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Jewel-Craft Celebrates 70 by Celebrating Its Clients
In honor of its 70th anniversary, the company is paying it forward by giving random discounts, $0 invoices and thank-you gifts to customers.
Jewel-Craft is celebrating its 70 years in business at trade shows with a “Jeweler’s Bench Challenge” game, modeled on the classic “Operation” game, as seen here at the MJSA Expo in New York.
Erlanger, Ky.--Jewel-Craft hit the big 7-0 this year, but it’s not holding a party or sale to celebrate.
Instead, the company is showing its appreciation for the clients that helped get it there.
Throughout the year, its “Pay it Forward” campaign will thank its customers by giving random discounts, $0 invoices for work completed like sizing, CAD work and shipping, and thank-you gifts.
They’re also taking the fun with them on the road to trade shows--the company created a custom game, the “Jeweler’s Bench Challenge,” which is based on the classic board game “Operation.”
Those who can show a steady “jeweler’s hand”--and even some who don’t, Jewel-Craft said--receive certificates for discounted or free work.
Earl Wesdorp founded Jewel-Craft in 1947 in the attic of his detached garage in Ludlow, Kentucky. He learned the jewelry trade from his father, Charles Wesdorp, a master jeweler who retired from Boris Litwin Jewelers in Cincinnati.
Earl’s son Robert joined the company in 1949 and took the leadership role when his father died unexpectedly in 1950.
Now based in Erlanger, Jewel-Craft Inc. currently is operated and managed by the third generation of the Wesdorp family--Gary Wesdorp, president and CFO, shares leadership duties with his brother, Benet Wesdorp, president and COO.
Three of Gary’s children, Benet’s sons and Gary’s son-in-law also work at the company.
Jewel-Craft is a full-service business, providing comprehensive jewelry services to retail stores and shops nationwide. All stages of design, manufacturing, repair and restoration are performed on site.
The company’s current location was built in 1990 and underwent an expansion in 2005. It just broke ground on the second major expansion, which will increase the facility by 20,000 square feet to make it a 50,000-square-foot space.
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