For those of you who don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself! I have been with Levinson Jewelers for eight years, am a gemologist but more importantly a jewelry and watch fan through and through. I have been passionate about jewels since I can remember, although I never imagined being in the industry.
In high school I took a trip to London and the site I was most looking forward to seeing was the Crown Jewels. To my disappointment, the week I was there the exhibit happened to be closed for renovations! The gift shop, however, of course remained open so I was able to buy books on the royal jewels and read all about them. I remember being on another trip in high school and getting my first up close look at a yellow diamond. It was a radiant cut (didn’t know that then), about 5 carats and I will never forget being mesmerized by it. I remember starring into the diamond and it reminding me of flowing lava; full of life, movement and color. I knew one day I wanted to own one.
Growing up the plan was always for me to go into law. While in college at FSU I got a part time job at a jewelry store. I loved it. I wanted to learn all I could about diamonds and watches and couldn’t get enough! Then one night my then girlfriend (now my wife) said something that completely changed my life. She said “Maybe you should go into the jewelry business since you love it so much.” It sounds beyond simple and should have been obvious but it had never entered my mind as even an option. Until she suggested it the only path that was a real option was law. The next day I looked into getting my graduate gemologist degree through GIA.
Fast forward a couple years…
You can’t be in the jewelry industry, in any capacity, and not know of Mark and Robin Levinson and Levinson Jewelers. They are legends in the industry. What Bill Gates is to computers, what The Beatles are to music, what Dan Marino is to football, you get the point. They were THE couple to read about in the industry magazines and I did! I knew when I graduated I wanted to work for Levinson Jewelers.
Two days after graduation I started at Levinson Jewelers. As I said, it’s been eight years with amazing experiences. I have held in my hands (and sold!) some of the rarest and most expensive diamonds in the world. It’s been an amazing ride that is far from over.
This blog is where I hope to share my experiences, my passion for diamonds and the industry I feel privileged to be apart of, and hopefully, at the same time give you useful and entertaining information.
John D’Amico
John@LJemail.com
