Gilbert Jewelers offers fine jewelry in Peru

By CASEY MELLADY
Tribune Staff Writer
Wednesday, August 02, 2006

As many residents may have noticed, there is a new jeweler in town.

Gilbert Jewelers, 501 W. Main St., recently opened its doors after months of converting the skeleton of what used to be a gas station into its current state.

Jeremy Gilbert, owner of Gilbert Jewelers, is pictured in the recently opened business on West Main Street in Peru .

Jeremy Gilbert, of Galveston, said he's excited to bring his business to Peru.

"The opportunity is very good here in this community," Gilbert said. "Gilbert Jewelers is somewhere people can feel comfortable to shop."

The 2,000 square foot jewelry store specializes in custom design work and in-house jewelry repair.

"We offer things that other jewelers don't," Gilbert said when describing what sets the new business apart from competitors.

One thing that helps Gilbert Jewelers be unique is a laser welder. The $40,000 machine allows the welding of very tiny details into jewelry, and is one of only five in the state of Indiana, according to Gilbert.

The laser welder is able to fuse gold material without damaging any stones within the jewelry.

"It enables us to fix jewelry that other places just cannot," Gilbert said. "The laser can weld something as delicate as a human hair."

A specialist will soon be flying in from California to help Gilbert better hone his skills with the laser welder.

The retail portion of the store is also something Gilbert is proud of ...

"We have one of the largest selections of bridal sets in the state - bar none," Gilbert said. "A majority of our jewelry we make, so there's no middle man, and our prices reflect that."

Some of the items in stock range from diamond bands, rings, necklaces and cuff links to custom crystal pieces and designer watches.

Consumers requesting custom jewelry isn't anything new to Gilbert either.

"One of the more common things people bring in is when they may have three or four pieces of jewelry they may not like anymore and we'll make it into one piece," Gilbert explained. "We can do whatever."

Hours as Gilbert Jewelers are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Gilbert lives in Galveston with his wife and three kids. He is a 12-year veteran of the jewelry business.

For more information, stop by Gilbert Jewelers at 501 W. Main St. or call (765) 472-4061.

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