Quick Links
- Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce
- Phelps County Development Corp.
- Jobs
- Real Estate
- Business Directory
- Phelps County Government
- Events
- Business Resources
- News Articles
- Tourism
Phelps County News
Sandy′s Creates Timeless Memories For Any Budget
posted to:
Chamber of Commerce section
by Holdrege Chamber of Commerce on 3/6/2011
When Andrew Ourada makes a sale at Sandy's Jewelry, he is helping his client create memories that are timeless.
He enjoys helping clients pick out pieces of jewelry to commemorate life's milestones, whether that be an anniversary, engagement or birthday. And since buying Sandy's in 2005, Andrew has integrated full-service jewelry manufacturing into the store, offering even more opportunities for customers to have a one-of-a-kind item.
"Everyone has an idea of a budget that they want to spend when they go to get a ring or to buy a piece of jewelry in general," Andrew said. "Having the manufacturing capabilities, I can pretty well fit their style with their budget. A little changes a lot when it comes to changes in materials to changes in price."
He stresses quality in all his work and in his pieces, and he puts in the legwork to insure customers have those unique pieces they are looking for. For the last three years, Andrew has traveled to Belgium once a year to pick out diamonds. Within the Diamond District in Antwerp, Belgium, 70 percent of the world's diamonds are traded. Andrew spends several days sifting through piles of diamonds, evaluating the cut, clarity and color to find stones he can take back and mount into customized pieces.
"Diamonds are my passion," he said. "Searching the piles of diamonds in Antwerp, that is hard to beat. Yeah, you can make a phone call and get a diamond, but there is a lot more to it than that."
With the high-tech equipment in his store, Andrew can take a design scratched on a paper napkin and transform bits of molten metal and chunks of stones into unique pieces of jewelry that carry sentimental value for owners. Whether it is taking rough quartz found while searching for stones in Montana and creating a pendant, or transforming a diamond from a wedding ring into a new piece, it is that process that directed his interest to jewelry and has kept him in the business. Very few jewelry stores have full manufacturing capabilities. "With those capabilities, it just kind of opens up the doors to fit any budget, and can be manufactured in any type of materials that they want," Andrew said. "Typically, I don't make the same piece twice. I stand by the philosophy that everyone can have their own ring. You see similar things, but I always throw in my own personal touches to make them unique."
Of course, Sandy's, which has been a central part of downtown Holdrege since 1958, also carries items customers have come to expect in a jewelry store, from diamond studs to fashion jewelry. Customer service is also a major component of the jewelry store. Customers can trade in old jewelry towards new pieces or sell gold for cash. In addition to the manufacturing capabilities, Andrew fixes chains, resizes rings, and engraves gifts.
"We take on as many different hats as a jewelry store can have," he said.
Andrew and his mom, Pat, operate the store. Sandy's is open 9 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to noon. It's the mix of customers who walk through his door and the part he plays in life's landmark events like engagements and anniversaries that keep Andrew interested.
"We are taking treasures from the world that take billions of years to form and we make something that is timeless," Andrew said.