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Hi! Welcome to the Gold Mine home page. My name is Steve Kruth. Before I give you a little education
on jewelry buying and selling , I thought you‘d like to know more about me.
I was born and raised in the New York City area and wintered in florida with snowbird parents.During my
youth i would go into the city , work and visit with various family members and friends who worked in the diamond district and jewelry industry. From my earliest memories, my great
uncle used to visit us carrying a sock full of diamonds and gems. I remember my first fascination with a
natural star ruby. While most kids at the time were playing with Lincoln Logs, I started getting involved
with the family business as a child. My Father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather each were involved in many facets of
a merchant economy including buying, selling, and trading gold, silver, diamonds, platinum jewelry, adn even in extreme cases, meat and blankets, for people that needed them. As I grew up, we owned bowling alleys, a major country club in the New York area, restauarants, and various other businesses that gave us insight into all the needs that people had. I took a special liking and interest in the estate buying business. In helping other derive the most from what they had to sell. I attended the University Miami (Florida) and later transferred to the University of Colorado in Boulder. I played football, but after a few too many, kicks in the head, I decided to give up any notion of a professional ball career. I graduated with a B.S, in Business Administration.Then attendend the gemilogical indtitute stitute of america to learn the gemological trade. Directly from College i chose to move to beautifull Virginia Beach. That
moved to beautiful Virginia Beach where I had decided I would make my permanent home.
As a kid fresh out of college, I held several positions in sales with various companies to support my
family. I started the Gold Mine in 1974 as a side venture to my "real" job. But, I ultimately knew that if I
was going to have control over my destiny, I'd have to go into business full-time for myself.
Eventually, I did so, working only out of a small suitcase with an even smaller inventory. I attended the
Gemological Institute of America and became a Certified, then a Graduate Gemologist. I am also a
charter member of the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers. Business at the Gold Mine began to
prosper until eventually I had to find a showroom and hire a staff The Gold Mine has been at the same location on Virginia Beach Boulevard in Virginia Beach ever since.
Our company philosophy is simple: We provide the highest quality merchandise at the lowest possible
prices to you, our customers, everyday.
Oh, by the way, I do lots of other things besides sell jewelry. I love the sea, boating, fishing, scuba
diving, biking, traveling, movies, concerts, eating at Aldo's and One Fish Two Fish, as well as enjoying all the
other benefits of living in the best area on the east coast. I love a good joke and I am, modestly speaking,
the world’s greatest storyteller.
I also consider myself something of a self-appointed consumer rights advocate. So many people know so
little about buying fine jewelry that it is easy to get "taken in" by the memorized recitations of jewelry
store sales clerks. Customers end up leaving far too many dollars on the counter without really
understanding what they've purchased. We've all witnessed the explosive growth of discount and mass
merchandising houses which now have specialty jewelry departments. These retailers are interested only
in high volume sales which allow them to remain profitable. They are in no way interested in maintaining a relationship with you once you've made your purchase and the the store.
At the Gold Mine, our approach is simple and direct. We don't have special "sales" only on certain days
of the month, we don‘t embellish our showroom with expensive furnishings or lighting systems and our
small, but experienced staff doesn't work on commission. We simply provide you the highest quality
merchandise at the lowest possible price anywhere in Hampton Roads.
We also want to provide you with some basic information which will help you become a better-informed
customer regardless of where you make your final purchase. Reading and applying the guidance in the
following sections will help get you started. WE NOW SPECIALIZE INTERNATIONALLY IN THE BUYING, SELLING, AND SETTLING OF ESTATES INCLUDING FINE JEWELRY, ART, AND VALUABLE POSSESSIONS.
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