True Tales: Wild and Crazy Custom Jobs
Published in the March 2014 issue
BEAR IT
A couple came into the store that I worked at before I had my own business. Each had killed a bear and wanted a necklace made with the bear claws — turquoise and jet on a silver chain for her, and he wanted a manly looking choker. I guess they liked what I created for them, as they wore them to a hunters’ awards banquet the next year! — Pamela Hecht, Pamations, Calumet, MI
GIFT HORSE
I make elk tooth jewelry. The client usually supplies the tooth. One time an old cowboy came in and asked me if I could make a ring with a tooth from his favorite horse (recently deceased). I explained that horse teeth have enamel, similar to human teeth, not ivory like elk “whistler” teeth. To make a long story short, I made the ring. About a year later he brought it in and the tooth had shrunk and cracked (as I had warned him). I finally removed the horse tooth and rebuilt the back with epoxy and re-set the tooth. Nine years later, he still wears it and talks about that horse to this day. — Mark Thomas Ruby, SunSpirit Designs, Loveland, CO
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TALKING TURKEY
We had a guy call and ask if we could make custom sterling silver earrings out of … wait for it … turkey toes! When my husband said, no, the customer said he understood. He didn’t know how we were going to get the toes off the turkey legs anyway! — Beth Cevasco, Scott’s Custom Jewelers, Fairlawn, OH
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.
