Holiday Spotlight on Ancient Gold Jewelers, A Family Owned and Operated Fine Jewelry Store With A Large Selection of Gold Nuggets at 400 Main Street
We're pleased to include Ancient Gold Jewelers in our Holiday Spotlight Series.
We're spotlighting many of the unique businesses that make up Downtown Placerville so that you can learn of the opportunities you have to shop locally and support local businesses, their families, and ultimately our community.
We connected with them to learn more about Ancient Gold Jewelers at 400 Main Street.
How would you describe your business to a friend?
We are a jewelry store that sells a wide variety of fine jewelry, which includes one of the largest selections of gold nuggets in California (and one of the very best selections of natural gold in quartz jewelry).
We also have a large selection of Australian opal, pendants, and earrings.
Why did you choose to be on Main Street in Placerville?
We opened our family owned and operated business in the Midtown Mall in 1981.
In the year 2000, we relocated our store to the center of Placerville across from the Bell Tower.
We love having our store situated in the middle of Historic Placerville.
What is something you wish people knew about your business?
Jim, the owner, goes to Alaska during the summer months, to dredge the gold nuggets that we use to make all of our nugget jewelry.
Our son, Justin, learned the art of jewelry making from a master jeweler who worked for us. Justin also does a lot of jewelry repairs right on the premises and is now a master jeweler himself.
What is the biggest compliment your business has received?
Customers always give us a compliment on our unique designs and many often compliment us on our many different bridal designs.
What is your most popular product or service?
We have a wide variety of fine jewelry, which includes gold in quartz from the Mother Lode.
We also have diamonds, opals, colored stone jewelry, and Citizen watches.
What is a common question you get?
Sometimes we are asked, why did you start your business?
Well, in 1979 Jim was dredging on the North Fork of the Yuba River near Downieville, California. He and his partner, Sid Walker, discovered a large crevice approximately 15 feet in depth with several pounds of gold.
Sid decided to manufacture jewelry with his share of the gold.
Months later, Jim saw how successful he was and decided that was for him, too.
Two years later, Jim opened his first store at Midtown Mall in Placerville. After another three years, he opened another store in Cameron Park.
In the year 2000, we consolidated both stores at 400 Main Street in the Historic downtown Placerville, near the Bell Tower.