![]() It takes drive, passion, courage, skill, knowledge, creativity, resourcefulness and business savvy to bring a quality product to the world that adds value to peoples’ lives. “These people know what I expect,” he said.Maker entrepreneurs are a special breed. Whithorn said the nice thing about working for just two companies in 37 years is establishing long-term relationships with customers who have learned to trust his expertise and advice. That brings me a lot of satisfaction, and people are happy because their heirloom could be saved.” ![]() “I’ll spend several days on something, and when I’m finished, it will look new. “I really enjoy bringing something back to life,” he said. Whithorn said the technology to clean and restore watches and jewelry has improved through the years, from synthetic lubricants and chemical treatments to clean the products to a laser welder that makes jewelry repair more precise.Īfter 37 years in the business, Whithorn said his hands still are steady and his eyesight remains good, so he plans to continue in the profession as long as he can do the work. This led Whithorn to study horology and jewelry as a profession, first at Paris Junior College in Paris, Texas, and then at the Gemological Institute of America in Los Angeles. He also met a girl at school - now his wife - whose father was a watchmaker and horologist. Raised in Great Bend, Whithorn said he became interested in jewelry after making some pieces in a high school art class. Unless you have knowledge of diamonds, you won’t know you have a poor product until you get it.” “They can sell you diamonds that are clarity-enhanced, laser-enhanced or color-enhanced to make it look better. Purchasing diamonds on the Internet is something that should be avoided, Whithorn said. It’s fun to sit down and explain what makes a diamond valuable.” “It’s my responsibility to help people understand what they’re purchasing. “The jewelry business is constantly changing, new stones always are being introduced,” he said. Whithorn said he has to take a test each year through the American Gem Society to be recertified for the upcoming year. In addition to repairing and restoring diamonds and other jewelry brought into Vernon, Whithorn also appraises jewelry and purchases diamonds for the store. Whithorn also is a registered jeweler through the Las Vegas-based American Gem Society, considered to be the country’s preeminent jewelry trade organization dedicated to consumer protection. They might inherit jewelry or want something else done with what they have.” “I resize rings, because people gain or lose weight. “People come in here with worn-out prongs or stones ready to fall out of mountings,” he said. Whithorn also spends a good portion of his work hours polishing jewelry, setting stones, sizing rings and repairing broken or damaged ring mounts. “Part of my job is to help people understand the value of what they have. Whithorn said too many people just throw a watch away when it stops working and buy a new one when they could save money by having it repaired and restored. There still are quite a few of them around.” “I love to work on antique pocket watches. “In school, we learned how these instruments operated, how to diagnose what was wrong with them and how to repair them,” Whithorn said. ![]() No, it’s not a course Harry Potter took at Hogwarts, but rather is defined as “the study of time.” Or, in less esoteric terms, the repairing of watches and timepieces. Santa Fe - Whithorn has practiced the craft of horology. Whether it’s replacing worn-out prongs on a diamond ring mount or restoring a fire-damaged $8,000 Rolex watch, Whithorn’s goal is to turn every broken or damaged item he receives back into showroom quality condition.įor the past 37 years - 24 years at a jewelry store in Great Bend and 13 at Salina’s Vernon Jewelers, 123 N. ![]() Jeff Whithorn’s passion is bringing jewelry and timepieces back to life.
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