Behind The Scenes | Watchmakers and Jewelers

Since 1910, TIVOL has prided itself on providing the best craftsmanship and service in town. TIVOL is one of the few stores left that employ in-house jewelers and watchmakers, and full teams at that! Our jewelers and watchmakers have had extensive training and their skills have been perfected over years of work.

JEWELERS

TIVOL employs master bench jewelers who are at the top of their craft and have decades of experience. Their vast product knowledge and technical skills are excellent resources to help you care for and maintain your jewelry throughout its lifetime.

See all jewelry services here.

Meet our team:

Bob Sabata

I have always liked to create, and I started as a stone-cutter/polisher when I was about 14 years old. Eventually I transitioned into a bench jeweler in my late teens. I came to TIVOL about 10 years ago, referred by a friend I worked with previously. I started off by doing some contract jewelry work, and was then offered a job. My favorite type of work is creating custom jewelry, knowing that it will be appreciated and admired for years to come. I also enjoy the constant variety of work that being a bench jeweler offers. The best part of working here is the feeling of family and teamwork. Folks actually care about you and certainly TIVOL takes care of their own, which means so much!

Charlie Rodgers

I have been here at TIVOL for about one year now. It is a great place to work, and I am part of a wonderful team! I went from heavy construction for 20 plus years to being a goldsmith. I guess you could say hard work and craftsmanship are in my blood. Bob Sabata taught me to be a great jeweler, and still does every day. I love all the work we do here, but I especially enjoy design and custom work. This specialized work makes you have to think, and I love the challenge.

Kim Spalding

In my early twenties, a good friend of mine worked with his family who owned a jewelry trade shop. They had many accounts including JC Penny and Helzberg. They had an opening for a polisher, so I quickly accepted the position. Not really knowing much about the trade at that time, it was a little scary. But the family took me under their wing. With all the knowledge and hands on training I received, I caught on quickly. I was a polisher there for several years. I then took a position at Krigel's jewelers, a local chain with stores throughout the Kansas City area. It was there I began my apprenticeship as a bench jeweler. I worked there for 11+ years. Gary Pener, a friend and manager at Krigel's, took a managerial position at TIVOL. After he had been with TIVOL a few years, he reached out to me and said this is the place you want to be. When a bench jeweler position came open I applied, then took the bench test and was hired. I’m approaching my 20th year at TIVOL. Working with such fine jewelry has been a dream come true. It’s totally been a blessing to have been given the opportunity to work for such a great company. We are a family here.

Patrick Switlik

I am actually a 3rd generation jeweler and a 2nd generation TIVOL jeweler. My grandfather was a jeweler, and my father worked as a jeweler at TIVOL for many years. I learned a lot of what I know from my father! I've worked at TIVOL now for more than 40 years. I enjoy my work here, because it keeps me busy and there is always something new to work on. The team at TIVOL is truly like a family. We work closely and help one another however we can.

WATCHMAKERS

We have five watchmakers located at our in-house repair center, as well as a dedicated polisher. We are a Rolex plaque-level jeweler and service center, the highest achievement that can be awarded. We can service and repair nearly any watch, but often have to turn some down due to the high volume of repairs we take in.

Learn more about our Watch Services here.

Meet our team:

Brian Bagley

I started as a jeweler in Virginia in 1991. When I moved back to Missouri in 1994,  I worked for other jewelry store for several years. But my goal was to work for TIVOL. I started with TIVOL in 2004 as a jeweler at our Hawthorne Plaza location. When TIVOL built the Briarcliff location, I helped build the the jewelers and watch stations. After spending a year at Briarcliff, I moved back to Hawthorne for a couple of years.  It was then that I started a apprenticeship with Sham to become a watchmaker. I was always fascinated with the intricacy of the work. Now, 10 years later, I have become a level 40 Rolex trained watchmaker. TIVOL is such a wonderful place to work, because we are supportive of one another's goals and help our team members. We are like a family!

Piper Wrigley

I started at TIVOL in 1990, so this has been my work home for almost 30 years! It is crazy to think how time flies. We have a great team of guys in the watch shop and we get along well. Even though I semi-retired three years ago, I just can't completely leave TIVOL. I continue to work a few days a week because I really enjoy what I do! I am trained and certified to work on almost all of our luxury watch brands, but I really enjoy working on Cartier watches. They are so well made!

Roger Middleton

I have always been fascinated by anything mechanical. My parents tell stories that as soon as I was able, I was taking apart just about anything I could get my hands on, and sometimes even getting them back together. After working as a welder and machinist for a while, a family friend inspired me to pursue watchmaking. After I had graduated from watchmaking school, I went on to work for a watch repair shop in Illinois.

I had heard of TIVOL’s reputation in the industry, and while visiting my now wife who was attending college in Kansas City, I decided I had to stop by to see their selection of watches. I was blown away by the store and looking to move closer to my girlfriend, I found the courage to ask about a job in the watch repair department. At the time they had no empty benches and weren’t looking for new watchmakers, but Sham still took the time to meet with me. About a month later, I got a surprise phone call asking if I was available to come in for an interview and bench test. Two weeks later there was a new bench in the shop with my name on it. I have now been with TIVOL for five years. Restoring vintage watches is my passion, especially those that come with a story.

Few things bring me more joy than being able to preserve a piece of history or bringing a treasured family heirloom back to life. What I love most about working at TIVOL is being able to do what I love, while also being surrounded by incredibly knowledgeable and helpful people that I’m lucky enough to consider a second family.

Ryan Green

At the age of 20 I started at TIVOL as our IT Systems Administrator, as we were building the offsite Watch Service Center. It was actually Briana Ross (CFO - and also happens to be my mother)  who recommended me to work on a few IT related projects at TIVOL. After a couple months, TIVOL hired me as the full time System Administrator. When TIVOL began building a Watch Service Center, I watched Sham (Service Manager / Watchmaker) as he would repair different watches. I found it very interesting seeing all the tiny parts working together. That is when I began studying and learning how to become a watchmaker. I have now worked at TIVOL for 16 years,  and of those 15 years as a watchmaker.

I mainly work on Rolex, but am Rolex and Patek Phillipe trained. It is always fun to work on something different (chronographs, or with multiple complications). It's nice working with the same people day after day for so many years.

Sham Agayev

I have been with TIVOL since I emigrated from Azerbaijan when I was a teenager. I have enjoyed working at TIVOL so many years, because we are all like family. I am now the Watch Service Manager, and we have an excellent team! We have been trained by the finest brands to work on their pieces. Recently, I even created my own microbrand, Agayev & Sons. With the help of my wife and two sons, my dream of creating my own watch line has come true. TIVOL sells these exclusively at TIVOL, and on our website.

Steffon Carlson

I have been in the jewelry business for 38 years. I have been with TIVOL for 18 of those years, and in the watch department for about 5 years.  I came to TIVOL when I closed my own jewelry store.  I love taking a watch that has been worn for years, with dents and scratches all over it, and making it look brand new again.  I also like speaking with clients about their watches during the repair process. Almost every timepiece has a sentimental story.  Rolexes are my favorite - the quality is unbelievable.  TIVOL is fabulous because of the people, and the way that they take care of clients. Top quality jewelry, watches and service. Why wouldn’t you want to work here!