Los Gatos Weekly-Times Photograph by Shari Kaplan Richard and Lori Teel have brought their family jewelry business to Los Gatos. Teel's comes to town Some people are born with silver spoons in their mouths, but Richard Teel was born with silver in his destiny--along with gold, platinum and gemstones. The son of watchmaker and jeweler Herb Teel, who began business in downtown San Jose in 1956, the younger Teel grew up helping in the family store and learning about precious metals and stones. Following college, in which he majored in political science and sociology, Teel decided to come back to the family business. After taking classes at the Gemological Institute of America, Teel says, "It was just like a light went on. It really clicked with me." He is now an appraiser, jewelry designer and diamond broker and offers all these services at Teel's, his shop that just opened in the Cornerstone Shopping Center expansion in front of Whole Foods Market. Watch repair is another facet of the business, thanks to the influence of his now-retired father. After running Teel's in the San Jose Fairmont Hotel for 10 years, Teel and his wife, Lori, decided their growing clientele and quantity of merchandise necessitated a move. They also wanted to add a repair and manufacturing shop on site, which the spacious Los Gatos location affords them. They're also happy about the commute: the couple and their two children reside just a mile away. Along with its services, Teel's also sells many jewelry lines--mostly in gold and platinum, but silver is available--including rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, pins and earrings. Loose diamonds and precious and semi-precious gems are also in stock. Teel's Jewelry, 16006 Los Gatos Blvd., 358-8808. [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, January 6, 1999. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.