Creaser Jewelers

Creaser Jewelers was founded in spring of 1999 by myself, Dennis Creaser. Before this, the company (known as Intergalactic Mining Corp.) was operated out of my basement as a wholesale jewelry and Maine gemstone supplier to many of Maine's leading jewelry stores. In the winter of 1999, an opportunity to rent a Main Street store space in South Paris presented itself and I jumped at the chance. The building which now houses our store first served as a barn (our workshop is now located in what used to be a hayloft). It has also been a bottle redemption center and most recently the office of 'Perfect Stitch Embroidery'.

It had been my goal to open a Fine Jewelry store before 2000 and I was very pleased to have actually done it. I had been planning for it for several years, buying equipment and experimenting with floor plans. With the help of my friends and associates, we gutted the building back to the support beams and rebuilt it completely. It took several months of long days and back-breaking work to convert the dark, worn interior of a dusty ex-barn to a reasonably close approximation of my jewelry store vision, but we did it.

During my years as a gemstone wholesaler, I had visited virtually every jewelry store in the state. Every store it seemed, had something good to emulate. Using other successes as a template, I gradually assembled a collection of qualities which I felt would make my own store the perfect one.

In the end, my store was bright and cheerfully colored, neat and detailed. The jewelry displays were orderly and consistent and not cluttered. We used accents of oak and stained glass to provide a friendly and warm atmosphere. Eventually, we added a museum featuring Maine mineral specimens and some historical artifacts. And our jewelry was nothing less than the best possible quality- which leads us to the present.

Today, Creaser Jewelers is owned and operated by myself and my wife Julie. We have developed a list of company policies designed to insure that our store continue to be a model for successful Maine retailers.

It is our goal for our store to be a multi-generational, enduring, growing Maine company. We are convinced that the only way for this to happen is to be the store that people like the most, consistently and continually. Using our own experience as consumers as a guide, we believe that there are a number of factors which make a company a favorite and they include Service, Quality, Selection and Unexpected Pleasant Surprises.

Service

Simply speaking, we don't want to be just your jeweler. We also want to be someone you can trust, someone you can depend on, someone you can confide in, someone you can feel comfortable with. We like doing business with people who always treat us like we are more than just customers and we assume that our customers feel the same way. You are special to us and we promise to treat you accordingly.

Quality

We have certain rules regarding the quality of our merchandise. Our jewelry must be well constructed and well designed. Gemstones must be properly faceted, proportioned and polished. Gemstones must also be as inclusion-free as possible. Our goal is to provide only the very best quality jewelry. How else will we be known for being the best?

A note regarding synthetics: I personally do not consider synthetic gemstones to be acceptable in my trade. If I were king, I would outlaw them. To me, they cheat, plain and simple. I believe that synthetics (aka 'created', 'man-made', 'lab-grown') mislead the consumer and devaluate genuine gemstones. For this reason, we do not stock them. The same is true for gemstones which are color-enhanced by irradiation, dying or diffusion.

Selection

As consumers, Julie and I always find ourselves shopping at stores which offer the largest and most varied selection. Logically, one can expect to have a better chance finding what they are looking for if there are numerous similar items to choose from. We enjoy a large selection, we assume you do too. Therefore, we go to extreme measures to provide our customers with the largest possible selection of fine quality gemstone jewelry.

Unexpected Pleasant Surprises

One of my favorite aspects of the Jewelry trade is the incredible number of new and excitingly different gems that are always popping up at the trade shows we go to. We see the absolute coolest things and when possible, we buy them and bring them home so that our customers can be equally enthralled. But that isn't the only Unexpected Pleasant Surprise you can expect at our store. We try to put ourselves in our customers' shoes and imagine what would make them Unexpectedly Pleasantly Surprised. This past Christmas, we gave a free surprise gift, wrapped and mysterious, a perfect last minute stocking stuffer, with every purchase. We want our customers to come back often to see what Unexpected Pleasant Surprise is waiting for them with each visit.

What you'll find in our showroom is nothing less than a beautiful, multi-colored collection of only the best gold and sterling gemstone jewelry. You won't find lightweight, low-karat settings. You won't find synthetic or commercial quality gems. What we sell is the good stuff: gallery quality, well-crafted, wonderfully designed pieces of precious metal set with select gemstones. And we can't wait to show them to you!

Too often, we see substandard gemstones carelessly thrown into any old mounting and called 'fine jewelry'. We at Creaser Jewelers believe that 'Fine' means more than that. To us, 'fine' means that someone has taken the time and effort to select one beautiful gemstone from hundreds or thousands and match it with a setting or design that is perfectly complimentary. And that is exactly what we do here. We will even alter the design of the setting and recut the gemstone if necessary. It is our intention to present you with a superior piece of jewelry that will provide many carefree years of enjoyment.

We at Creaser Jewelers have a special passion for Native Gemstones. We have been an intimate part of the Maine gem mining scene for almost two decades. In 1993, we were directly involved with the famous '4th of July' Amethyst pocket on Deer Hill in Stow, Maine. This historic find was one of the most important Maine gemstone events in modern history and resulted in an unequaled selection of velvety Maine Amethysts in all shades of purple which is available to you from our extensive collection. We have also been involved in gem mining operations producing Aquamarine from Stoneham and Topsham, Multicolored Tourmaline from Geogetown and have a close relationship with the new owners of the world famous Mount Mica tourmaline mine. Maine produces some of the best quality jewels in the world. Our collection of beautifully cut, vibrantly colored, native Maine gemstones numbers in the thousands and we offer all sizes and prices.

Our repair services are extensive and competent. Our Jeweler is a fully-qualified goldsmith as well as a designer and we are confident in our claim to be able to fix virtually anything whether it is a family heirloom or simply a sentimental keepsake. And all of our repair is done at our store in our fully equipped studio.

Do you have a notion in mind for a unique piece of jewelry? We can turn your idea into an affordable reality. Or just sit back, if you'd like, and let us design something special – only for you. At Creaser Jewelers, we have a comprehensive design studio and creation workshop. From full gemcutting capabilities to a complete metal casting facility, virtually anything is an option. Our Jeweler has both formal training and freestyle improvisational experience enabling us to design in practically every style from Victorian to Modern Contemporary and all work is done in-house. Traditional? Sentimental? Whimsical? No problem. Chances are if we can't do it, no one can.

At Creaser Jewelers, we take a particular pleasure in offering a large selection of excitingly different gemstone choices as well as traditional ones. We stock pink topaz, yellow beryl, spinel in all colors, sapphires in all colors, morganite, Tsavorite, Tangerine Garnet and yellow diamonds as well as Tanzanite, Rubies, Emeralds, Opals and white Diamonds. Our gemstone palette is one of the best in New England and we constantly strive to bring you an even greater selection. Of equal importance is our 'no synthetics' policy. All of our gemstones are natural.

Creaser Jewelers was founded in 1999. Owners Dennis and Julie Creaser have turned their love of gemstones and jewelry into a thriving small business which specializes in Maine Gemstones (Maine Tourmaline, Maine Amethyst), Fine Jewelry and custom design. Dennis has dedicated over 20 years to gemcutting and jewelry design – and the pursuit of Maine gemstones. He facets and carves gems with one goal in mind: create the brightest, cleanest, most beautiful jewel possible. He designs jewelry to perfectly enhance, perfectly compliment a beautiful gemstone. Julie has over 12 years experience in business management and customer service and a lifetime of appreciation for fine jewelry. This combined with her knowledge of styles and trends, both current and traditional, guarantee their customers' satisfaction.