Interview with Troy and Joy Thollot, graduate gemologists and owners
How did you get involved in this business?
It seems that Providence directed us into this business. Fresh out of high school, Joy happened into a jewelry sales job quite by coincidence when her neighbor left a jewelry position and suggested that her bosses hire Joy in her place. A shy 19-year-old, she faced her fears and applied for a job she knew nothing about. She quickly found herself drawn toward the jewelry repair shop and put herself through jewelry school. Three years later, as a manager of the repair studio in a prestigious jewelry store, she interviewed me (Troy) as a potential apprentice. I was also fresh out of high school and looking for a job to replace my summer lifeguard gig. Little did I know how that day would change the entire course of my life. I met my future wife and entered into a job that became not only my career, but our passion.
What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
Thollot Diamonds (pronounced “tulowe” as my grandfather from France taught me) is far from a typical jewelry store. Joy and I eventually earned our Master Jeweler credentials and then decided to further our education into diamonds and colored gems. We both graduated from the Gemological Institute of America in 1989. We work directly with our customers. We educate them. We protect them. We value their precious pieces of jewelry and know what it takes to make sure that they are repaired and restored correctly and carefully. When we are entrusted with the care of a generational heirloom, we realize that we are restoring a priceless piece of a person’s heritage and we treat it with the care it deserves — no matter the monetary value. Our name is on the door and our reputation has been built and depends on the satisfaction of every single customer.
What do you like best about your line of work?
We absolutely love the fact that we get to be part of the moments that make people’s lives special. It is really an honor to think that we sometimes know an engagement is about to happen when no one else knows (and, yes, we are really good at keeping secrets). We’ve often helped one of these same young men later design a “push gift” as a surprise to his wife when she delivers their first child.
What is your business’ biggest challenge?
Our biggest business challenge is that we are a first-generation jewelry store, meaning that we did not inherit this business from our parents. It’s taken 20 years of working very hard to establish ourselves within our industry.
Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
Most people don’t realize that Thollot Diamonds houses the preferred jewelry repair studio that does the repair work for many other retail jewelry stores. For all of our 20 years, we have been providing our jewelry repair service to other jewelers in the Denver and Colorado Springs areas and areas as far away as Chicago and New York.
Business: Thollot Diamonds & Fine Jewelry
Address: 3790 E. 104th Ave.
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
Founded: 1993
Contact: 303-280-3374,
Employees: 8
To suggest a business for us to profile, e-mail dajohnson@denverpost.com.
