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Work Hard, But Don’t Lose Yourself in Your Work, Says Third-Generation Jeweler

Published

5 years ago

October 25, 2016

INSTORE Staff Instore November 2016 Issue

Work Hard, But Don’t Lose Yourself in Your Work, Says Third-Generation Jeweler

Stephen Vaeth
HELMUT THE JEWELER, SHOW LOW, AZ

Stephen Vaeth is a third-generation jeweler whose grandfather, a master watchmaker, opened a jewelry store in Germany in 1928. Stephen’s father, Erich, became a watchmaker while his uncle, Helmut, became a jeweler. The brothers moved to the U.S. and named their own store for Helmut to emphasize its German roots and craftsmanship. Says Vaeth: “I’m a first-generation German-American who was promised nothing, but taught the value of a penny, hard work and goal-setting!”

Thinking of Liquidating? Think: Wilkerson

When Peter Reines, owner of Reines Jewelers in Charlottesville, VA, decided it was time to turn over the “reins” of his 45-year-old business to Jessica and Kevin Rogers, he chose Wilkerson to run his liquidation sale. It was, he says, the best way to maximize the return on his decades-long investment in fine jewelry. Now, with new owners at the helm, Reines can relax knowing that the sale was a success, and his new life is financially secure. And he’s glad he partnered with Wilkerson for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “There’s just no way one person or company could run a sale the way we did,” he says.