PAGE 16, WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 61988 ______ New Whitby jeweller creates 80 p*er cent of goods wBy Bryce Cooper It may be a career.and a business but Kahmeil and Patricia Baksb can honestly say they enjoy it. W vvý The two own and operate Arima jewellers ini Whitby and unlike son-e jewelry stores thiey make more than 80 per cent of what they sell. "People like to buy their jewelry from the, samne store that it was made in. They like to know where the jeweiry has been especialiy if it is. expensive." says Kahmeil Baksh. .Arima offers a range of services from basic eold and silver jewelry to custom made rings and molds. Although the trade .bas seen ad- vancement through technology the samne basics apply and Kahmeil has many years of experience in the trade.. . 1. Born and raised in Trinidad, bis father and grandfatber* both operated a jewelry store and Kah- meil began in his father's shop at a very young age. "Sometimes he would force me to corne in when I didn't want. to, but' now I enjoy it, " he says. Kahmeil came to Canada in 1975 working for various jeweilers in Toronto. "I worked for 12 jewellers wbile I was in Toronto and I got laid off from ail 12 jobs. neyer got fired, just laid off," In 1980 Kahmeil returned to Trinidad but not before he married Patricia wbo is originally from Nova Scotia. Tbey, returned to Whitby abour four months ago and opened up Mrima before Christmas. Kahmeil enjoys his trade and ex- plains there are many advantages to making your own merchandise to seli. "M'len you buy from a wbolesaier you are working with a mark-up price and you can't wheel and deal with the customer," he says. Patricia on the other hand points out one of the major disadvantages. "'You're at the Mercy of the gold market," she says, explaining that her prices have to be relative to the quickly changing gold market. Kahmeil buys the gold "raw" or ini its purest form and then mixes it with the different alloys to produce the different range of karats. Karnheil uses the British ratio for making the mixes which produces a gold haîf -a karat richer than the stamp states. Kahmeii is in business to please people and that is why he offers a fuit range of customn services. Although the Stones corne in cer- tain cuts he wil arrange them -in the setting desired and the ring it- self can be custom designed. There are few price standards in the'jewelry* business with 50 many varieties of cuts for. stones and thicknesses for gold, so it may be one reason why people tend to shy away from gold-plated items, says Kahmeil. "People fmnd it too articial- looking , L guess., Back home 'in- Trinidad people like to wear reaily yellow gold, says Kahmieil who does goid plating. Arima also offers accessories in- cludlng handmade gold earrings and charms. At the -moment the Baksh's are building their inventory which also includes silver jewelry, watches, and other gift ideas. Another importanlt factor for the success is to get, established in the community as a good jeweller says Patricia. '.'We don't believe in flashy ad- vertising. In Trinidad we did al our advertising by word of mouth. We have to get'the word out," she says. Looking to the future the Baksh's hope to set themselves as a strong business in the community. "lIt's going to take a lot of hard work, but I think we can do it, " says Kahmefl. the resale value cf your home. So if you're planning to spend money on your home this year, why flot plan on saving somne? Get the ENERGY SAVINGS KIT. Its a welcome thought. The more you know about energy conservation, the more money you'lI save on heating buis. That's why the Government of Canada has put together the ENERGY SAVINGS KIT. It has valuable and up-to-dlate information te help you build energy Energy, Mines and *I Resources Canada Hon. Marcel Masse, Minister efficiency into ali your home For your free copy, mail this renovations, and increase coupon to: Energy Savings Kit, Home Energy Programs I580 Booth Street. Otta:wa, Ontario KIA 0E4I Please send me your free copy of the Energy Savings Kit. Name: IAddress: SCty: Postal Code. Telephone: Énergie, Mines et Ressources Canada L'Hon. Marcel Masse, Ministre Canada! Province: KAHMEIL BAKSH is preparing a set of gold earrings set in acid. Shown above are about halfway complete. The finished set is on display at Arima Jewellers that lias just opened up onl Dundas St. west. Free Press photo __ Crime ___ Stoppers Crime Stoppers and the Durham Regional Police are asking for the public's help in solving some of the break and enters which are occurring in ail areas of the region. These criminal offences are costing hundreds of thousands of dollars annually and are an ongoing problem for the community at large. Much of the detectives work is spent investigating these oc- currences. Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for these offences. If you suspect that a person is in possessionof stolen property or attem- pting to selI property in suspicious circumstances, eall us. , You will neyer be asked to identify yourseif or go to court. Ail caîls are treated confidentially. You will be given a code number in order to identify yourself. The Crime Stoppers office is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday and the phone numbers are: 1-222-8477 or 1-800-387-8477 free from ail phones including pay phones. Sergeant Sandy Ryrie of the Durham Regional Police force writes this article to help combat crime. A citizen boa rd ad- ministers the Crime Stoppers programs of which there are now more than 650in North America. The reward money is raised through tax deductible donations' which may be sent to Toronto and Regional Crime Stoppers (Durham), P.O. Box 54, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K8. ----- ----- -- ......... . ...... ..... ............ .............. . .. ....... ........ .. .......... . .... .... .... . . ... ..... .. .. . .......... ................ 77- Âý >v -77-ý;-,-- -- -