Gem Quiz

I’m a Gemstone Whose Value Doesn’t Reflect My Stupendous Attributes and History

At least Peter the Great and the English monarchs thought I was worthy of showing off.

Published

4 years ago

December 19, 2019

Chris Burslem

I’m a Gemstone Whose Value Doesn’t Reflect My Stupendous Attributes and History

WHAT MORE DO they want? I’m hard, beautiful and come in a range of gorgeous colors. I am rare and have history — that’s me, all 170 carats, on the top of the Imperial State Crown of England, and me again in some of Peter the Great’s finest jewels. OK, so it turned out I wasn’t ruby after all, but what’s the deal? Corundum, in my view, is VHS while I’m Betamax. Say “ruby” or “sapphire” and women swoon. Say my name and people think of a synthetic version used for class rings. What gives?

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.”