Gem Quiz

I Have an Evil Odor and Come From Deep in the Earth, But Not That Deep

Don’t be fooled by my gilded aura.

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2022

INSTORE Staff

I Have an Evil Odor and Come From Deep in the Earth, But Not <em>That</em> Deep

I AM NOT CONSIDERED “valuable” but I have a history as rich as any mineral. The ancient Greeks believed the element of fire was hidden inside my belly, because of the way sparks would fly when I struck iron and because of the pungent sulfurous odor that would be emitted from such collisions. In the Middle Ages this was held as evidence of my connection to the fires of hell. My use in jewelry dates back to the antiquities. More recently, the Victorians liked me as did art nouveau jewelry designers, often in combination with silver. (Marcasite jewelry? That’s me.) Some fools have confused me with gold but I’m sure you won’t.

Who am I?

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”