KAILUA-KONA— Gold, gems and pearls drew Jim Bill back INto his life after the death of his wife.
KAILUA-KONA— Gold, gems and pearls drew Jim Bill back INto his life after the death of his wife.
Jim Bill’s Gemfire, his store on Alii Drive in the Kona Inn Shopping Village, was a fixture for 39 years, producing wedding rings, bands and necklaces for locals, tourists — or anyone who appreciated the touch of his workmanship.
But the death of his wife, Scarlett, in September 2014 caused him to sink into a deep depression for 18 months.
But working with friends, he realized he couldn’t simply exist without a purpose, he needed to do more. So he returned to his calling, crafting jewelry.
“I’m not generous with my time at all,” Bill said. “I just can’t imagine doing anything else.”
He’s pushing onward, forming a business partnership at age 72 with his self-described “best customer,” Yolanta M. Wehmeier, and having longtime friend Michelle Sakata-Johnson of Golden Egg represent him at her business.
“The 70s can be a new beginning for people,” Wehmeier said.
She viewed it as a wonderful opportunity to bring his work back to the market. They realigned their office at the corner of Kuakini Highway and Palani Road to give space to display his work, and so he could hold scheduled consultations. After speaking with the client, commonly in the shop, he does the work in the workshop he’s used in what was a three-car garage.
With Wehmeier to manage the finances, Bill is able to focus on producing the works, which is largely individual, developed from conversation with the customer and his own vision.
Karen Peters of Wheeling, Illinois, has been a client since 1995, having developed an extensive collection of Bill’s work.
The engagement ring he made in 1998 is still drawing compliments, she said.
“Every piece I have from him is my favorite piece,” she said.
Scarlett Bill helped her realize that the best use for jewelry is to wear it, she said.
Bill doesn’t prepare drawings, as he’s never been able to get an initial image to match the final piece. Knowing that the customer would like to see the work, he finishes most jewelry within three days. This is a risk for the customer, he said, so he offers free remakes.
The number of times that’s been necessary has been so rare as to be forgettable, he said.
On display at the Golden Egg are a variety of necklaces, rings, pendants and other projects.
Despite the complexity, Bill is more interested in spreading beauty than making money, sometimes selling at wholesale costs or below.
His pieces often involve large stones, but rarely diamonds. He finds colored stones more to his liking, for reasons he can’t quite explain.
Some works, including an opal with dolphins jumping along the bottom of the frame, feature a few diamonds. But there they are a supporting role for the blue and pink field of the opal.
Wehmeier remembered hearing him mutter “I don’t get it” while examining a catalogue of diamond wedding rings.
“The colored gems bring out the gem in you,” said Wehmeier, whose developed an extensive collection of Bill’s works, especially pearls.
For her, the change was managing a small manufacturing plant in North Carolina. For Bill it is coming back to skills he learned decades ago while working as a bodyguard.
He taught a man to play trumpet in exchange for learning to make jewelry, something he considered a natural extension.
Now, he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.