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Mon & Friday 9am-8pm Tues, Wed & Thurs 9am-5:30pm Sat 9am-5pm

Dekker’s has been around since 1882 in Goes, Netherlands.  We’re a small-town, family owned jeweler, here to meet as many of your needs as we can.

We carry a wide range of merchandise; from watches to diamonds to gemstone earrings and pendants, baby cups and silverware to deer antler pens that are locally made, zippo lighters and MUCH MORE!!

 

~A little history lesson~

Randall Dekker, son of Hentry Dekker, grandson of Dirk Henry Dekker and GREAT grandson of Dekker’s founder, Cornelius Dekker, was a lawyer and later became the President of FMB, a bank the younger generation probably doesn’t remember.  Gerrit VanKampen came into the business in 1946 as a watchmaker for Henry Dekker until Randy bought it from his dad in 1950. Randy didn’t want much to do with the whole jewelry/watchmaking business, so he ran his law practice out of the back of the jewelry store and let Gerrit run the show in front.

Gerrit ran the store for Randy (the last Dekker to own the store) from 1946 to 1988.  Gerrit came about this business after WWII, when he came back injured.  He had gotten a bit of shrapnel in his leg and (back in “the day”, they didn’t have the greatest sanitary practices) and it got gangrene and had to be amputated.

So here he sits, not able to do any hard labor, still owned by the Gov’t, and the Army decides they’re sending him to watchmaking school.  (Watchmakers were HUGE back then, when all the watches were really fine quality versus the plastic movements and “throw away” watches we see these days.)

Gary VanKampen bought the business from his dad in 1988 and is still running the store today!

Things were different back then.  Everyone knew everyone, Frank’s restaurant knew everyone’s regular orders and life was good.

Now, the jewelry business has changed.  We have to compete with big box stores like Kay’s and Jared’s.  We have the rising gold and diamond cost against us at an average of 1350.00/ounce (which doesn’t mean a lot to you except that jewelry is even MORE expensive, which is BAD).  We have to compete with throw-away watches and costume jewelry.  If only people would come in and give us a chance to show them that “the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price has been forgotten”.

Our oath to you, as a person, as a Dutchman, as someone whose money means something, is to not sell you ANY junk, never overcharge you and to do our best to make you a customer forever.

 

 
Engagement rings, loose diamonds, gemstone rings, pendants and earrings, clock repairs, bridal jewelry, watch repair, jewelry repair and appraisals, engraving services – we do it all!!!