By any measure, Aruba is a jewel of an island. From fantastic landscapes and world-renowned beaches to an eclectic culture and high standard of living, Arubans have an appreciation for the finer things in life. It’s the kind of place that can inspire a young girl to become a fashion model or a competitive athlete. A scholar or a businesswoman.
Or as in the case of Jeanette Keith, all of the above. “As a child, I used to wear faux jewelry because it was so decorative and it makes a girl look pretty; it enhances her beauty,” she says. “Then when I got a little older, I took a part-time, after-school job at a local jewelry store. I was always eager to work so I could make money and have my own things. But from there, I fell in love with the industry.”
Jeanette was motivated to enroll at the University of Aruba where, with a business management degree in hand, she was prepared to make an impact in the world of retail jewelry. She became the director of sales and operations for Little Switzerland, a purveyor of high-end jewelry with locations throughout the Caribbean. She has also been the island manager for Colombian Emeralds International.
But she also worked as a fashion model and was hired to be in a photo shoot for an airline’s in-flight magazine. Not only did the camera love Jeanette, so did the man behind it. That’s where she met Steve Keith. Eventually they married and relocated to his base in the Miami area.
“Modeling was a fun thing to do but, in Florida, there was all this competition,” says Jeanette. “So many girls there really wanted to pursue a modeling career. But my heart was with jewelry, so I dedicated myself to my profession full-time.”
Over the next several years Jeanette shuttled back-and-forth between South Florida and Aruba, managing stores that specialized in luxury brands. Eventually she and Steve moved back to his home state of Ohio, where she managed a family-owned store that catered to upper-tier clientele.
As a niche market, there are very few secrets in the world of luxury jewelers. So most of the owners know who the best managers are. About a year ago, Fink’s, a family-owned Virginia-based luxury jewelry chain, reached out to Jeanette about the store they were opening in Franklin. She was offered, and accepted, the job to manage the Fink’s store at 5019 Aspen Grove Drive.
Jeanette had never been to Middle Tennessee but she and Steve, their three children (two girls and one boy), four dogs and two cats moved to Franklin and haven’t looked back. “We love Middle Tennessee. The people are very nice and there’s so much to do here,” she says. “We’ve visited a couple of rivers and we go hiking and we enjoy the parks. It’s conducive to a healthy lifestyle. We do a lot of grilling and healthy eating is important to me. I’m all about health food and protein shakes.”
As a past Caribbean Champion of the International Federation of Body Building’s Body Figure category, fitness has always been a part of Jeanette’s life. She still trains for an hour, five times a week. “I wake up at 4 a.m. and go to the gym at 4:30,” she says. “When I was modeling, I wasn’t really into fitness. But when done properly, lifting weights helps to maintain a feminine physique. I do all weight training with free weights. No running.”
At Fink’s, Jeanette has assembled and manages a staff of 11. She prefers the personal connections that are fostered by working for a family-owned jewelry retailer over the numbers-driven model of a large corporation. “They genuinely care about their employees and their customers,” she says. “The people who work here know that they’re appreciated and that makes it much easier to serve our clients. That’s so important in our industry because there is an emotional connection with jewelry, and you have to be able to connect with your clients on that level. It makes for a nice and welcoming environment for everyone.”
Nowhere is that more important than when it comes to selecting an engagement ring. “Sometimes when a guy comes in, he’s uncertain about how to make that special moment for her,” says Jeanette. “So we help him try to find a way. We get to know him on a personal level. We’ll ask him where they met. Then our custom design department can take those notes and ideas and use it as inspiration to create a design that will bring that ring to life. It’s rewarding when you can make memorable moments for people. We are helping them make their dreams come true.”
Fink’s was founded in 1930 in Roanoke, Virginia by Nathan and Sabel Fink. The company is now led by third and fourth-generation owners, Marc and Matthew Fink. There are 10 stores, including two in Tennessee (the other is in Chattanooga).
The store carries collections from top designers like Rolex, Cartier, David Yurman, Roberto Coin and many others. Fink’s has a private label, The Sabel Collection, named after the founding matriarch. And every solitaire diamond is hand selected by Cliff Burcham, Fink’s in-house diamond buyer. “We have strict standards and they have to pass his inspection,” says Jeanette. “He’s been with the company for over two decades. Most stores buy in parcels but Cliff inspects each individual diamond. He’s extremely
meticulous.”
While there’s certainly no limit to what a customer can spend, Jeanette believes the high standards and brand names make Fink’s more accessible to more people from all walks of life. “It’s a better shopping experience,” she says. “You can come to one of our designer events. Or you could come shop for a birthstone. You can even come in and relax and talk and just enjoy some time looking around. We’ll offer you a drink, so you’ll feel at home. There’s never any pressure. Just come in and look and enjoy yourself.”
You might find that it’s a jewel of a place to be. Finks.com/pages/franklin-location
