Paul Clark, owner of Inglis Jewellers, explains how he and the team are getting ready to celebrate over three decades of Brilliance, Timeless Sparkle, and how this homegrown Canadian company from Truro, Nova Scotia, gives back, celebrates community, and continues to shine after 35 remarkable years of successfully focusing on Canadian products and exceptional service that has customers becoming family.
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Proudly locally owned and operated since 1991, Inglis Jewellers understands there is something truly special about jewelry crafted close to home and has been a shining example of this for 35 years—creating timeless pieces that tell stories through craftsmanship and care. Supporting a local jeweller like Inglis means investing in artistry and uplifting the community. It’s more than just buying jewellery; it’s celebrating 35 years of quality, trust, and the beauty of something made with love.
Greg Johnston founded Inglis Jewellers in 1991 at 66 Inglis Place in Downtown Truro, Nova Scotia. Paul Clark, current owner of Inglis Jewellers, has quite a story of how he got involved in the jewellery industry. Paul, a father, husband, avid golfer, and traveller, explains that in 1997, he signed up to do a course with Microsoft in Truro. He had met Greg Johnston, who was the owner of Inglis Jewellers at the time, a couple of years prior at the Kinsmen Service Club. Paul explains, “While I was taking the course, I would come over and see Greg every day, and we’d go for lunch or grab a coffee or whatever – I only had a certain limited time for lunch. But I soon learned, from Greg’s actions, that the customer is number one when they enter Inglis Jewellers. So, I would end up waiting around, and then Greg would say, “Could you change that battery for me? And so, I’d help the customer with the battery and would often be asked if I could show them jewellery in the showcase, and that’s how it started for me.” The following year, when Paul completed his course, he found his true calling, and it was not working for Microsoft as a support engineer; it was a sales associate for Inglis Jewellers, and the rest is history.
In 2003, Paul was given the opportunity to buy into Inglis Jewellers, and he and Greg became partners. In 2007, Greg and Paul (aka “The Bald Boys”) successfully opened their second location in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. In 2011, expansion continued for Inglis Jewellers, with the opening of their third location in Riverview, New Brunswick. Greg decided to retire in 2015, after 24 years at Inglis Jewellers. Paul took over full ownership of Inglis Jewellers and put the plan in place to open the Jeweller’s fourth location in Sydney, Nova Scotia in 2020. This expansion plan included Inglis Jewellers proudly offering three goldsmith studios within their locations, and with over 100 years of experience among their goldsmiths, they have the expertise and skills to meet all your jewellery needs.
In the past 35 years of business, like most businesses, Inglis Jewellers has seen their ups and downs. The Truro store has since expanded twice and was completely renovated in 2017 after a devastating flood. However, nothing quite prepared Paul and his team for the impact of the Covid pandemic in 2020-2021 or the street being closed at their Sydney location in 2022-2023 as part of a city infrastructure project. Paul reminisces about those years, stating, “We almost had to close the Sydney location, but we kept it going and decided to set up our very first outlet store there.” Paul was born in Sydney, so it was said with pride and conviction in his voice, “It was important to me to have a store there”.
When questioned about supporting Canadian Diamonds, Paul explains that when he first started at Inglis Jewellers, mining for Canadian diamonds was just beginning, and by 2019, Canada was the world’s third largest producer of rough diamonds by value (12.5% of world production) and the third largest producer by volume (13.5% of world production). Now our most popular diamonds are Canadian, and the majority of our suppliers are Canadian companies. “We’re a local company, we’re all Maritimers, and we live in the communities where we work. It is important to us that we can support our local economy and our country.” Paul states, “We proudly invest in our community because we genuinely care about its growth and well-being. Giving back is not just something we do, it’s who we are.” This is seen with Inglis Jewellers’ numerous sponsorships of community events and sports teams.
When asked what Inglis Jewellers represents as a brand, two words came to Paul’s mind – trust and quality. This description not only shows in their brand but also shines in their employees. Paul explains, “It’s our people that make the difference.” We pride ourselves on exceptional customer service. We have many long-term employees, familiar faces that people see when they come into our stores. We are an Inglis Jewellers family. Paul’s own family is also involved in the company; his wife, Anne, is a buyer, and their son, Reilly, is a certified GIA diamond grader and appraiser.
With social media being such a huge part of everyone’s daily lives, Inglis Jewellers offers something that is quite unique. Whether you see the “perfect” piece of jewellery on Pinterest or have an idea and vision for your dream piece, Paul and his team have the skills, knowledge, and experience to bring your vision to life. They will create a 3D rendering, followed by a wax mould, and then a video of it all coming together to make your dream a reality. This unique service can be used for ideas for new jewellery or to fashion new jewellery pieces from existing items that have been passed down from generations of family members. Inglis Jewellers has been expanding their gold recycling program. Paul states, “Everyone has a chain or ring just sitting in the box, or your grandmother’s jewellery that you don’t wear. Well, we can repurpose it into something new and special for you to wear and cherish.” If that is not your style or preference, you can trade it in for store credit towards something you love. Paul explains they also hold ‘Meet the Goldsmith’ days where you can personally meet with a goldsmith, one on one, and ask any questions you may have – yet another unique experience that sets them apart from other jewellery companies.
Paul explains that going into 2026, their customers can expect the same great customer service from the people they trust. They will continue their focus on carrying more Canadian products and are now an exclusive dealer of Maple Leaf Canadian diamonds and showcase many new beautiful lines from Canadian companies, some of them by Canadian designers, and many manufactured right here in Canada. They will also continue their focus on more custom offerings, saying, “If you can dream it, we can make it.”
Inglis Jewellers isn’t just a place to shop; with their in-house goldsmiths and appraiser, they are a one-stop destination where quality, craftsmanship, and community come together. From custom designs to expert repairs and timeless collections, they’ve built more than a business; they’ve built a trusted local legacy. Paul explains, “Our true passion is when clients come in the door and you get to know them, talk and have some fun, and they’re leaving happy and the gift they buy for someone is going to make them happy”. We can’t imagine a better way for Inglis Jewellers to celebrate their anniversary than with their fantastic customers. By choosing Inglis, you’re not only finding the perfect piece of jewellery—you’re supporting a local company that gives back, celebrates community, and continues to shine after 35 remarkable years of customers becoming family.
by Krista Legge-Wakeley