I had been working in the jewellery business in Edmonton for
only a couple of months back in 1987 when I received an invitation to a wedding
in Vancouver. A coworker told me that
while in Vancouver, I should visit the store of Tony Cavelti. Being young and keen, I made a point of
visiting the downtown Vancouver design studio.
When I explained why I was there, Tony himself came out to greet
me. He welcomed me to the industry and
asked if I wanted to see something special.
From his vault he brought out a 13.42ct emerald worth $170,000. The color was vivid, and the small wispy
inclusion was like an angel floating within the rare gemstone.
It took only 5 minutes to make a big impression on me. 20 years later, Mr. Cavelti would receive a
lifetime achievement award at the Western Canadian Jewellery Expo, and I was
on-hand to congratulate him. I shook his
hand, reminded him of how we had met 20 years before and explained how I had
continued on to make a fulfilling career in jewellery. I thanked him for having been such a great
ambassador of Canada’s jewellery family.
Don’t take our industry for granted. Treat it as our best-kept secret. If people knew how enjoyable it is to sell,
design or promote great jewellery, we might have even more competition!
Shout-outs to Tony Cavelti, (the late) Varouj Arkarakas, Roy
Katsuyama, Guy Forest and (the late) Dale Markwart who all took some time to
encourage me on my journey through the jewellery biz. If you’re young in the industry, introduce
yourselves to some old-timers. If you
have many years of experience in this business, take some time to share stories
with the up-coming generation.
Have a great weekend.
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