Name/Title
Magazine, Inspire, Jewelry Tells Family Story, 2010Description
Jewelry Tells Family Story from the Inspire Magazine September 2010
Jewelry Unveils Family Stories
By: Wahlen Tillema
Astory comes along with every person who walks through the door at Gysbers jewelry. It might be the story of a grandmother's engagement ring, or a great-grandfather's engraved pocket watch. These stories are important parts of family history, and the pieces of jewelry are the heirlooms that chronicle all those memories.
Kate Bresser is the fourth generation to serve Waupun and the area as the owner of Gysbers Jewelry. This business has many of its own stories to tell and is a narrative to Kate's own family history. The downtown store was opened in 1874 by Kate's great-grandfather. Her grandmother, Olga, ran the store when she was just 16 years old. It was this side of the family, the Doering's, who started the business. Olga married Myron Gysbers, and an old, established business entered a new era with a new name.
"They had the store here in Waupun and opened one in Fond du Lac," Kate explained. "That's where my dad comes into the story, he went to college as a music major and taught school for a few years. He then went to school to become a watchmaker and came into the business in the 1950s. He just recently retired."
Her father, John Gysbers, was talented as a watchmaker, but also as a musician. Kate remembers her dad giving up to 40 music lessons each week. There was a piano and organ at the store and before and after school he would give lessons.
Kate joined the business when she was in her 20s. Her father needed help in the store, so she started working part-time. Kate went on to school for jewelry repair and has now been on the bench as a goldsmith for 20 years. This job requires numerous skills and talents to tackle all the requests that include: sizing rings, setting diamonds, repairing chains, retipping prongs and almost anything else involved in the repair and design of jewelry. Kate is able to be creative in the design process, and while she enjoys producing a piece of jewelry to a customer's specification, she also comes up with her own creations.
"I just recently designed some rings and am in the process of getting a patent," Kate said. "They are designs that can be created in sterling, gold, or almost any metal that someone would want. I have also designed other things, but this seems to be something that everyone likes."
As a goldsmith and owner of a jewelry store, Kate said her favorite part of the job is working with the people who come into the store. With a strong customer service focus, her goal is to make everyone happy. While sometimes she experiences challenges while on the bench, such as how to approach a certain design or repair, overall there are no downfalls to her profession because she loves her work.
"This is a happy line of work," Kate said. "You are always seeing people preparing for a special occasion — engagements, weddings, and anniversaries."
Just as each piece of jewelry leaves the store to become part of a new history, the Gysbers store itself is full of history. Kate explained that her great-grandfather built the vault to house his wholesale jewelry pieces. Three of the cases in the store were brought to Waupun from a store in Waterloo that was also part of the Doering family business. While Kate's father and grandfather
were watchmakers, her great-uncles were also goldsmiths, like Kate, and could do hand engraving, which is quite uncommon today.
"My grandmother ran the store in the early 1900s, and I would think it was pretty uncommon at that time for a woman to run a business," Kate said. "She was an artist and did paintings; she was a very talented person. Now it's very common to have women in the jewelry business."
In addition to Kate, Pam Malesevich works as a goldsmith, and Sue Gronholz is a sales associate. They also understand the value of a family-owned business and recognize the unique value of each piece of jewelry.
"Customer service is top priority here," Sue said. "Kate just bends over backwards for people, and she stands behind the jewelry." Pam added, "It's a family owned business that has been here for many years, and that says a lot."
Just as the skills of a goldsmith can be handed down from generation to generation, so can the jewelry. Kate said at a recent jewelry conference she noticed many of the store owners talking about the skills they had learned from a father, grandfather or other relative.
"It's fun seeing who comes through the door," Sue added. "There are a lot of happy people and it's fun to share in that. We hear many stories whether it is something new, or an heirloom. It could be grandma's ring and they remember when she gave it to them. Kate can put those stones in a new setting and now it's something just for them."
Kate came from a family of six and was the only one to carry on the jewelry store tradition. She has six children, and when asked about the possibility of a fifth generation in the Gysbers Jewelry store, Kate replied, "My daughter, who is nine, will come down and sit at the bench and make earrings and bracelets. I am hoping she will want to carry on the tradition, but we'll see. You have to like the business, so whatever my children want to do will be just fine with me."
Gold is often recognized as a symbol of quality, value and wisdom. A goldsmith is trained to work with this precious metal and create a one of a kind item that will last for many generations. With these skills, Kate helps to keep alive many precious stories and to create new chapters that will be added for each of those future generations.
"Jewelry is such a sentimental item," Kate said. "There is always a story behind every piece of jewelry. It is something that lasts for years and can be handed down generation to generation."
Gysbers Jewelry can be found on the web at www.gysbersjewlery.com and on Facebook.
Photos of Gysbers jewelry by Keith D. Glasgow Photography
Caption In Photo:[Kate Bresser carries on the traditon as sthe fourth generation at Gysbers Jewelry.]Acquisition
Accession
2010.0500Source or Donor
Found in collection.Acquisition Method
Found in Collection
