Smith's Custom Creations Opens Their Heart and Business in Largo

There must be some truth to the popular broadway song, "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". The economy may be pinching people's budgets, but it doesn't extinguish the desire for diamonds and gold.

Norris Smith, owner of Smith's Custom Creations, notices that his customers want jewelry, even though the bottom line may be at the forefront.

"People still want to have jewelry. They want to make something," Smith said.

His specialty is custom designs, which are usually more affordable than people realize. He designs jewelry with unwanted gold, then adds gem stones. The newly created piece is less expensive than buying a brand new piece. In addition, the customer enjoys a custom design, while recycling their other jewelry.

"I can create jewelry for less than if they bought a brand new piece. One woman came in the other day and wanted a custom designed ring to match her favorite pair of earrings," Smith said.

He used some of her unwanted gold jewelry to create a matching ring and gave her store credit for the rest of the gold.

"She had a brand new spanking ring and $100," Smith said.

Not all transactions may work out so favorably, but Smith always caters to his customers. His advice centers on the best price and quality product for his customers.

His superb customer service and craftmanship comes from 31 years in the business. He worked with his father in his store, K.K. Smith's and Sons, which opened in 1955.

In addition to his jewelry expertise, Smith has a passion for music. He's been playing bass guitar since he was 14 years old. He continues to jam with his band, Sons of Groove, which has played at the Outback Bowl and opened for Eddie Money, Blue Oyster Cult, Foghat and Jefferson Starship. The love of music expanded into to his other business, Keno Sound, which provides  lighting and sound systems to bands and corporate events.

His jewelry passion is in custom designs, but he also sells, repairs and appraises jewelry and designs corporate logos. He has designed corporate logos in silver for Ye Mystic Krew of the Santa Margarita, Frenchy's restaurant, Florida Holocaust Museum and Morton Plant Hospital. His newest corporate contract is to design owl pendants for Hooter's.

He creates designs on CAD to create a mold. He hand-carves the molds and injects the wax. He uses the models for silver and gold jewelry. Corporate logo pieces are often in silver and given to employees for recognition or retirement gifts.

He owns one of the few, laser welding machines. In a precise beam of two-tenths of a millimeter, the laser can weld a piece of gold in 2.6 milliseconds. With its concentrated heat, repairs can be done without removing gemstones or damaging the jewelry.

Smith also repairs eye glasses and welds pieces for other jewelers who don’t have the high-end equipment.

"With laser precision, I can repair jewelry and make it stronger and better than it was originally," Smith said. "It's zap, do my work around it [gem stone], finish and make a high quality piece."

His dedication, knowledge and friendliness brings loyal customers.

Mary Ann Rice visited to pick up several pieces she needed repaired. A necklace from her mom needed a clasp and to be shortened. She wore two of Smith's custom creations: open designed rings with elegant, swirls of gold.

"They're wonderful. I've been coming for 25 years or so. My sister ... has been coming since your father [first opened]," Rice said.

"They're the best."