“THE IDEA IS TO MAKE SOMETHING COMPLETELY YOUR OWN.”
I Symbolism and
Singularity
Jewelry demands a certain special attention. It exists to flatter, and a good piece often becomes an heirloom. Thus, when choosing a wedding ring, it’s important to seek out a jeweler who not only understands its significance, but respects its symbolism and singularity. That little piece of metal and stone will sit on your hand throughout the years, and one day possibly be passed down to a grandchild.
t is this understanding and respect for which James Kallas has come to be known. Owner of James Kallas Jewelers Inc., Kallas’ breadth of workmanship underlies his depth of skill. “I started making jewelry when I was 12,” Kallas relates. “Friends of my parents won a raffle on jewelry equipment, so I’d go into their basement and start to make jewelry with it. Over the years I kept building on those first steps. I’m mostly self-taught, but everyone meets people along the way who influence them. Even employees have influenced my work, and I’m grateful for all of my teachers.” Kallas has worked in Santa Fe since 1991, and opened James Kallas Jewelers in 1996. When a newly engaged couple comes in looking for custom wedding rings, Kallas generally begins with computer-aided design. Though he starts on paper, discerning what styles his customers gravitate toward, that information is soon transferred to a computer where a design can be rendered
for preview. This way, variances in metal or stone can easily be modified and reflected for the customer to see. “The biggest argument against custom design is the customer doesn’t know exactly what they’ll get. We try to remove the unknown from the equation. By rendering a picture, the customer has a more precise idea of what the ring will actually look like,” Kallas explains. “The idea is to make something completely your own.” From there, the design is transmitted to the milling machines, where a three dimensional model of the ring is created. The ring itself is cast in Kallas’ shop, which extends behind his showroom. In fact, two-thirds of the shop is devoted to the making of jewelry; only 500 sq. ft. of the 1500 sq. ft. space is a showroom, though an impressive showroom it is. In addition to custom design, Kallas and his team are expert repairmen; if you
want to restore your grandmother’s ring to its former glory, James Kallas Jewelers is the place to go. And should a customer be looking for a unique piece but isn’t necessarily interested in going through the design process, the majority of the showroom’s inventory is custom-made. “Custom is what we do; when I’m not doing custom work for other people, I play around in my own shop,” Kallas describes. He continues: “My desire to know as much as I can about jewelry drove me to master lapidary, granulation, every metal you can imagine, and even mokume gane – a process of layering metals.” “It’s the best shop in town,” says employee Huntor Gent. Kallas adds: “We love what we do and are excited we get to do it every day.” James Kallas Jewelers 2801 Rodeo Rd. Ste. B10 505.986.1955 www.jameskallasjewelersinc.com