True Tales: You Request It, We’ll Make It

Published

8 years ago

April 16, 2016

INSTORE Staff

True Tales: You Request It, We’ll Make It

We had a local radio host come in with a request that since we create our own designs in 3-D could we design a ring with his voice pattern saying “I Love You” into a diamond and sapphire ring. And we did it and went on his show to tell our story. — Joseph Delefano, Regency Jewelers, Rotterdam, NY

We once made a set of poison-style rings with the deceased father’s picture on one side of the lid, a lock of his hair in the bottom and a glass crystal over it. That darn hair was sooo curly we had a hard time winding it up to put into the rings, even with hair spray. — Karen Fitzpatrick, Harris Jewelers, Rio Ranch, NM

This article originally appeared in the May 2016 edition of INSTORE.

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.”