Fort Smith parishioner launches line of religious jewelry

Published: July 11, 2009

By Maryanne Meyerriecks
Fort Smith Correspondent

Gary Rowe, founder of G. Rowe Craftsman and member of St. Boniface Church, works in his manufacturing facility in Fort Smith. He recently launched a line of religious jewelry.

Gary Rowe, founder of G. Rowe Craftsman and member of St. Boniface Church, works in his manufacturing facility in Fort Smith. He recently launched a line of religious jewelry.

FORT SMITH -- When Gary Rowe started contemplating retirement, he decided to take the knowledge acquired in two different professions -- law enforcement and jewelry industry management -- and start a business creating custom-crafted miniature badges for police officers, firefighters and public safety officials.

Rowe, who had been a jewelry company executive for Kay Jewelers and Tiffany and Company since 1976, joined the Odessa, Texas, police department in the late 1980s. After having lived all over the United States, he wanted to give his family some stability. "My father decided to hang up his custom-tailored suits and trade his expense accounts in for a badge," his daughter, Marilyn Rowe Horton, said.

And although Rowe achieved success in law enforcement as a police officer, chief deputy and investigator for the county prosecutor, he missed the jewelry business and started designing and creating fine jewelry as a hobby.

In 2000, Rowe opened his own casting shop in Odessa, Texas, naming his business Houston Badge Company in honor of an Odessa policeman, Houston Seabolt, who was killed in the line of duty in 1983. Houston Badge designs and manufactures full size and custom badges and custom badge jewelry. After his daughter moved to Fort Smith with her family, Rowe and his wife Susan decided to relocate their home and business to Arkansas to be near their grandchildren.

The business grew and prospered, and in 2008 they launched G. Rowe Craftsman, a custom religious jewelry company. Two of their most popular custom items are the Christ's Crown of Thorns pendant and the Stations of the Cross pendant, containing all 14 stations in a handcrafted crucifix. Most pieces are available in 10K or 14K gold and deoxidized sterling silver.

Horton, who now has three daughters, ages 2, 9 and 10, is the firm's primary designer.

"She's my right arm," Rowe said. "She studied art in college."

Taking a design from initial sketch to completed jewelry is a complex process.

"We start with a basic line art sketch on computer," Horton said. "Then we take it into other software to make a 3D model. Bryce (Rowe's oldest step-grandson) takes the 3D model and sets it up on a computerized mill to be cut out of wax. Once the wax is proper we take it to Daryl (Schultheiss), our jeweler with 30 years' experience. Daryl invests it and sets it up, glues it to base, makes putty and pours it into a cylinder. When that dries and goes throughout the burnout cycle, we have a mold."

Rowe said he hired Schultheiss to cast the jewelry so that he would be free to manage the business end as it expanded. After moving to Fort Smith, Rowe became Catholic at St. Boniface Church, where his grandchildren attend school.

"We put a prayer card into every piece of badge jewelry we sell," Rowe said. "We put a St. Michael prayer card in with police badges and St. Florian in with firefighters' badges. We've never heard from any customers who haven't appreciated the prayers."

His continued respect for police officers and firefighters has led him to present custom badges to the survivors of any police officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty.

Sharing the blessings they have received through their business is part of G. Rowe Craftsman's business plan. Rowe designed and donated ball markers for the St. Boniface Golf Tournament. He cast commemorative coins for the city of Fort Smith's anniversary celebration. He donated 500 custom Bass Reeves coins to the U.S. Marshals Museum Committee to be sold for $25 apiece.

To see their jewelry and custom badge lines, visit growecraftsman.com and houstonbadge.com.