Gemstone and jewelry dealer Melissa Wolfgang Amenc from Golay Fils & Stahl in Geneva stresses the importance of hard work, learning from mistakes and attending trade shows.
As a sixth-generation industry veteran, Melissa Wolfgang Amenc has vast experience and many connections in the jewelry world. This great privilege allowed her to work from a very young age in the industry, where she developed her skills as a dealer, but it also pushed her to share her expertise with others.
In this episode of the Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast, Wolfgang Amenc notes that “having a good name is really important, but just being a hard worker and having no name is equally important.” She also points out that making errors contributed to her professional development. “I think mistakes are wonderful trampolines for learning. There are not a lot of mistakes that I would recommend you not to make other than not paying your bills. I still make mistakes, and I’m still learning,” she shares.
Wolfgang Amenc knows the jewelry trade inside out and is always willing to share her valuable knowledge with newcomers, especially through the association she cofounded, The Glitterati. “I know a lot of people, so I try to use my connections and the connections of my connections to bring things to the table for people to have access to interesting things,” she explains.
Attending trade shows has a significant meaning for Wolfgang Amenc, who started working at the major estate-jewelry events in the US and Baselworld in her youth to establish her reputation. “That was really the seed that allowed my own tree to flourish,” she says. Regarding their importance for her daily work, she thinks human connections are definitely stronger when made out of the digital world. “When you’re doing a deal with someone, you can see certain things of their personality that you’ll never see over the phone or over text,” she concludes.
To listen to the Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast, click below.
Main image: Melissa Wolfgang Amenc and one of her favorite jewels, vintage bracelets set with square-cut rubies, diamonds, emeralds or sapphires. Photo: Melissa Wolfgang Amenc.
