Money fuels Robert Ince’s love of jewelry and is the main reason he started in the industry fifty years ago. Ince is a man who believes in telling the truth and sugar-coating his love of jewelry isn’t something he’ll ever do.
When he was just ten years old, Ince had his eye on a motorcycle, which wasn’t going to come cheap, if it came at all. Ince saw how well his father was doing in the jewelry business so he headed to work, doing a ten year long apprenticeship under his father’s watchful eye. “My dad said he would teach me things I could get paid for. Eventually. For a few months, I worked for free, sweeping, cleaning up, and beginning to learn how to make heirloom quality jewelry,” said Ince. “I think he was waiting to see if I would stick around before he paid me. I did.”
Ince’s dedication to his craftsmanship and to the business caused people to sit up and take notice. He had the opportunity to design custom pieces for the likes of Sammy Davis, Jr., Ginger Rogers, and Jerry Lewis, among others. His favorite was Red Skelton, though. “He was exactly the person in real life you saw on stage. I could hardly get past the jokes in order to get to work on what I was going to making for him. He was kind, funny, and considerate.”
This year, Ince is celebrating 50 years in the trade he loves. His knowledge of how jewelry was once created has been instrumental in repair, appraisal, and design. “Based on what I’ve seen over the years, I know what works, and what doesn’t; what lasts, and what doesn’t. We will always tell our customers the truth. Sometimes, it isn’t what the customer wants to hear and it costs us a sale, but what’s right is right.”
But it’s not just jewelry Ince has a hankering for. After hours, Robert Ince the craftsman, master jeweler, and perfectionist is the same motorcycle-loving character he was when he was ten. He’s managed to collect 18 motorcycles since taking up jewelry 50 years ago, and he loves to race them. He also races bikes, boats, and go-karts.
“It’s a release. My staff knows when it’s time to send me outside. Jewelry is not exactly a speed sport, so it’s a nice counterbalance to my meticulous nature.” As dedicated as Robert is to his many hobbies, he knows he’ll never be the best at any of them. “I’m not 100% dedicated to any one of my hobbies like I am to the art of jewelry.”
