Camilla's Newsletter
2008
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“To appreciate jewelry, you must understand the meaning of ‘chic,’” says New York-based estate jeweler Camilla Dietz Bergeron. She and her business partner, Gus Davis, have spent the past 16 years building Camilla Dietz Bergeron, Ltd.: a niche business that buys and sells antique, period and estate jewelry. From the soothing atmosphere of their elegantly decorated Madison Avenue salon, Gus and Camilla offer both long-time and new clients the kind of personal attention and time needed to look through the extensive collection of one-of-a- kind pieces. Whether they are in search of a timeless engagement ring, distinctive cufflinks, or that special anniversary gift, clients can rely on Camilla and Gus to find what they are looking for.
Since today’s woman has a variety of needs both professionally and socially, Camilla Dietz Bergeron offers special pieces at various price points. Although pieces by the masters such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Flato, Schlumberger and Mauboussin are sought after whenever possible, what matters most is that the piece complements the client. Camilla and Gus understand their clients’ needs and personalities and provide pieces that exceed their expectations. They even personally bring pieces directly to their clients’ homes and businesses.
Camilla and Gus primarily prefer late 19th century and 20th century jewelry, with special emphasis on the Edwardian, Art Deco and Retro periods. Gus is a specialist in colored stones, such as fine Burma rubies, Kashmir and Burma sapphires and Columbian emeralds. His keen eye and acute sense of luxury resulted in his purchase of Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari emerald and diamond ring that Richard Burton gave her on the set of Cleopatra. Camilla Dietz Bergeron, Ltd. also specializes in important stones and older cuts of diamonds such as aschers, cushions and old Europeans.
Camilla is not a newcomer to success. Before she established Camilla Dietz Bergeron, Ltd, she was a founding partner of Furman, Selz, Mager, Dietz and Birney, Inc. “There are many things in life that I wanted to achieve and being on Wall Street was just one of them. I love the challenge of starting something new and watching it grow and blossom,” she says. After being actively involved in numerous organizations such as The Committee of 200, The Society of Jewelry Historians and Vanderbilt University, Camilla gathered an extensive network of clients.
Both from modest Southern families, Camilla and Gus fused their skills together when Camilla was just starting up the business and Gus was working in Sotheby’s jewelry department. Originally from Covington, Georgia, Camilla was one of two children and her mother was a librarian. Camilla graduated from Vanderbilt University and then moved to New York to pursue her career in finance. Gus grew up in High Point, North Carolina. His parents owned a coffee shop and as a young boy he loved to visit the local pawnshop. During his high school and college years he worked at the local jewelry store.
Not content to sit on their jewel-encrusted laurels, these two connoisseur jewelers are not only seeking out new markets but increasingly designing their own pieces, using resources from international suppliers, stonecutters and stone-setters. Their designs are primarily variations on the works of legendary masters, but with the addition of some Camilla and Gus panache. Then too, the other individuals who make up the company come from diverse backgrounds, and bring their own refreshing, valuable viewpoints to the mix. In a world where the ever-expanding diamond seems to be the must have item, there is something gratifying about elegant and irreplaceable pieces found in unforeseen sources like Camilla’s. “I love to search for that one-of-a-kind piece—the pearl in the oyster,” says Camilla. “Chic isn’t some kind of formula; chic just is.” |
