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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
Diamonds are an interesting phenomenon. They are created when a mass of carbon sits more than 100 miles beneath the earth's crust and is heated to well over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit for millions of years. The initial result is a lumpy rock without sparkle and is hardly something you would think to wear as jewelry. But when cut and polished, the rock reveals a gorgeous, sparkling gem that's prized above all other stones.
During the past 25 years, Tim Branscomb has cut and polished his business, Sierra-West Jewelers, transforming it from its humble beginnings to one of Utah's finest jewelers.
Tim tells me he began his career in the industry by working at a small jewelry store where he eventually became a district manager and merchandiser. From there he became a regional manager for one of the nation's largest retailers and later represented a prestigious jewelry manufacturer based in New York City.
Using his personal savings and the many contacts he made in the industry, Tim opened Sierra-West Jewelers in Provo and shared his first showroom with an unrelated business.
Since then, the company has blossomed and includes four showrooms along the Wasatch Front that produce a combined $8 million in annual revenue.
Tim is a graduate gemologist from the Gemological Institute of America and was awarded the coveted title, "Certified Gemologist," from the American Gem Society.
Sierra-West Jewelers is the only jewelry store in Utah to always have a Certified Gemologist on hand and to have a gemological laboratory accredited by the American Gem Society. I was fascinated to learn about the lab's equipment, which can grade the precise color and cut of a diamond as well as chart a diamond's unique identity.
Tim says these types of services along with placing integrity and customer service first are the tools that have cut and polished Sierra-West Jewelers into the fine gem it is today.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
