In the case of Peñaloza and Sons Manufacturing Jewelers, all that glitters is gold. And silver. And platinum. It is fine jewelry of every shape and size. And it is an unsurpassed reputation of exquisite designs and first–class service and above all, integrity.
The company recently celebrated its 50th anniversary – a golden event for a glittering family business that has provided sparkling memories for generations of San Antonians. Founded in 1958 by the late Charles Peñaloza and George Dennis, the company is one of San Antonio’s oldest and most respected family ventures. It was known as Dennis and Peñaloza until 1969 when Peñaloza struck out on his own to form Peñaloza and Sons.
Originally located downtown, the company is now at 2001 N.W. Military Highway in Castle Hills and operated by brothersPaul and Phillip Peñaloza. For half a century,customer satisfaction and quality craftsmanship have been the defining hallmarks of this thriving and successful enterprise.
Paul Peñaloza says they don’t just sell jewelry– they become their customers’ jeweler.“There’s a big difference,” he says. “We pay attention to what our customers want, who they are, and what their lifestyles are. That’s how we keep them coming back year after year.”
For 50 years, the company’s sterling reputation has grown through word of mouth. It has created stunning one–of–a–kind pieces for such celebrities as Carol Burnett, BobHope and Debbie Reynolds and has served as behind–the–scenes producer for internationally prominent jewelers such as Zales,Cartier and Tiffany & Co.
“We actually began as a trade shop,” Paul says. “We did work for other jewelry companies from San Antonio and all over the country.”
He says 20 percent of their business is still done for other companies and 20 percent of their sales come from their own designs. The rest of the hundreds of items in the store come from other manufacturers with an emphasis on the “unique and unusual,” such as the modern creations of Simon G, known for his liberal use of colored gemstones.
Peñaloza and Sons has been a family affair from the beginning. Phillip and Paul and their brother, Aaron, worked for their father while growing up. After college, Phillip andAaron went to work for the company andPaul became an Air Force pilot. He re–joined the company after leaving the military in1981.
In the 1980s, the father and sons opened the Castle Hills store and operated the downtown location simultaneously until1993 when they closed it and concentrated all their efforts on the new location. In 1990,Aaron formed his own company in Alamo Heights.
Phillip, Paul and their father worked hard to build upon a solid family reputation. That hard work and attention to detail have paid off in unparalleled success and respect in avery competitive industry.
The family patriarch passed away in 2002and Phillip became the company’s chief designer. He says it was no small feat to fill his father’s shoes. “My dad was an excellent craftsman with incredible exposure and experience,” he says. “He drew all of his designs by hand and crafted some of the most beautiful pieces you’ve ever seen. His drawings are so exact, today we can re–create many of the pieces he designed that weren’t one–of–a–kind commissions.”
Phillip’s 28–year–old son, Michael, recently completed his apprenticeship and earned his own bench at the company, making him the fourth–generation craftsman to carry on the family tradition. His recent restoration of along–missing sterling silver medal belonging to the late architect Bartlett Cocke Sr.(presented in1961 when Cocke became a member of the College of Fellows of theAmerican Institute of Architects) resulted in local and statewide news coverage helping to introduce the Peñaloza name to new admirers.
“We have customers who shop all over the world but they prefer to buy from us,” Paul says. He and his wife, Alice, are both graduates of the Gemological Institute of America(GIA), which is the world’s foremost authority on gemological research and learning.They employ a knowledgeable sales staff and offer a full range of services, including appraisals, casting, engraving and watch service from Rolex and Patek Philippe to Timex and Seiko. They also specialize in updating jewelry to complement today’s styles.
Through the years, the company has designed special pieces for many celebrities,including cufflinks for Bob Hope, a ring forDebbie Reynolds to give to her daughter,Carrie Fisher, and, most recently, a special pendant for Carol Burnett.
“We created a stunning14–karat–gold pendant for her, featuring an engraved image of her San Antonio childhood home,” he recalls. “We set it in diamonds and hung it on a simple gold chain. She loved it.” He andAlice presented it backstage during her one–woman show last year at the MajesticTheatre. “She had tears in her eyes when we gave it to her, and she wrote us an incredibly beautiful and thoughtful note within a week of the show. It was quite a thrill for us.
To celebrate their golden anniversary in2008, Paul and his family hosted a series of special events, including “Haute for theHolidays,” a Christmas fundraiser for the fashion design program at the University of the Incarnate Word showcasing student fashions paired with original Peñaloza jewelry designs. A portion of all sales at the event,an evening shopping party and fashion show at the store, funded scholarships for aspiring design students.
“We have benefited from wonderful,loyal customers all through the years and we always have tried to give back accordingly,”Paul says. “We hope to make the UIW event an annual one, and to continue our other local outreach and charitable support throughout the year. We are a part of theSan Antonio community, and we believe it is the right thing to do.”
With its 50th anniversary behind them and another 50 years on the way, Peñaloza and Sons will continue to create golden memories for many more generations of San Antonians.
