MajorsDec 19, 2025
MadaLuxe Group Acquires Ippolita The luxury goods company said founder Ippolita Rostagno will remain at the brand’s helm.
IndependentsJun 30, 2015
About Retail: ‘Extreme’ exposure
The owners of Colorado independent Thollot Jewelers reached an audience of millions by agreeing to take part in a reality TV show. Here’s what they learned along the way.
Thornton, Colo.--Return phone calls promptly, take chances when they are offered and look for partners.
Those are three of the lessons Troy and Joy Thollot, owners of Thornton, Colo. independent Thollot Jewelers, learned after being featured on a recent episode of ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss.
Extreme Weight Loss is a reality TV show where trainer Chris Powell and his wife Heidi help people shed pounds and change their lifestyles, documenting their year-long transformation in an hour-long episode.
This season the show has three special episodes, all dubbed “Love Can’t Weight” and dedicated to couples who are trying to get into shape for their weddings.
That is where Thollot Jewelers comes into the picture.
Prior to the jeweler’s Extreme premiere, Troy Thollot, a graduate gemologist with 25 years of experience in the industry, said he had actually contacted a number of large TV networks to offer his services as a diamond expert for any segments involving jewelry.
He was out for any kind of free airtime he could get to market his store but, little did he know, it already was on its way to him.
Unaware that he had reached out to the network, a producer from Extreme Weight Loss called Thollot and left him a message. He returned the call immediately--something small business owners tend not to do because they get too busy--and was told that show, which is filmed in Denver, was looking for a jeweler to supply a ring for an upcoming episode.
The episode, which aired June 23, featured a couple from New Orleans named Cain Myers and Tiffany Kasunich. They wanted to walk down the aisle together but were held back by their shared weight problem and his gambling addiction.
Upon getting the request, Thollot didn’t have to think twice, and exercised one of the advantages of being a small, independent jeweler: he didn’t have to run any big decisions up the chain of command and was able to say “yes” very quickly.
“I’m a small store in a very large market. If there’s a chance to get any kind of free airtime, I’m all in,” he said.
Soon after he signed the contact and started negotiations, Thollot got his first lesson in reality TV love: It doesn’t come cheap to the jeweler.
He was expected to supply an impressive ring to the couple being featured on the show for free.
So, Thollot began searching for a partner to shoulder some of the costs.
One company that came to mind one Sunday afternoon as he and his wife were chatting about the show on their deck was Hasenfeld-Stein.
The New York-based diamond company makes the FireCushion, an excellent/excellent (Ex Ex) cushion brilliant-cut diamond. The whole idea behind the cut is that there is no excess weight, allowing the diamond to have better light return (brilliance.)
Hasenfeld-Stein cuts away the “big belly” typically found on modified cushion cuts, meaning they remove weight from the diamond in the area between the girdle and culet. This results in the FireCushion having an average light return of 95 percent, whereas light return on a typical cushion-cut diamond is between 85 and 90 percent.
Thollot said he and his wife thought the FireCushion would be a perfect fit for the show because of its story of weight loss, so they contact Hasenfeld-Stein. Sales and marketing director Steve Feldman emailed them back right away, and the partnership was sealed.
Thollot crafted a custom 14-karat white gold setting with 0.62 carats of diamonds, put a 1.52-carat Forevermark FireCushion in the middle--total appraisal value, $24,500--and then watched as his store’s name, and that of Hasenfeld-Stein and the FireCushion, aired to an audience of 4.75 million viewers.
A clip from the show--the part where Cain visits the store to pick out the ring, naturally--is up on Thollot’s Facebook page, and the entire episode can be viewed on ABC’s website.
Since the show has aired, Thollot said he has received 50 to 100 congratulatory emails from people in his area, and has been contacted by a number of jewelry industry vendors, both new and existing, who also saw the show.
Both ultimately will help him achieve his goal of growing the business he and his wife opened in 2000 after years of owning a trade shop that repaired jewelry for other retailers.
“That helps with the brand I’m attempting to build, as the local, independent diamond dealer with integrity,” he said.
More on Independents
The Latest
MajorsDec 19, 2025
LVMH Names New Bulgari CEOLaura Burdese, who joined the Italian luxury brand in 2022, will take on the role in July.
EditorsDec 19, 2025
2025 Jewelry Superlatives: A Yearbook-Style Year in Review The National Jeweler editors revisit the most noteworthy industry happenings and design trends from 2025.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
AuctionsDec 19, 2025
Jean Schlumberger’s ‘African Cat’ Is Purr-Fection Need a gift for the cat lover who has everything? Look no further than our latest Piece of the Week.
Weekly QuizDec 18, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
AuctionsDec 18, 2025
Audemars Piguet Reclaims Historic Pocket Watch at AuctionIt purchased the “Grosse Pièce,” an ultra-complicated Audemars Piguet pocket watch from the ‘20s, for a record-breaking price at Sotheby’s.
Lab-GrownDec 18, 2025
Kira Jewels Debuts Custom Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry ServiceThe lab-grown diamond grower now offers custom engagement and fashion jewelry through its Kira Custom Lab Jewelry service.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
EditorsDec 18, 2025
Terry Chandler Looks Back on 40 Years of Opportunity, Change, and FriendsChandler got his start at Michelson Jewelers and has served as DCA president and CEO since 2001. He will retire at the end of the month.
WatchesDec 18, 2025
Bob’s Watches to Open Store in New York’s JFK AirportThe boutique is slated to open this week inside Terminal 8, offering pre-owned Rolex watches and more to international travelers.
Supplier BulletinDec 18, 2025
Cell Jammers Are Targeting Your Business. Here's How to Beat ThemSponsored by Digital Monitoring Products
CrimeDec 17, 2025
Man Pleads Not Guilty to Swallowing Fabergé PendantThe special-edition egg pendant ingested in a New Zealand jewelry store was recovered after a six-day wait.
EditorsDec 17, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: The Best Piece of the Week PicksAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco plays favorites with Piece of the Week, selecting a standout piece of jewelry from each month of 2025.
CollectionsDec 17, 2025
Lucy Hale Stars in Jacquie Aiche’s Holiday CampaignThe “Love and Desire” campaign is inspired by the magic that follows when one’s heart leads the way, said the brand.
GradingDec 17, 2025
SSEF Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersTwo awardees will receive free tuition for an educational course at the Swiss lab, with flights and lodging included.
MajorsDec 16, 2025
Pandora’s New CEO Will Step Up EarlyBerta de Pablos-Barbier will replace Alexander Lacik at the start of January, two months earlier than expected.
AuctionsDec 16, 2025
Suzanne Belperron, JAR Shine in Sotheby’s First Auctions at New HQSotheby’s held its first two jewelry sales at the Breuer building last week, and they totaled nearly $44 million.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
TJS Now Accepting Scholarship Applications for 2026Winners will receive free registration and lodging for its fourth annual event in Detroit.
ColumnistsDec 16, 2025
Beyond Unboxing: Creative Reveals to Drive Reach and EngagementHere are six ideas for making more engaging content for Instagram Reels and TikTok, courtesy of Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
Diamonds Do Good Names 2026 Award RecipientsThe honorees include a notable jewelry brand, an industry veteran, and an independent retailer.
CrimeDec 15, 2025
Men Receive Life Sentences in Home Invasion Murder of Jeweler Carlos Jose Hernandez and Joshua Zuazo were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in the 2024 murder of Hussein “Sam” Murray.
Policies & IssuesDec 15, 2025
Sara Yood Named Co-Chair of RJC Standards CommitteeYood will serve alongside Eduard Stefanescu, the sustainability manager for C.Hafner, a precious metals refiner in Germany.
AuctionsDec 12, 2025
13.54-Carat Paraíba Tourmaline Sets Records at Christie’sSet in a Tiffany & Co. necklace, it sold for $4.2 million, the highest price and price per carat paid for a Paraíba tourmaline at auction.
MajorsDec 12, 2025
David Webb Reveals Ice-Cold Holiday Window DisplayThe jeweler’s “Deep Freeze” display showcases its iconic jewelry designs frozen in a vintage icebox.
CollectionsDec 12, 2025
Piece of the Week: Oscar Heyman’s Sphene RingTake luxury gifting to new heights this holiday season with the jeweler’s showstopping 12-carat sphene ring.
Events & AwardsDec 12, 2025
IGI Jewelry Design Contest Now Accepting SubmissionsThis year's theme is “Unveiling the Depths of the Ocean.”
TrendsDec 11, 2025
Pinterest 2026 Trend Report: Brooches, Bold Gold, Cool BlueIn its annual report, Pinterest noted an increase in searches for brooches, heirloom jewelry, and ‘80s luxury.
