Paris vonRabenau:
"48 years of experience in the art of jewelry and fine metal fabrication"
Starting in 1959 as a student at Minneapolis Vocational High School under the tutalage of Jules Reed our Metal Arts Instructor and a recognised and established metalsmith. In 1960 I won several student awards including "VHS Craftsman Award". I was a first year apprentice for "Ostbye&Anderson Jewelry Manufacturing" in Minneapolis in my Junior year at Vocational.
My diamond setting training as a apprentice with "Ostbeye and Anderson" was the start of a life long association with diamond setting skills and the fabrication of jewelry. In 1962-1964 I joined the "Jewelers and Watchmaker Union" Local # 1 in New York and was hired by "Feature Ring Inc." on 45th Street in New York. I was 19 years old then and made $2.10 per hour. Later the same year I was hired on at "Kirschner&Renich Inc." at $3.00 per hour and finally before leaving New York I was a special order diamond setter for "Karlan&Bleicher Ring Manufacturing" at a whopping $3.10 per hour.
Returning to Minneapolis in 1964 I was hired as a diamond setter for "Nelson & Nelson Jewelry Manufacturing Inc.". Later the same year I moved to San Diego. I was hired on as a Diamond Setter for "Matt's Jewelry Manufacturing" in downtown at 5th and E streets at the Jewelers Exchange in San Diego ( The Old Teachers Building ).
In 1965 I volunteered for the United States Navy and was enlisted into the Submarine Force aboard the USS Requin 481. Our Submarine circled South America in "Unitas Six South American Peace Tour" visiting Panama, Columbia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brasil, and Tabago. In 1966 a year later our submarine was engaged in the Medeterraean "Six Day War" between Egypt and Israel. We were deployed to the Bay of Acaba, Greece, Italy, Malta, France and Spain.
After a honorable discharge in 1968 I was hired as a Diamond setter and Designer for "Ed Benjamin&Sons" for ten years before establishing our first business as "Paris vonRabenau (Wholesale) Diamond Setting and Design" in1978. After one year in the wholesale business we decided we were more suited for retail and opened "Point Loma Jewelers". We enjoyed eight years of service to the Point Loma Community which we are proud of and lasted out our 8 year lease to the end. During which time we produced two very successful seminars "Paris vonRabenau Diamond Setters Seminar" (1) and (2) in 1983.
After a honorable discharge in 1968 I was hired as a Diamond setter and Designer for "Ed Benjamin&Sons" for ten years before establishing our first business as "Paris vonRabenau (Wholesale) Diamond Setting and Design" in1978. After one year in the wholesale business we decided we were more suited for retail and opened "Point Loma Jewelers". We enjoyed eight years of service to the Point Loma Community which we are proud of and lasted out our 8 year lease to the end. During which time we produced two very successful seminars "Paris vonRabenau Diamond Setters Seminar" (1) and (2) in 1983.
This was different from other businesses we generated including "T-Shirt City" in Pacifice beach at Crystal Pier established in 1977.
In 1985 we traveled through out the United States for a year in our 22' Airstream Travel Trailer which gave us the yen to get back into the business and so we returned to San Diego refreshed and egar to work again. Point Loma had opened two new Jewelry stores by that time.
We and lived close by Always loved Old Town San Diego and sought out a location there and found one perfect for our needs. We called it "Paris vonRabenau Studio" and soon we were back to doing what we know best.
Our Studio would turn out to be a Carriage Trade Jewelers. It was common to see a Bently or Mercedes Automobile in our parking spaces at that time catering to a private clientel . Once we sold what was later called the "Drinks Diamond" ( a three carat v v s/ E color diamond ) which was delivered to us by Brinks Security Delivery Truck for our customer of a simular last name. I would design some of the most excentric jewelry of my career here. There are now three such jewelry stores in Old Town now, and all doing very well it seems by appearence.
1991 was a big year for us and our 5th year in business in Old Town. The economy at that time in San Diego was going through a drought after the closing of Naval Training Center. We packed up the tools and headed for a new fresh start where there had never been a jewelry store before ever. Taylor County Georgia. This new enterprise would be a Family Jewelery Store and we called it "Taylor County Jewelers" after the county's name in Georgia. That store was by far the most successful of all our businesses.
After 13 great years we closed our doors and retired in 2003.
By 2004 retirement did not last but a year before we caught a breath of fresh air to start all over again with another store. This time coming full circle and naming it" Paris vonRabenau Jewelers" as we originally started out with . We run our store part time in Georgia and Summers in San Diego.
The jewelry industry has afforded me travels to many foreign countries
introducing a virtual palette of techniques , methods and styles for forming
and shaping precious metals into jewelry.
In Russia "Russian reticulation" and "Granulation"
In Spain fine, filigree and metal textures hand formed and hammered.
From ITALY the classics in shape and form experimenting with nuances of Greek and Roman historic classic designs.
In the Netherlands clean lines and smooth shapes. All adding to my learned skill for Diamond and Precious Gem stone setting including Pav'e, bead and channel setting.
"Although the metal work done in other countries is stimuating we remain custom crafters of American styles more than any other fashion today. We carry all the latest styles in all gemstones and specialize in wedding rings of all the newest trends".
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