“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language.
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
— T.S. Eliot
After all the fireworks have gone off, the confetti have cleared the air, every champagne bottle has been popped, and the New Year has officially rung in, most people begin to look ahead. The next 365 days are envisioned through hopeful resolutions as to what changes, restoration, and commitments the New Year will bring. It all looks beautiful, it all looks promising, but for the individual, the 365 days preceding this New Year, tell of why it is profoundly important.
No one understands this on a day-to-day basis better than Mark Enix. Mark is a local, second-generation jeweler, who owns Fountain City Jewelers in Knoxville, TN. For Mark, being a jeweler is about restoring the past. It’s taking an heirloom, and making it new again, or completely redesigning it, so the next generation will enjoy wearing it. Preparation has already begun for his journey to Antwerp, Belgium, the Diamond Capitol of the World.
“By keeping jewelry in the family, and giving it a new life, I get to help customers find mementos they will use to celebrate the most important moments in their lives. As an example, for many women, their engagement ring is their most prized possession, and selecting the one that represents their love is priceless. For others, they might be choosing a piece that they can pass on to their children one day. For men, I get to help guide them to a gift that makes them feel like a hero. Why would I ever want to do anything else?” Enix said.
When Mark was a child, he apprenticed under his father in his family’s jewelry store. He started at the bottom. Until he learned all aspects of his father’s trade, Mark polished rings for .50¢ a piece, and wrapped presents for a $1.00 a package to earn his way. As he matured in age and skill, his father promoted him to the work bench. Every day, Mark would work on the repairs scheduled for the day, but as soon as he was finished, he would slip away to work on his own custom designs when no one was looking, honing skills he values today.
Throughout his youth, Mark’s father taught him many lessons, but what Mark recalls most, were the people that would come in to meet with his father. They needed something special, and each one would leave with a bag in their hand and a smile on their face. His father taught him to value everyone’s jewelry like it was the most important item he had held all day, because to them, it was.
Mark enjoys helping customers design beautiful, custom pieces, that they have been dreaming of their whole life, but he also understands that not everyone wants to design something specific. Some pieces are exceptional and need to be created from scratch, while others feel as if those items in the case were already designed just for them. “When you see them sitting in the case, it is as if they were just waiting for you to find them,” Enix said. Whether custom made, or branded, Mark tells customers they will know it’s theirs when they find it.
A time of new beginnings and fresh starts also comes with a time of deserved reflection. So, as Fountain City Jewelers looks back on the influence of 2019, Mark Enix is excited to introduce into 2020 the things of new.
Monitoring industry trends, as well as consumer requests, Fountain City Jewelers is excited to unveil their much anticipated 2020 line. Mark and his team have been planning for 2020 for some time now including Mark’s yearly trek to Antwerp, Belgium the “Diamond Capitol of the World” to hand select the perfect diamonds for his clients, delivering that personal touch Mark is known for. Those that know him, affectionately call him the “Doctor of Diamonds”, not just because Mark takes the journey to Antwerp as a special mission to hand select diamonds for his customers, but he doesn’t charge his customers for going the extra mile either, rather it’s a service he wants to provide so his clients know they are getting the very best he can offer.
“It’s a great opportunity to look through thousands of diamonds to find the exact one they have been looking for at the best price,” said Enix. His attention to detail and heart for his customers results in not just the purchase of a diamond, but the realization of someone’s dream.
After noticing that estate jewelry has become more prominent, Mark is making sure it will be a permanent fixture in his store all year. Synthetic diamond requests are on the rise, so Fountain City Jewelers is ready for your calls and has all necessary inventory available. Art Deco styles have re-emerged, and are quickly gaining popularity, as well as stack-able diamond bands, and layering with chains and bracelets. “These are trends that will continue well into 2020 and beyond,” Enix said.
On top of inventory additions, Mark is making sure he and his team continue to expand their education in their industry, as well as understanding his clients more-and-more so that he knows what they need even if they don’t know to ask. Fountain City Jewelers want their customers to feel secure in what they are getting and from whom they are getting it. Mark always advises that if your do not know diamonds or jewelry quality, then you should know your jeweler. Experience speaks volumes, and Fountain City Jewelers is happy to share what they have learned in the over 30 years they have been in business. “Don’t be afraid to mention your budget either. It gives us the opportunity to make sure we are working within your guidelines, so we find exactly what you are looking for at the price you are expecting,” Enix said.
Mark is also amongst many other local businesses that are supporting the “Shop Local” movement. This movement encourages consumers to be shopping local first in 2020 in effort to support the local community and businesses. Community has been top of mind for Mark since he started his business in 1999. He not only donates items for auction for charities but time and hard work to help make his community a better place.
If you are considering your next purchase, or are new to the community, stop by and see Mark and his team at Fountain City Jewelers, so they may help ensure your selection is perfect for the occasion, and sure to last a lifetime. And remember, “Nobody does ‘I do’ like we do” at Fountain City Jewelers.
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