Headlines

Jeweler Reflects on His Work With Mother Teresa

Published

7 years ago

September 9, 2016

“She had this sparkle in her eye and she was so alive.”

Jewelers often run into prominent people, but Rick Harvey has a story to top most. He recently told KTVB-TV of the time he worked with Mother Teresa, who was declared a saint by Pope Francis on Sept. 4. Today Harvey operates Artsmith’s Jewelry in Boise, ID, where he specializes in custom-designed pieces. But 22 years ago, he had the opportunity to travel with just over a dozen people to Calcutta and spend eight days “working in halfway houses and orphanages,” according to KTVB. Harvey says of Mother Teresa: “She had this sparkle in her eye and she was so alive.”

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.”