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It was a different world then, but even now, 29 years after his untimely death, thousands gather to mourn him still. Every year, on the anniversary of his death, August 16, 1977, they come to the palace to honor him, to celebrate the life of the King whose magic touched them.
From the time he was a shy young boy growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis Presley was crazy about music. He went on to become the 'King of Rock 'n Roll'. His unique style, lack of affectation, and monumental talent won him instant fame, and fortune followed. By the time Elvis was known as the King, he had his Graceland palace and began collecting all the beautiful things money can buy. By the time he was the paramount performer in Las Vegas, his passion for big luxurious cars and motorcycles, dramatic jewel encrusted clothing, and gemstone jewelry was legendary. His penchant for sharing his good fortune was legendary, too!
Like all kings, Elvis had his own personal jeweler. Lowell Hays became Jeweler to the King in the early 1970's. For more than five years he traveled with Elvis, shared the good times and a warm friendship, and turned Elvis’ visions into reality with a dazzling array of stunning rings, pendants, bracelets, and pins. What Elvis fan can forget the TCB Ring that Elvis wore so proudly(there was only one TCB ring made exclusivley for Elvis—Mr. Hays began producing duplicates of this gorgeous piece several years after Elvis passed away), the TCB Necklaces, TLC Necklaces, American Flag Pin, Gold Tube I.D. Bracelet with Inscription, and the spectacular Diamond Engagement Ring he bestowed upon his young fiance, Ginger Alden, in the final days of his life—these are just a few of the many incredible jewelry pieces created by Lowell Hays for Elvis. In addition to being Elvis' jeweler, Mr. Hays was also one of the premiere jewelers in Memphis for more than three decades, his lavish showroom brimful of the finest jewelry. After being in the jewelry business for so many years, Mr. Hays closed his store in February 2006 to focus exclusively on the Elvis collection which he now handcrafts in his home studio. This exceptional Elvis jewelry collection is available for you to order at his elegant new online shop, Jeweler to the King at www.jewelertotheking.com. This very cool website showcases Elvis jewelry created using the original molds, now available to you in a variety of beautiful versions using precious gemstones and synthetic stones. They are awesome pieces and it's clear why Elvis chose Lowell Hays to be his jeweler. You will also find great photos and entertaining stories about Elvis—stories about his generosity, his extravagance, his love for his fans, and his love of fine jewelry. We highly recommend a visit to Jeweler to the King—truly a treat for every Elvis fan, and anyone else who appreciates beautiful jewelry.
We are so impressed with this outstanding collection of Elvis jewelry that we’ve added a special section of the Jewelry Collecting site dedicated to collecting this timeless jewelry, entitled ‘Elvis Jewelry’. Check it out often as we will be announcing new pieces as Mr. Hays introduces them. Elvis was by far the most famous jewelry collector ever and ‘Elvis Jewelry’ will feature an ongoing series of articles in the coming months showcasing individual pieces of Elvis’ magnificent jewelry collection, and other entertaining stories about Elvis and his love of jewelry.
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Lowell Hays by telephone. Since closing his showroom, he has been working on the Elvis collection and helping his sons build houses. He really enjoys working outdoors and being with his family. Mr. Hays is a charming man, and I thoroughly enjoyed our chat. We talked about him growing up in the jewelry business, and how much he enjoyed his career as a jeweler. In our interview he shares some wonderful stories about Elvis with us, and you can read many more at Jeweler to the King.
Background and Creating Jewelry for the King to read our two-part interview with Lowell Hays, Jeweler to the King. (You may alternatively follow the Related Links below.)
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