Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Uptain.
Chris, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey in the jewelry industry began when I was about 12 years old. My uncle owned a jewelry store in Mesa called Wedding and Gold Gallery, and my father worked there as a bench jeweler. Growing up, I spent countless hours in that shop watching them work. Before long, I started learning the trade myself, and by the time I was in high school, I was already working there as a bench jeweler. Those early years gave me a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship and precision behind fine jewelry.
Like many teenagers, I also had big dreams that had nothing to do with the family business. For a while, I was convinced I was going to become a professional surfer and move to California. Of course, reality eventually set in — surfing is a lot more fun as a hobby than it is as a career plan. That youthful dream faded pretty quickly, and I realized that the path I had been learning all along was actually something I truly loved.
I returned my focus to jewelry and worked hard to refine my skills and deepen my knowledge of the industry. Over time, what began as a childhood job grew into a true passion and career.
When I was 28 years old, I decided to take a leap of faith and open my own retail jewelry store, originally called Christopher’s Diamond Creations. As the business grew and evolved, the name eventually changed to what it is known as today: Christopher Fine Diamonds.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think owning a retail business could ever honestly be described as a “smooth road.” Challenges come with the territory, and in many ways those challenges are what shape you as an entrepreneur. You learn something new every single day.
When I first opened my store in 2003, the business grew much more slowly than I had expected. I had previously worked at my uncle’s jewelry store and assumed many of the customers I had helped over the years would naturally follow me to my new business. What I learned very quickly was that customers are often loyal to the store itself, not just the individual they worked with. That realization forced me to start from the ground up and build my own clientele one customer at a time.
Those early years were a grind. I spent my days working in the showroom helping customers and my nights and weekends at the jeweler’s bench doing repairs and custom work. For a long time, seven-day work weeks were simply the norm. It was exhausting, but it also taught me persistence and patience.
Then in 2008, we experienced something that changed our lives forever.
Just three days before Christmas, my parents and I were preparing to close the store for the evening. My parents had joined me in the business by that time. It was around 6:30 PM, already dark outside, but we were staying open late hoping to catch the last wave of holiday shoppers.
Two men walked into the store and began looking around. I was tired and ready to close, but I greeted them and began helping one of them while the other walked around the showroom. Something about the situation made me uneasy, and within seconds my instincts proved right. The man I was assisting suddenly pulled out a gun.
We were being robbed.
The two men became aggressive and forced my parents and me toward the back of the store. My mother knelt and began to pray while my father and I tried to stay calm and assess the situation. We had a firearm hidden in the store, and my father made the decision to go for it.
At one point, one of the robbers had his gun pointed directly at my forehead. In that instant, my dad charged him, knocking him to the ground, and gunfire erupted. My father was shot in the eye during the struggle, but not before he fired back and struck one of the attackers at close range with buckshot. The other robber fled the store as glass shattered and bullets tore through the walls around us.
By the time it was over, the store was devastated, but we were alive. My father’s titanium eyeglasses quite literally saved his life that night—and in many ways, he saved mine as well. My mother, thankfully, was not physically injured.
The robber who had been shot managed to flee but was later found about seven miles away, where he died from his injuries. The second man was eventually arrested and remains in prison to this day.
That experience changed the way we operate our business. Since that day, we have never kept the store open after dark—under any circumstances.
More importantly, it reinforced something that we believe deeply: that even in the most terrifying moments, faith and family can carry you through.
Over the past 24 years we have faced plenty of other challenges that come with running a small business, but that night remains the most significant moment in our journey. It was a reminder of how fragile life can be—and how grateful we are to still be here serving our customers today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been a bench jeweler for nearly 40 years. I originally learned the trade the old-fashioned way—hands-on, working alongside my father and uncle in their jewelry store while I was growing up. In many ways I’m largely self-taught, although I later attended the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, California to further develop my knowledge of diamonds, gemstones, and jewelry craftsmanship.
Over the years I’ve developed experience in virtually every aspect of jewelry creation. That includes CAD design, stone setting, fabrication, casting, repairs, and custom jewelry design. Whether it’s bezel setting, pavé setting, prong work, or building a completely custom piece from scratch, I’m able to take an idea from concept to finished piece entirely in-house. Being able to design, draft, and create a piece from start to finish is something I take a lot of pride in.
For many years, the business was very traditional in how it operated. Like most jewelry stores, we relied on paper job bags, filing cabinets, and handwritten notes to track repairs and custom projects. It worked, but it was far from efficient.
Then in 2021, something happened that completely changed the trajectory of both my life and the business. I met my now wife, Kelly. At the time, I had no idea that meeting her would lead to the best life partnership—and business partnership—I could have ever imagined.
Kelly came into the business with more than 30 years of business ownership experience and a completely different perspective than I had. Where my passion has always been the creative side of jewelry design and craftsmanship, Kelly is an incredible visionary when it comes to systems, technology, and business operations. She also has a strong technical background and is exceptionally talented with computers and emerging technology.
When she joined the business, she essentially rebuilt our entire infrastructure from the ground up. She transformed what had been a very traditional, paper-heavy jewelry store into a modern, cloud-based operation. Our phones, internet, POS system, appraisal software, repair management systems, CRM, and communication platforms are now fully integrated digital systems that allow the business to run efficiently and keep customers informed throughout every step of their project.
Kelly was also the driving force behind one of the things we’re now best known for—our fully interactive in-person CAD design experience. She envisioned a space where customers could actually sit with us and watch their ring come to life on a large screen as we design it together. Today clients can sit down in our design studio and see every detail of their engagement ring or custom piece being created in real time on a 75-inch display. It makes the entire custom jewelry process collaborative, transparent, and exciting.
Beyond that, Kelly also designed and built our new website, created our online booking platform—which has become incredibly popular with customers—and manages all of our marketing systems. Her ability to connect technology, marketing, and customer experience has allowed the business to grow in ways I never would have imagined years ago.
Then in 2024, Kelly took things even further by designing our brand new store location entirely in CAD. The new showroom is nearly three times the size of our original space and allowed us to completely rethink the customer experience. The store features white marble floors, elegant chandeliers, and a clean, modern design that feels both luxurious and welcoming.
One of the features customers love most is the large glass viewing window into our workshop. Clients can actually watch our jewelers working on repairs and custom pieces, which gives them a rare behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship that goes into every piece of jewelry.
Kelly’s ability to build systems, design spaces, and think strategically has allowed me to focus on what I truly love—creating beautiful jewelry and bringing our customers’ ideas to life. Together we’ve been able to blend old-world craftsmanship with modern technology in a way that makes the experience unique for our clients.
Today our store, Christopher Fine Diamonds, is best known for custom bridal jewelry and engagement rings. Over the years we’ve created more than 7,000 custom engagement rings and wedding bands for couples throughout Chandler and the East Valley. We’re incredibly proud to be a family-owned jewelry store that many families have trusted for multiple generations.
At the end of the day, what we’re most proud of isn’t just the jewelry—it’s the relationships. Many of our customers first came to us for an engagement ring and now return years later for anniversaries, upgrades, and even engagement rings for the next generation. Being part of those milestones is something we never take for granted.
Looking ahead, we’re also working on something we’re very excited about. In late 2026/early 2027, we plan to launch a new platform called Behind the Bench, which will be a fully interactive online education platform designed to teach the next generation of bench jewelers. The goal is to share the knowledge and techniques that traditionally were only learned through years of apprenticeship at the bench. We hope it will help keep the craft of fine jewelry making alive and inspire future jewelers who want to learn the trade.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
One piece of advice I would give to anyone starting out is to understand that success almost never happens as quickly as you think it will. When I first opened my store, I expected the business to grow much faster than it did. What I learned is that building a reputation, building trust with customers, and building a strong business takes time. There really aren’t any shortcuts.
I would also say that consistency matters more than almost anything else. Show up every day, do the work, treat people the right way, and keep improving your craft. Over time those small daily efforts compound into something meaningful.
Another thing I’ve learned is the importance of adapting and evolving. The jewelry industry today looks very different than it did 20 years ago. Technology, customer expectations, and even the way people shop have all changed. Being willing to learn new things and embrace innovation has been a big part of our growth.
Most importantly, focus on building relationships, not just transactions. Jewelry is emotional—it represents engagements, anniversaries, milestones, and family memories. When you take care of people and truly value those relationships, the business tends to take care of itself.
Looking back, I wouldn’t change much about the journey. The struggles and setbacks were often the things that taught me the most and ultimately shaped the business we have today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://christopherfinediamonds.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christopherfinediamonds
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopherfinediamonds
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ChristopherFineDiamonds
