Brand Ambassador
Partnership Over Pressure:
How Malakan Puts Jewelers First
At Gerald's Jewelry, Third-Generation Owner Matt Fikse Found a Manufacturing Partner That Prioritizes Relationships Over Rigid Requirements
When a major jewelry brand suddenly terminated Matt Fikse’s account after nearly two decades of timely payments, the third-generation owner of Gerald’s Jewelry discovered just how valuable true partnership can be.
“They really want me to be a store that features them first and me second, and that’s just not the way my company runs,” says Fikse, whose family has operated Gerald’s Jewelry in Oak Harbor, Washington, since 1958. Despite being a featured brand with a full showcase dedicated to the line and maintaining perfect payment history, Fiske was dropped when he couldn’t reach the heavily increased minimum buying requirements that would have forced him to eliminate other product lines.
The experience highlighted what Fiske already knew about his nearly 20-year relationship with Malakan: They operate differently. “Malakan has been absolutely awesome,” Fikse explains. “They understand and respect how I want my company to run. They want to do what I want to do, and what I want to do is what my clients want to do. I’ve never once felt pressure from them to make any changes away from what my clients want, no matter how complicated it may be for them.”
Located on Whidbey Island about two hours north of Seattle, Gerald’s Jewelry serves a unique military community with strong custom jewelry demand. Fikse has built much of his business around creating distinctive pieces, including an entire “Whidby Island” collection that Malakan produces exclusively for his store.
“We have it in sterling in multiple sizes, 14-karat white, yellow and rose gold, and we’ve done pieces in platinum,” Fikse says of the island-inspired designs. “We’ve done literally hundreds of variations within the collection, which gives us the ability to take a themed item and still make each client a one-of-a-kind version.”
The flexibility extends beyond product lines. When Fikse needs quick turnaround for custom work, Malakan accommodates. “If I tell them I need it cast and just me a blank with everything unset so I can set the stones in-house to meet a tighter deadline, they can make that work,” he notes.
Central to the relationship is Brittany Bailey, Fikse’s primary Malakan representative for more than 10 years. “She’s one of the most knowledgeable people in the industry that I’ve talked to,” Fikse says. “We’re good friends at this point. Most of the communication with Malakan is handled by my team, but on the occasion when I call Brittany directly, it means a job is about to get very complicated. I’m always met with an attitude and enthusiasm that says, ‘I’m sure that is going to be very interesting and I can’t wait to see what comes from it.'”
That expertise proves invaluable as custom demand as skyrocketed. Fiske is one of two full-time bench jewelers at his company, but he relies on multiple outside vendors for casting work when the workload exceeds what his shop can handle within a reasonable time frame. This allows him to protect irreplaceable heirloom stones by keeping those pieces in-house while safely outsourcing new custom work. “My philosophy has always been that sentimental things people already own never leavce my building,” Fikse explains. The approach reflects Fikse’s customer-first philosophy. “We are not here to convince people to buy something they don’t want. We’re here to make people what they want. And of all the companies that I work with, Malakan is my go-to when I need it done correctly the first time.”
For more information on partnering with Malakan for your store’s custom designs services, contact the company directly.
E: info@malakandiamond.com P: (559) 431-1500 • (800) 953-9357 W: malakan.com
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