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Tender Embrace A Livingston Jewelers product About Us |
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Biography
Gerald Alexander Livings
Member: Wisconsin Goldsmiths Association recipient:
Gemological Institute of America certificate
"diamonds" recipient: Gemological Institute of America certificate "diamonds and diamond grading" recipient: Gemological Institute of America certificate "colored stones essentials" July 2005- listed with The Jewelers Board of Trade
I am an eclectic individual having a love for many wildly different interests. In the fall of 1985 I made my first piece of jewelry in the recreation center at Ft. Hood Texas while serving in the US Army. With no experience at all I managed ,under a friends direction, to make a piece that was very simple.
this was my first introduction to what would later become a passion. A few years later, after leaving the service and moving to Madison WI., friends started asking for unique and quality pieces. Because of this I decided to pursue custom jewelry as a career.
The first jobs in the jewelry trade were in several big-name stores in sales positions where the only things that mattered were profit and sale goals. the customers were looked down upon as merely a source of income. I also worked for several small privately owned stores that ironically had much of the same viewpoint of the large companies that they felt superior to. In addition many of the small companies were afraid to try something new because they might lose a customer, even proven sales techniques were taboo as many of the folks in the custom trade feel that sales professionals rank somewhere below thieves and con artists for honesty. I can not fault this reasoning as I has been told by co-workers, " it is perfectly alright to lie to a customer as long as it helps make them buy". This is not a common thought but it is more common then you would think.
I feels that the best sales professionals are the ones with the highest integrity and treat their clients as friends. I want to bring my ideals of heirloom quality jewelry to the people who need it the most... you... the person who can see quality and demands it.
I am lucky to be running my own shop now so that I can bring my own passion for jewelry to others.
When I is not working I am is actively involved with the Society for Creative anachronism, researching Vikings and historical jewelry manufacturing techniques. I also keep current with other jewelers at the Ganoksin Project.
( I would like to acknowledge and thank the friend of mine at who I feel set me onto the path that has shaped my life. I realize now that he was in many ways for the short time I knew him and his family , the only father figure I have ever had. He was at that time a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army whose name was Lon Putman. Wherever you are I hope that you and your family are following your passions like you taught me to...thanks, Jerry)
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