Klaus Kutter considers himself a craftsman and not a merchant, although he’s done quite well as the latter by focusing on his highly skilled craft of jewelry making. Kutter opened his second A Jour Jewelry shop, this one on Elmgrove Ave. in Providence (the first is in Bristol). He chose a small strip mall that’s home to a few independently owned businesses, including a gift shop that carries high-end purses, a day spa, personal fitness trainer and a café.
The green awning bearing the A Jour name is the same as the one at the Bristol location Kutter has owned for eight years. Inside the charming 670-square-foot Providence showroom, sparkling precious stones are set in rings, necklaces and bracelets, all of which are accented by custom lighting.
Kutter, a Swiss-trained master goldsmith, grandson of a watchmaker, doesn’t stock his shelves with the common items shoppers can easily find elsewhere. In fact, his reputation for designing custom jewelry from a drawing, idea or concept is becoming well-known.
The first locally known jeweler to employ the use of a high-tech CAD system, Kutter is able to offer clients a three-dimensional glimpse of their special piece of jewelry before final approval. The computer program has revolutionized the way the skilled craftsman creates items, many of which will become family heirlooms. “Sometimes people have an old broach or ring that they want to recycle into a contemporary piece. We work together to reinvent the piece,” Kutter said.
At his Bristol location Kutter has had double-digit revenue growth for five consecutive years, and he says it’s been mostly due to word-of-mouth advertising. The business’ success led him to open his second shop in the Wayland Square section in Providence.
“Regardless of the economy people like to buy and own nice jewelry,” Kutter said. “Whether they come in with a two-carat diamond, like one customer did recently, or a small “lucky” crystal, like someone once brought into the Bristol store, I’m happy to create something unique from scratch.”
With the holiday season just around the corner, Kutter’s new location is well-timed. “I always tell people if you want a nice piece of custom jewelry start early. Creating an item typically takes three weeks from conception to completion, but near the holidays I always tell people to come in early,” he said.
Trained and educated in Geneva, Kutter has designed jewelry for Patek Phillipe and Rolex. He has designed crowns for royalty in Geneva, and for the wife of the Shah of Persia. His work has also appeared in “W” magazine. “Someone who wants something out of the ordinary would typically have to travel to New York or Boston, but one can get the same quality here with personal service. By going to A Jour, selective shoppers are initiated to the European way of designing jewelry,” and he added, “They always come back.”
Becoming a jeweler in Europe is a profession that’s taken very seriously and includes years of training and apprenticeship, he says.
“The trade is considered a serious career and long-standing tradition. Students must pass very rigid, [government] supervised tests, one of which is to create a flawless item of jewelry from a simple drawing,” he said. During his training Kutter was consistently ranked at the top of his class, he says proudly.
While many jewelers shy away from repairs, Kutter welcomes them. Items that may have more sentimental than monetary value are treated with the same care as precious stones. In a disposable world, where repair and design is becoming a lost art, Kutter said his training taught him how to think “green” before it was popular.
The “wow factor” generated by the jeweler’s computer screen is something most clients have never experienced. Faces light up when they see how the one-time multistone mother’s ring they brought in is transformed into a dazzling pendant. An antique diamond can be taken from a classic setting and re-designed into a more contemporary piece, making it new again, while retaining its emotional value.
From replacing a watch battery to using his international contacts to find a rare gem, all of A Jour’s clients receive the best service possible, he says.
Kutter is eager to develop long-lasting relationships with a whole new clientele in Providence, the same way he did in Bristol. Walk-ins are welcome, but for a serious design an appointment is recommended. •
COMPANY PROFILE
A Jour Jewelry
OWNER:Klaus Kutter
TYPE OF BUSINESS:Jewelry design, repair
LOCATIONS:143 Elmgrove Ave.,
Providence, and 267 Thames St., Bristol
YEAR FOUNDED:2000
EMPLOYEES:6
ANNUAL SALES:WND
