The man behind the long row of glass cases looked like Don Vito Corleone, the character in the “Godfather,” played by Marlon Brando. Black turtleneck sweater, gray sport jacket and magnifying glasses sitting atop his head, he could easily have passed for a stereotypical bookie in a dark basement pouring over horse race and fight results. However, this setting was one of floor to ceiling windows that allowed the bright morning sun to stream through and illuminate the sparkling pieces of jewelry displayed throughout the store. Massive wooden beams support the artistic ornamental lights that accent the modern look of this newly opened business in Old Towne Arvada.

            The large, slightly-balding-middle-aged man with the goatee and a twinkle in his eye is in fact a Don. Don Bowley opened Rocky Mountain Gems with a very grand opening November 8, 2008. After signing a 15-year lease with an option, this new location will be the grand finale of his business life.

Hundreds of clients now considered friends passed through the open doors of the store on that Saturday. In business for 35 years, Bowley has made an extended family out of business contacts and clients due to his warm and friendly nature and his willingness to respect all people that he meets equally ─ no matter what their walk of life may be.

At the age of twelve, Bowley’s destiny became carved in stone. Literally so. His uncle Jimmy, who lived in Pennsylvania, had given him a sterling silver ring inlayed with Turquoise. Two months later, the uncle wanted it back because it had been given to him by a woman that was soon to be his ex-girlfriend- and she had demanded its return. The problem was- Bowley could not find it. Uncle Jimmy said that he would be coming for a visit and would arrive in three weeks. Luckily, Bowley loved to doodle and had made intricate drawings of the ring while he had it in his possession.

            The next day, Bowley tried to enroll in a jewelry class but was told that he would have to wait until next year since he was only a freshman in high school. Desperate, Bowley begged the art teacher, Ruth Wood, to accept him into her class. He offered to mow her lawn, do the dishes, clean windows, whatever it would take to get into her class. He only had three weeks! His earnestness finally convinced Ms. Wood to pull some strings and bypass the prerequisites.

“We made the ring, carved it, cast it and in three weeks gave it to my uncle and he never knew,” Bowley said.

 About six months later, Bowley’s father found the original ring.

 As he held it reverently, the ring looked tiny in the large, outstretched palm of his hand.

Bowley said, “This ring is the reason why I am a jeweler. It changed my life and it gave me the opportunity to do what most people only dream about. Doing what I love.”

Bowley moved to Colorado from California twenty years ago. He made his start in Longmont’s Twin Peaks Mall working in a kiosk that sold crystal jewelry that was very popular at the time. He worked his way up to being a repairman for prominent mall jewelry stores such as, Zale’s, Brendan’s, and Keepsakes and became known as “The Jewelry Doctor.” But, Bowley’s greatest passion is designing jewelry, especially custom wedding rings for couples.

“When you get to work on a wedding ring or a piece of jewelry that someone loves, you get to celebrate in that love,” said Bowley.

Over the years his faithful customer base kept expanding as they followed him where ever he worked. It wasn’t long before he had to start bringing them home when they did not want to go through the mall store and wanted to only work directly with him. Bowley was soon earning up to $40 thousand extra each year working out of his basement. This caused some friction at home and his wife at the time told Bowley, “You bring another customer home and you’re fired!”

That ultimatum propelled Bowley into the retail sector where he got involved with 501-C3 nonprofit organizations. He formed a company called “Hand in Hand” and created a sterling-silver-logo pendant and chain with a baby’s hand and an adult’s hand joined in the middle by a heart. The pendants were sold at cost ($10) to elementary schools like Columbine and the St. Vrain Valley school district who in turn sold the pendants at a suggested donation price of $25. With a profit margin of 150 percent, the schools raised $15-20 thousand really quickly for playgrounds, sports equipment and computers. It became so popular that eventually eleven different state elementary school programs adopted it as a fundraising tool.

Bowley worked with various children’s foundations like the “Court Appointed Special Advocates” (CASA) for abused and neglected children and “The National Head Start Association,” along with other women’s and men’s groups.

“It felt good giving back to the community. When you are working at a wholesale level, you are not in it for the money. You are there to pay it forward,” Bowley said.

Bowley has been involved with The Denver Post Ride the Rockies for seven years. It is an annual bicycle tour that takes 2,000 cyclists on a 6-7 day ride on paved roads through Colorado's Rocky Mountains every June. His involvement started when his niece, Lisa, began working there. Bowley made a few prototype pendants, earrings and bracelets on speculation for Lisa to bring in. She called him immediately after showing them to the board of directors and told him he had to get down there right away. The entire crew met him at the door and said, “Welcome aboard.” He now has an exclusive contract to design the jewelry for every year of the race- past and present. Twenty-two years in all so far.

Driving a C class Fleetwood Southwind motor home, Bowley and his three children follow the entire tour each year for its duration. Bowley loves going up to the mountains.

“Even when we are only going 15mph up to Eisenhower Tunnel, it is still good,” said Bowley.

Bowley sets up a tent at each stop along the way to sell the official jewelry while his children sell bottled water. On the 2008 tour, Bowley sold all 700 pieces of jewelry that he had made in just four days and took orders for 600 more after selling the last piece.

Cheech and Chong, Phil Collins, Joan Armatrading, Willie Nelson and countless un-named football and basketball players “people with a lot of money” are Bowley’s clients and friends. What makes Bowley stand out amongst the many other jewelers is his deep respect for everyone.

“A guy came in here today that lives in a $150 a week room down the street. I treated him with just as much respect as I would someone who came in wearing Pierre Cardin and a Rolex watch. I earned his respect and he earned mine,” said Bowley.

He believes in living an honorable life.

There are four rules in the Bowley household and all must be followed for one to be welcome there. Bowley named them off:

1. “Have fun. If you can abide by that, you are welcome to stay,” said Bowley.

2. “Help each other. Whatever task is in front of you, we all help as a team- groceries, homework and yard work- whatever we can do to support one another.”

3. “You can jump on my daughter’s bed anytime you want. The reason is because their mother never allowed them jump on the beds.”

4. “Four is probably the biggest one and it is to respect each other. Respect your space, your mind, your education, your religion, your things.”

These rules are enforced for everyone who enters the Bowley home. His children’s friends, their friends, their friends, friends and their parents; are all included.

Fellow jeweler, Jayne Hart, said of Bowley, “He is very giving. Whenever I had a big job to do and I really wasn’t quite sure about something, he would always take time to help out.”

Bowley makes friends for life. Robert Burney knew Bowley 20 years ago from when they were in California together. Burney had since moved to New Orleans and was there when disaster struck.

“A little old lady named Katrina came and tore up our house. Don (Bowley) called and asked what he could do to help. A week later, Don and his son came with a moving truck to New Orleans and helped us move here to Colorado. After 20 years- that’s a good friend,” said Burney.

Twenty-two years ago, Cindy McColskey, took the first of many classes with Bowley. She told him right away that she wanted to make the kind of jewelry found in Tiffany’s.

“Don just chuckled and said that would take 10-15 years. Five months later, I sold a $15,000 ring that I had made. I had the last laugh,” said McColskey. She and Bowley have been business partners ever since. “He is the most talented artist I have ever met in 22 years,” she said.

Another life-long friend, Michael Johan, is the contractor that built the new store. He described Bowley as a “Mad Scientist.”

“In the jewelry world, he is the best at what he does- you get him out in the rest of the world and you have to tell him to get back on the ground,” said Johan.

Bowley was once on a team of designers that won an award from DeBeers, the world’s leading Diamond Company.

“Those are things that are trophies in your life. But I don’t really look at making things as the trophy. I think the people in your life are the trophies,” said Bowley.

After 35 years in the jewelry business, Bowley considers himself to be fortunate because he is in the small percentage of people that enjoy what they do for a living.