugh Jewelers
Defiance, OH

Mandy Mott
Becker’s Jewelers
Old Saybrook, CT

Irene Schrowang
Schneiders Jewelers
Kingston, NY

Kate Shay
Scott & Co Fine Jewelers
New Oxford, PA

Dharti Dottie Sheth
Lika Behar Collection
Carlstadt, NJ

Madelynn Slobe
Swierenga Jewelers
Caledonia MI

Kimberly Smith
Revell Jewelers and Goldsmiths
Bettendorf, IA

Jennifer Sullivan
Goodman’s Jewelers
Madison, WI

Joshua Summers
Orin Jewelers
Northville, MI

Jeff Teel
Stuart Benjamin & Co.
San Diego, CA

Robert Young
Robert Young Jeweler Extraordinaire
Belleair Bluffs, FL

Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success

After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.