Supplier Information

Inglis Jewelers is an Atlantic Canadian jewelry chain with three locations in Nova Scotia. Founder Greg Johnston started the business in 1991 with a small shop in Truro, N.S. With the help of his family and driven by a desire to succeed, Greg grew the business. A few years later, now co-owner Paul Clark joined the company to elevate it and two new locations and markets were added.

Providing great products at a fair price is a staple of their business but Greg and Paul have also insisted on having fun. Marketing themselves as “the bald boys” has differentiated this jewelry chain and helped them stand out in a very traditional industry.

Before the Second World War, Rudolph Grohmann created knives in a factory in Sudetenland, which was then a German region of Czechoslovakia. After the war, the political situation grew desperate and in 1949, Rudolph Grohmann moved to Canada to start his own business. Still owned and run by the family, Grohmann Knives operates from their original location in Pictou, Nova Scotia.

Grohmann Knives are sold across the globe and have won countless awards. The tradition of making a knife as an artform is as much a part of the production today as it was in the beginning. The top quality knives are produced with as many as 53 steps between starting point and finished product.

Grohmann Knives – Knife construction Information

Forged

Designed for professional chefs and discriminating home cooks, these heavier, precision-balanced knives are easily distinguished by a thick steel bolster that separates the blade and the handle as well as steel that runs throughout the handle. These are the best quality/best balanced.

Full Tang

These better quality knives are made with high carbon stainless “full tang” steel, meaning the steel extends completely through the handle. The steel is a bit thicker and heavier than the regular and poly line knives.

Everyday

Perfect for everyday kitchen usage, this line has stood the test of time for many decades. This line has been designed for safety, comfort, balance and lasting beauty. It is a partial tang steel, the steel goes part way through the handle so it is a more lightweight knife.

Charm Diamond Centres, founded by Richard Calder has grown exponentially from its humble beginnings. The first store opened in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, quickly expanding throughout Atlantic Canada, and later moving into Ontario and the west. Charm Diamond Centres is now in every Canadian province except British Columbia and Quebec. Charm Diamond Centres recently opened its 74th store in Oshawa, Ont., and the company now employs more than 700 people across the country.

Richard Calder’s commitment to both his employees and customers led to Charm Diamond Centres being honoured with the prestigious Canada’s Best Managed Companies designation in 2008, and now have been named a platinum member of the distinctive program. Richard was also awarded the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2007 and is an inductee into the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame.

What was started in 1996, by a group of Irish immigrants with a commitment to preserving an ancient craft, has become a truly Canadian story of respect for tradition, beauty and fine craftsmanship. Nova Scotian Crystal takes the craft of crystal making and elevates it to the realm of artistry. From the original design to the mouth-blown shape to the hand-cut pattern, every piece is unique and bears the mark of the maker.

Nova Scotian Crystal is the only maker of mouth-blown, hand-cut crystal in Canada and one of very few in the world. The company uses traditional tools and techniques of European crystal makers passed down from generation to generation. For more than 20 years, Nova Scotian Crystal has exemplified high craft and Canadian excellence and today, the pieces are recognized as icons of luxury.

Although glass has been made for thousands of years, crystal making only began in England during the late 17th century. Over the next several hundred years, the craft spread throughout Europe and crystal became prized for its beauty, heft, and light refraction. The high level of skill required of the blowers and cutters in the craft of crystal is appreciated worldwide.

PATTERNS

The Margaree

The Margaree River is one of Nova Scotia’s legendary salmon streams, and recognized as a Canadian Heritage River. It tumbles out of Lake Ainslie in the Cape Breton highlands, then flows through fertile farmland and maple forests to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Cape Breton’s unique culture combines Acadian, Celtic and indigenous traditions; in our Margaree pattern, our cutters have married straight and curved lines to create one of our most popular styles.

The Titanic

Halifax is closely linked to the story of the Titanic. During its short life, the mighty vessel embodied the elegance of the Empire style. Our Titanic pattern was inspired by the actual light fixtures in the liner’s first class cabins. When the light hits these beautiful diamond-shaped cuts, it dances across the table, whether the setting is a formal dinner, or an intimate prelude to a quiet evening at home.

The Windsor

In the mid- to late-1800’s, the town of Windsor, N.S., thrived as a centre for shipbuilding. That era can still be felt in the elegant Victorian architecture throughout the town – and in our crystal pattern. Three upright cuts alternate with a series of arches that harken back to the hulls of barques, brigantines and schooners that once plied the waters to and from this quaint provincial town.

Annapolis

The Annapolis Valley is home to lush fields and orchards. It is truly the natural expression of life evolving, of growth, and the harmony humankind shares with nature. The curved lines of our Annapolis pattern capture the movement and bring life to the crystal itself — a delicate dance between handmade crystal and the natural elements from which the crystal itself is borne.