"I just see so much potential here," he said of Edgewater.

Parks' wife, Jan, found the Edgewater location during a walk around the neighborhood, she said. The couple had talked for several years about moving their business to the Denver area because they have so many clients there. The move has paid off, and Edgewater Jewelers now does a brisk business, Parks said.

Parks sells the "Sloan's Lake Collection" at the store and custom-designed jewelry for clients all over the world. He's created everything from 24-carat O-rings for a NASA space shuttle to platinum eyeglasses, he said.

Diamond studs, gold pendants and belt buckles fashioned from layers of silver and copper rest in the display case. Photos of Parks' favorite creations, including diamond bracelets embellished with pearls and jewel-encrusted pins, decorate the walls.

In a quiet studio behind the front room, Parks works at an antique jeweler's table littered with files and other tools. He also builds cabinets and does his own large metal sculptures.

Parks sticks to traditional techniques, in part, because of the cost of modern equipment.

There's a major benefit to hand crafting, Parks said. While large jewelry stores sell identical products, each piece Parks creates is usually crafted for one particular client. His role is not to sell jewelry, but to educate people on what materials and designs will work best, he said.

Parks' career in jewelry began unexpectedly when he was 13. His uncle, Joe Fiorella, offered him a job, and Parks welcomed the opportunity to spend time with his favorite uncle. The job involved running errands, polishing and cleaning jewelry. Parks never thought he'd be working as a jeweler almost 40 years later, he said.

Fiorella was a diamond setter who gradually taught his nephew to be the store's jeweler. Today, Parks still uses some of the equipment on which he honed his skills as a youngster.

Parks' occupation suits his personality, he said.

"I'm not one to sit around and do nothing. I'll probably do this for the rest of my life," he said.

While her husband creates jewelry, Jan Parks takes care of the business' day-to-day operations. The two work well together, she said.

"He's an extremely creative person," Jan Parks said. "He's always surprising me."

Where it's at

Edgewater Jewelers is located at 5705 W. 25th Ave. in Edgewater. Contact them at 303-233-2112.