Pearl pendant a prize gem for jeweller

By Sarah Schwager
A CRANBOURNE jeweller has been named the best when it comes to design for the second time running.
Gis Van Den Broek from South Gippsland Jewellers has won the 2007 Showcase Jewellers Design Award, held every two years, after previously taking out the top gong in 2005.
The south sea golden pearl pendant on an 18-carat white gold collar was chosen from pieces by jewellers from Showcase’s 250 stores around Australia.
Wife Toni Van Den Broek, who manages the buying and retail side of the store, could not be prouder of her husband.
The pair was over the moon when the announcement was made at the annual awards ceremony at the Bayside Gallery at Darling Harbour in Sydney.
The store also won back-to-back Showcase Retailer of the Year in 2004 and 2005.
Mr Van Den Broek opened the store in Cranbourne on High Street with his father Peter 32 years ago, and moved to Centro Cranbourne Shopping Centre 26 years ago.
His son Gary has also taken over the trade and is the third generation to keep jewellery making in Cranbourne and a whole family affair with his brother Kevin also working at the store.
Mrs Van Den Broek met her husband when he was doing his apprenticeship as a watchmaker and jeweller at Orals in Clayton where she was also working in 1970.
“Cranbourne has been very good to us,” Mrs Van Den Broek said. “We are very passionate about Cranbourne. We have a lot of loyal customers who have been coming here for 32 years as well as a lot of new people.”
The store is unique in that it is one of the few remaining with a workshop on the premises, and jewellers and watchmakers on hand.
The store makes handmade pieces on request and the couple travel around the world to hand select diamonds for the store, with every piece of jewellery in the store hand chosen.
Mrs Van Den Broek said she was very proud of her husband’s achievements and his attention to detail, which helped win him the award.
“I am very excited for Gis,” she said. “People see me on the retail side but without Gis being what he is we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
South Gippsland Jewellers is located at shop 17 at Centro Cranbourne Shopping Centre.