Canadian-made, Canadian pride
As one of the few jewellery manufacturers in the Great White North, Beverly Hills Jewellers promotes all things Canadian, including the use of homegrown diamonds and gold. The company’s proprietary diamond brand carries the trademarked slogan, ‘Dare to be Canadian.’ Like family values, Canadian pride is engrained in Beverly Hills’ DNA.
“My parents always said that if it wasn’t for Canada, they would not have had the opportunities they had,” Vaccaro explains. “It was something that was very dear to them and has always stayed with me and Cosmo.”
High labour costs are the biggest obstacle to manufacturing in Canada. Vaccaro has done the math, though. He’s aware an overseas factory could produce his lines for less, but as someone who scrutinizes the work coming out of every department, quality control is his main focus and as he sees it, the consumer’s, too. Instead of cutting costs like labour, he looks for efficiencies in the manufacturing process itself, which ultimately trickle down to the retailer, and in turn, the buying public.
“If you’re able to produce something and produce it well and in an efficient manner, you can remain competitive,” he says. “And that’s through employee training and having the best equipment available.
“My mission is to bring manufacturing back to Canada,” he says. “When a consumer walks into a store and looks at our product, they’re going to ask the question, ‘Is it made in Canada?’ We want the salesperson to answer, “Yes, it’s not only made in Canada, but it’s made with Canadian certified gold and has a Canadian diamond in the centre. I think Canadians are very proud of our heritage and will pay more for Canadian-made product. And really, how much more is it? Like anything else, price is a factor, but quality comes first.”
Part of encouraging more manufacturing in Canada also entails helping to nurture the next generation of jewellers. Last year, Beverly Hills Jewellers co-sponsored the Giovanni Vaccaro Family Scholarship at CJ Expos”“Toronto. The national design competition bestows a $3000 grant to a student enrolled in a Canadian college offering a jewellery program, while the school receives a $1000 gift.
Vaccaro says he understands how tough it is to break into the business. Fresh from his studies at George Brown, he was willing to work as a stone setter for less than minimum wage at A & A Jewellers to gain experience.
“But they couldn’t give me less than $4.50 per hour and they told me to just do my best,” he recalls.
Now, Vaccaro wants to pay it forward. “My parents did guide me into this industry, but there was a manufacturer who was willing to take a chance on me,” he explains. “The scholarship is about giving someone a chance to be allowed to do what they love doing. There’s nothing better than coming to work and loving what you do. I feel I’ve never worked a day in my life. It’s all fun for me. I have my challenges, but there’s never been a day where I’ve said I was going to ‘work.'”
If Vaccaro has anything to say about it, tomorrow’s up-and-coming jewellers will get the same break.
