Borthwick Jewelry Inc. was founded on March 3rd 1997 in Ferndale, WA located on Main street. Starting on a shoe string budget, Tom Borthwick drove up and down I-5 in search of used showcases, used jewelry displays and used mirror wall display (which hold figurines), ring boxes. Some of this Tom found at the now defunct store Best. He obtained jewelry boxes from Best which still had their logo inside so Tom typed up his logo and taped it inside the box. All this traveling around saved Tom money.
When opening the store, Tom knew he needed a logo, a slogan and a goal. Tom decided the logo should be a side view of a diamond. For a slogan Tom pictured his bald headed dad going into a mall jewelry store asking how much the diamond cost. Tom visualized his father with red veins popping out of his head because the price was so high. Tom thought to himself what would an old man remember as he’s walking out of an expensive jewelry store? Diamond King! Maybe his dad would think to himself, haven’t I heard of a Diamond King around here? So this slogan and logo was made into a ring that said Diamond King. For a slogan Tom put his beliefs into practice.
Many local people remember Tom standing in front of his store with a bullhorn and yelling: ”Pull over, Pull over! She needs diamond earrings!” People would laugh but little did they know, money was tight and Borthwick’s was just trying to survive. The reason Borthwick Jewelry carried figurines was to take up room in the showcases since inventory was so limited.
In the late 1990’s Borthwick Jewelry won business of the year every year for several years. In 2000 Borthwick Jewelry sponsored a team for the local Ski to Sea race and placed 14th out of at least 100 teams. In 2001 Tom won businessman of the year from the Ferndale Record Journal. From 1993 to 2003 Borthwick Jewelry took part in many Whatcom County parades providing a float which pictures a large castle on top of a diamond mine. Tom dressed as the Diamond King and his daughter along with her friends dressed as gem fairies. Ever since Tom has been known as the Diamond King. In 2000 the float came in 2nd out of 109 floats in the Ski to Sea parade.
As the store’s business increased Tom would modernize, increase the square footage and inventory. In 2010 the store got an update of new dark oak showcases and carpet. These new showcases gave the store 20 more feet of display space which enlarged our bridal department. Our happy couples can now sit on the rolling benches, which Tom’s father built, in front of the bridal case and pick out the perfect engagement ring. Tom attends the Tucson, AZ gem show every year where he hand picks items to display and sell in the store. For example, silver jewelry with gemstones, Amethyst and Citrine, Selenite along with many more.
In 2020 the store doubled in size by acquiring the retail space next door. Now the store has custom built showcases, bright, modern carpet and a fresh coat of paint along with a centrally located employee conference table whichprovides gathering spot for quick store meetings. This table also allows employees to promptly and eficiently help customers.
In 2021 Tom went to the Tucson gem show and tripled his inventory which gives our customers more options and choices. A direct result of having more inventory, our sales increased exponentially. Tom also hired 2 new jewelers who have over 40 years combined jewelry repair and design experience.
Due to all of this expansion, increases in inventory and more employees our customers have voted us best “Gold Medal winner” jewelry store in Whatcom County in 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022. Borthwick’s took the “Bronze” in 2019 and the Silver in 2020. Cascadia Daily news in 2023 voted Borthwick Jewelry won Readers Choice for best jewelry store.
Tom grew up in Pennsylvania and re-located to Washington in 1990. He earned his Eagle Scout in 1982 and graduated Penn State University in 1988 where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
He started his Jewelry career in Burlington, VT by taking a managerial position with Gordon Jewelers which made his passion to continue in the industry grow and eventually open his own store. After re-locating to Washington State, Tom was able to open his own store front in Ferndale, WA in 1997. After being in business for 3 years he took an Advanced Stone setting course and, in 2010, a Laser Star training course both through New Approach Jewelers. These courses rounded out Tom’s jewelry repair knowledge. Tom wanted to have a unique and memorable slogan, he decided Diamond King would be it! Since he’s known as the Diamond King, customers come in and ask: “Is the Diamond King here!” One of his passions is being able to support local charities. The success of his business has helped him achieve that goal. Tom knows how important programs like the Boy’s and Girl’s club, Habitat for Humanity, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Animals for Natural Therapy (among 40-50 others) are to the community and being able to support them brings a sense of accomplishment and pride to him.
Tom’s personal philosophy is to always have fun and enjoy what life has to offer. His sense of humor and laugh are legendary! He’s always making people laugh! He brings this view to work with him everyday. He feels purchasing something for a loved one should be a fun, pleasant and a stress free experience. Tom wants his customers to feel as though they’ve got the perfect piece of jewelry at a great price with excellent service. If Tom’s sitting down doing paperwork you’ll find him sitting on his throne, yes it’s a king’s throne, he may perk up with advice or a humorous comment. When he’s not doing paperwork he’s helping customers with a smile, a laugh or a witty story. His over 25 years of jewelry experience and being a bench jeweler gives customers the feeling of being in excellent hands. This is the atmosphere he has fostered in his business.
om and his wife, Tami, were married in 2007 and they enjoy traveling to far away and exotic places. They have many fun and exciting stories about their travels. When you come in the store ask Tom about his travels and its guaranteed you’ll hear a story or two! He may even show you some of the pictures! Tom has a daughter Nicole and Tami has two sons Maximilliano (Max) and Giovannie (Gio). Both have worked for Tom as salesman and jewelers. The family enjoys many activities which include camping, fishing, laser tag, skiing and four wheeling. When Tom isn’t hanging out with his family, he can be found playing Hockey at the local sportsplex!
“To me, the most important thing in business is customer service, be fair, be honest and be friendly”
Kristi Sophusson
Kristi is our store manager and has worked here for 10 years. She is very knowledgeable about jewelry and many customers have told me they enjoy working with her. She has a nice cheerful attitude and is always in a happy mood with a big smile. She is organized and, as the store manager, she assists the owner in the hiring of new employees; does the paperwork when the owner is on vacation and scheduling of staff. She is one of the employees who does written appraisals and her knowledge of our product is substantial. In her off time she loves to quilt; shop for converse shoes and her favorite holiday is Halloween. You can find some of her excellent quilt work at The One Stop Mail Shop.
She is the assistant manager and has worked here for 8 years. Katrina is another one of our fantastic employees. She has a great way of working with our customers and is fun to work with. Her big heart and funny sense of humor creates a wonderful environment for our customers and our team. Katrina helps train our new sales associates as well as helps manage the sales floor and staff. She is very organized; assists with daily office tasks and ordering of products from our vendors. She is very knowledgeable about jewelry and does our written appraisals. She is very pleasant, sophisticated, and great at helping people find the perfect item. Its a pleasure having her work here. Thank you Katrina!
Her hobbies include baking, cooking family dinners, reading and traveling with her husband of 20 years.
Mo has worked here almost 4 years and uses her organizational skills to assist in the daily tasks of ordering products, checking in inventory and calling done repairs. She has a wonderful “motherly” relationship with our customers. She has a positive attitude, an engaging smile and a wonderful sense of humor. She makes sure our customers have everything they need and they’ve told us how much they enjoy working with her! Mo is Italian and quite blunt but to know her is to love her! We just love our Mo!
Nick is one of our bench jewelers who has 13 years experience. He was a store manager and main bench jeweler for 7 years in Sonoma County California. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art from Cal Poly Humboldt University in Arcata, California. He has been employed with us for several years and he enjoys mountain biking with his wife on steep mountain trails. He also enjoys remote camping and backpacking with his wife. He’s a great addition to our team! He works very hard until it’s pinball time! He’s our grand champion!
She is a new employee who brings years of experience working with the public to our store! She has worked as a dental hygienist in Bellingham, Wa for approximately 10 years so when she smiles, her pearly whites glow! Her sense of humor, humble attitude and attentiveness make her a great asset to the team. She has a tinker bell laugh and is very personable. We are so glad she chose to work here!
Tom Borthwick, the youngest of three siblings, enjoyed an active childhood in suburban Philadelphia, engaging in games like kickball and ice skating. After earning his Eagle Scout rank in 1992, he pursued higher education at Bloomsburg University and later Penn State University, obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1988. His jewelry career began with a managerial role at Gordon’s Jewelers in Burlington, VT, followed by a position with Merksamer Jewelry in Bellevue, WA, where he specialized in revitalizing underperforming stores. In 1997, Tom established Borthwick Jewelry Inc. in Ferndale, WA, further enhancing his skills through advanced courses in stone setting and laser technology. Beyond his professional endeavors, Tom shares adventures with his daughter, Nicole, and, in 2007, married Tami Orranita-Pieper, embracing her two sons, Max and Gio, into his family. The family enjoys activities such as camping, fishing, and skiing, and celebrated Max’s marriage to Jamie in 2021. Outside of work and family, Tom is passionate about playing hockey and exploring new destinations with Tami, often sharing stories and photos of their travels.
