Behind each piece of classic or property jewellery is a story ready to be instructed.

Top-of-the-line elements of Elissa Belenke’s job as antiques specialist is the analysis she devotes to every necklace, bracelet or ring that finds its method into Ted Blum Jewelers, a longtime downtown store.

“I might spend all day getting misplaced in these items,” Belenke mentioned. “Each bit tells a narrative, from the lower of the diamonds, the best way it was welded, the actual design — all of that tells a lot about what period it’s from. We’ve had some unimaginable Victorian items come by means of.”

She lately spent two weeks figuring out the artists behind plenty of the store’s sterling silver turquoise cuffs and what sort of turquoise they used. Most have been signed with solely an preliminary or two, main her to pore by means of archives devoted to figuring out Native American silversmiths primarily based on these letters.

“To have a look at a bit and study it was made by this artist who discovered from their dad and mom they usually do that particular kind of inlay — it’s historical past,” Belenke mentioned. “It’s like working in a museum.”

Within the hallway of the well-hidden retailer, in an previous financial institution constructing on busy Kiowa Avenue, she waxes on in regards to the classic Tiffany & Co. items hanging in a glass show case.

And, with a conspiratorial air, she reveals business gossip: “They only obtained purchased out by the corporate that owns Louis Vuitton. I additionally heard they’ve put a bunch of cash into lab-grown diamonds. So classic Tiffany with pure diamonds may be very cool to have.”

And what’s the dust on lab-grown diamonds? Belenke doesn’t suggest them. The store doesn’t purchase or promote the yellowish jewels.

“As soon as they promote it to you, the worth in your ring is the worth within the gold,” she mentioned. “They don’t maintain lots of worth like a pure diamond. If the market will get flooded with lab grown, then the pure diamonds change into extra uncommon.”

Life in a jewellery store is a compendium of blissful moments. When prospects dial as much as the jewellery companies store from the out of doors name field, get buzzed in and head as much as the second ground, they typically have one thing to have fun: graduations, marriage ceremony anniversaries, birthdays and the mom lode — marriage ceremony engagements.

“We promote 100 to 200 engagement rings yearly,” mentioned Barry Belenke, showroom supervisor, diamond purchaser and Elissa’s father.

Comfortable jazz music performs within the cozy area, which Blum opened nearly 30 years in the past as a jewellery restore store. Show circumstances twinkle with classic and property bracelets, necklaces and watches, Native American items and a big array of bejeweled rings. There are baubles for each pockets, from $100 as much as the $25,000 ring on show. Generally they even promote an merchandise in extra of $50,000.

“There are folks right here (on the town) who like good jewellery,” Barry mentioned. “If you happen to go searching and see what number of good vehicles there are, there are vehicles value greater than any of the jewellery I’ve. Anyone can come and discover issues. We have to have first anniversary presents and fiftieth anniversary presents. And that’s what makes it enjoyable. When somebody comes for an anniversary, it’s a pleasant day for them and a pleasant day for us.”

A collage of photographs that includes prospects is plastered on the wall subsequent to the entrance case. Joyful {couples} of their post-proposal haze exhibit their sparkly new engagement rings from Blum’s.

“When you may make somebody blissful a few times a day, that’s an ideal job,” Barry mentioned. “We get to have fun nice moments in our prospects’ lives, and I get to make use of my data and expertise to make them blissful and do issues which can be constructive for them. That’s rewarding.”

Belenke, who discovered the jewellery enterprise from his father in Florida, arrived in Colorado Springs twenty years in the past, together with Elissa, and instantly met Blum and his son, Matt Blum, who now owns the store.

Ted, who opened the store in 1995 to do repairs, didn’t have a showroom, and requested Belenke to create one round 2014. He now works alongside his daughter, an aspiring gemologist who takes courses by means of the Gemological Institute of America.

“There’s lots of poetry in previous jewellery,” Elissa mentioned. “We’re romantics ourselves.”

Previous the showroom is the store, the place three males hunch over their exacting work of repairs, customized designs and engravings, insurance coverage value determinations and cleansing. A type of heads is Matt, a 1999 Palmer Excessive College graduate. After a few years of school, he started working together with his dad in 2001. As phrase unfold about their expertise, Ted determined to make the store extra public. And although he’s now semiretired, he nonetheless exhibits up 5 days per week.

Matt turned enamored with the enterprise and its alternatives to pursue a number of pursuits.

“There’s a lot to do. It looks like something you’re all for you may observe up on,” Matt mentioned. “The enterprise is such an ideal commerce. You will be an artist, a designer, pc programmer. You will be anyone who does steel refining.”

Barry and Elissa are in it for his or her love of knickknack and the entrenched perception you may by no means go improper with the exactly proper piece. “You’ve lots of people celebrating achievements at work and in life,” Barry mentioned, “and lots of it’s celebrated with a present of knickknack.”

His daughter agrees: “While you give anyone a bit of knickknack they’ll keep in mind that second endlessly they usually’ll consider you after they put on it.”

Contact the author: 636-0270