MajorsApr 01, 2025
QVC Group to Cut 900 Jobs in the U.S.The layoffs come amid the TV shopping channel’s efforts to restructure and focus on live shopping through social media.
IndependentsSep 28, 2017
PA Jeweler To Be Featured in ‘Amazing’ Netflix Series
Cathy Calhoun lives and works in converted banks, and the world’s most popular streaming service has taken notice.
Pennsylvania jeweler Cathy Calhoun is filmed in her Spring City, Pennsylvania home by the crew for Netflix’s upcoming series “Amazing on the Inside.” Calhoun lives in a converted bank building that dates back to 1872.
Royersford, Pa.--She’s been featured on two different HGTV shows, the Travel Channel and CNN Money.
So it’s only fitting that Pennsylvania jeweler Cathy Calhoun’s home and store, Calhoun Jewelers, find their way onto an original series being produced by popular streaming service Netflix.
Calhoun lives in a converted bank building that dates to 1872 in the town of Spring City, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia.
The building remained a bank the entire time it was a commercial space, from 1872 until 1989, when the bank closed.
The following year, Calhoun bought the building and, over time, converted it into a home, working around the original structures to carve out a space that’s unique but livable.
A decade later, in 2001, Calhoun decided she needed to move her store and could not find a suitable space anywhere nearby. She even went so far as to knock on the doors of local homes with historical charm, thinking she could talk the owners into selling, and convert it into a store.
Then, one day, she drove by a standalone bank in the next town over, Royersford, that she thought would be perfect for a jewelry store.
She set up a meeting with the developer. By the end of it, she had her second bank building and he had his money and the big diamond ring that she threw in to get the deal done.
About six months ago, Calhoun got a call from a documentarian who works for Netflix.
The streaming service is working on a documentary about buildings around the world with unique interiors, “Amazing on the Inside,” he told her. He’d heard about her house; would she be interested in being featured?
Calhoun said yes, and the U.K.-based crew came to town for about two weeks in late August/early September, filming inside her house and store while also interviewing people around town who used to bank at what is now her home.
The main question the filmmakers asked everyone: What did you think when you heard Cathy was buying a bank to live in?
The main answer they got, according to Calhoun: We think she’s nuts.
Calhoun said “Amazing on the Inside” is a 12-part documentary series that is set to air some time in spring 2018.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
has converted into--what else?--a bar. The other vault is in the basement, and Calhoun has made that into a sauna.
Prior to Netflix, CNN Money did a show on Calhoun’s house--“And that sucker went viral,” she noted--and she’s also had her repurposed banks featured on HGTV’s “If These Walls Could Talk” and “You Live in What?” plus “Great Escapes” on the Travel Channel.
So, she’s well-versed in the opportunity that this kind of exposure presents. As she told National Jeweler back in 2013 right before her “You Live in What?” episode aired: “You could never pay for this much free publicity.”
Calhoun said plans already are in the works to hold a screening of the Netflix special at the Colonial Theatre.
It’s the same historic theater where the jeweler holds her locally famous Oscar party every year. (Incidentally, the Colonial is also where the famous everybody-get-out scene in the 1958 cult horror classic “The Blob” was filmed; Calhoun said they reenact the scene every year, and people from around the world come to Phoenixville to participate.)
She said she plans to have VIP seating and goodie bags for her customers, while also opening up the 800-seat theater to the general public. People who saw the crew filming around town already have been coming into her store asking when the special will air, and Calhoun’s been taking down names and email addresses.
The Netflix documentary also will give the jeweler another segment to add to the loop of shows about her unique living situation that runs continuously on a flat-screen TV in her store.
“When people bring a repair in, they will sit and continue to watch the TV until it’s over,” she said. “They will not leave until they see it all.”
More on Independents
The Latest
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
U.S. Antique Shows Adds Fall Show in FloridaThe debut event will take place in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood this fall.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2025
TJS to Host Discussion on Jewelry Industry’s Labor ShortageThe roundtable will take place May 17 ahead of the trade show’s welcome dinner.
Brought to you by
The Heart of the Industry: Giving Bench Jewelers the Recognition They DeserveBench jewelers spend years honing their skills, Jewelers of America’s Certification validates their talents.
CollectionsApr 01, 2025
Monica Rich Kosann Says ‘Good Grief’ in Peanuts Jewelry CollectionThe “Peanuts x Monica Rich Kosann” collection features the comic strip’s classic vocabulary across 10 bracelet designs.
Weekly QuizMar 27, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Recorded WebinarsMar 31, 2025
Watch: What Do We Mean When We Say ‘Recycled’ Gold?Three industry experts dive into the complexities of the material often marketed as an “ethical” alternative for metal in jewelry.
TrendsMar 31, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Dripping in DiamondsDiamonds are not only one of the most prominent gemstones, but the birthstone for those born in April.
Brought to you by
Natural Diamonds Should Mean MoreNatural diamonds mean more than lab-grown, but when every cut is ideal, they all look the same. Customers want more—Facets of Fire delivers.
MajorsMar 31, 2025
Lashbrook Expands Into Luxury Golf Gifts With AcquisitionThe Utah-based company known for making wedding bands has acquired Doubloon Golf.
WatchesMar 31, 2025
Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin Will Also Head LVMH WatchesThe longtime luxury executive led one of LVMH’s watch brands, TAG Heuer, for 12 years before taking over Bulgari in 2013.
CrimeMar 28, 2025
2 Suspects Arrested in $1.7M Smash-and-Grab Robbery of NY Jewelry StoreAuthorities said the robbers fled with jewelry and 70 Rolex watches, later taking pictures of themselves posing with big stacks of cash.
SourcingMar 28, 2025
19th-Century Jade Book Now Available in EnglishLotus Gemology founder Richard W. Hughes has translated Heinrich Fischer’s 1880 book “Nephrit und Jadeit” from its original German.
CollectionsMar 28, 2025
Piece of the Week: Löf’s ‘The Valentine’ RingThe ring's design features contrasting lines influenced by work from architecture-inspired photographer Nikola Olic.
SurveysMar 27, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls in March Amid ‘Gloomy’ OutlookThe Conference Board’s index fell as consumers continued to worry about the impact of tariffs, the labor market, and the price of eggs.
AuctionsMar 27, 2025
300-Year-Old Ring Linked to Witch Trial Judge Goes Unsold at Auction However, two medieval jewels surpassed estimates at Noonans Mayfair’s recent jewelry auction in London.
WatchesMar 27, 2025
Austin Butler Joins Breitling as Brand AmbassadorThe Oscar-nominated actor debuted in the campaign for the new “Top Time B31” collection, which introduced Breitling’s Caliber B31.
SourcingMar 27, 2025
Susan Jacques, Gaetano Cavalieri to Headline 2025 ICA Congress The Congress is scheduled to take place May 19-22 in Brasilia, Brazil.
WatchesMar 26, 2025
Bulova Celebrates 150th Anniversary With Art Deco WatchesThe “150 Art Deco” collection features a Miss America timepiece and a pocket watch from the brand’s Archive Series.
MajorsMar 26, 2025
QVC Group Appoints New PresidentAlex Wellen, formerly CEO and president of MotorTrend Group, has taken on the role.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2025
Jewelers of America Announces New Funding Initiative The Impact Initiative is part of the nonprofit association’s new three-year strategic plan.
AuctionsMar 25, 2025
Christie’s To Auction 35-Carat Sapphire, 13-Carat RubyThe ruby and the sapphire, which Christie’s calls a “once-in-a-generation masterpiece,” are part of the upcoming Hong Kong jewelry auction.
CrimeMar 25, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Earrings Swallowed Following Grab-and-Run Theft RecoveredThe two pairs of earrings, snatched from a Tiffany & Co. store in Orlando, Florida, are valued at a combined $769,500.
ColumnistsMar 25, 2025
The Smart Lab: Using Short-Form Videos to Sell More JewelryThe time to start experimenting with video content is now, writes columnist Emmanuel Raheb.
CollectionsMar 24, 2025
Pomellato’s Latest ‘Nudo’ Collections Revamp its Classic DesignFrom striking high jewelry to miniature fine jewelry, the new chapter continues to highlight gemstones featuring its signature 57-facet cut.
MajorsMar 24, 2025
4 Top Executives to Depart Signet Jewelers Amid TurnaroundThe jewelry giant is reducing its senior leadership by 30 percent as part of its new turnaround strategy.
WatchesMar 24, 2025
Sotheby's Now Offers Watch Repair ServicesThe auction house's partnership with online watch servicing platform WatchCheck makes repairs convenient and accessible, it said.
FinancialsMar 21, 2025
Swarovski Says Its Lab-Grown Diamond Sales Doubled in 2024The company also noted record sales in the United States and a strong performance in its jewelry category.
