Minnesota’s Jay F. Jeweler to Close After 35 Years
The store was a pioneer in the jewelry industry’s shift to CAD/CAM technologies.

Owner Jay Feichtinger is retiring and looking forward to his next chapter – spending more time with his family and five grandchildren, preparing to welcome a sixth in August.
For 35 years, the Minnesota jeweler offered its customers fine jewelry and custom designs.
The store prides itself on being one of the first in the Twin Cities, starting in 2007, to use computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology.
“What really kept me so engaged in the business and what benefitted my business so much was the advance in the technologies in the shop,” said Feichtinger. “We embraced it very early.”
Since then, those technologies have been refined and kept up to date within the store, he said.
Feichtinger’s love of the business began in 1977 with a part-time job at a local jewelry store.
He took some time off after graduating college, but, ultimately, his passion for jewelry led him back to the industry.
He briefly worked wholesale in his basement and opened his own business in 1988, initially as a repair shop.
Over the last three decades, Jay F. Jeweler grew to be a leading retail manufacturer with a staff of trained, professional jewelers.

The store is hosting a “Store Closing” sale, which began April 10 and will likely go on through the end of May as the store completes all remaining custom work, said Feichtinger.
The store’s entire selection will be marked up to 70 percent off.
The sale also will serve as a celebration of Jay F. Jeweler’s legacy. The custom-designed and redesigned pieces created at Jay F. Jeweler have attracted and wowed customers from everywhere, said the company.
The store said it has defined itself through its “unparalleled” customer service, standing by the pillars of honesty, transparency, and loyalty to cultivate a devoted customer base.
“The last 35 years of operating my store and growing with the Apple Valley and surrounding communities has truly been a joy and a labor of love. We’ve been honored to receive support from our amazing customers. Plus, I’ve been blessed with employees who are simply the best. Each offered honest hard work, creating memorable items and serving our customers,” Feichtinger said.
“That’s the part I’m going to miss the most, the customers.”
The Latest

Discover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.

The “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.

The entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.

When investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.

Two existing executives have been given new roles.


Meredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.

It will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”

More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.

From design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.

The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.

Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.

The designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.

On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.

The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.

The actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.

The company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."

The large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.

Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.

Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.

The diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.

The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.

Between tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.

Designed by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.

However, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.

The pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.

Sponsored by Stuller

It was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.