A man in in his store

Alumni Voices|

School of Education and Human Services


icon of a calendarAugust 1, 2023

icon of a pencilBy Michael Downes

The Curious Collector

Textiles, stones and relics: a local jeweler’s journey to becoming a curation specialist

two white arrows point down
white camera icon

Robert Hall

“Now cut this very carefully; it’s an emerald.”

Twelve-year-old Paul Haig, SEHS ’73, worked diligently to make sure the “stone” was cut perfectly, carefully mapping out his next move with surgical precision. Then, a little slip of the hand and he miscut. But he didn’t panic. Keeping his composure, Haig salvaged the “precious stone” and presented his immaculately trimmed “gem” to expert stonecutter Pierre Touchette, who inspected it and poured over each delicate cut.


Touchette, who taught the young Haig how to cut stones, pulled out the remaining parts of the emerald-colored 7UP bottle, which had served as the “stone” he gave Haig to practice on.

“Whatever you do, treat it like it’s the most valuable thing in your life, and do the best that you can”; Touchette’s words of wisdom to his young student left a lasting impression — and became a life lesson that Haig didn’t take lightly.

That mindset has been woven into Haig’s life and has helped him in all his ventures, whether in his jewelry business that’s celebrating 50 years of service this year, in his marriage with his wife, Diane, SECS ’83, or in his journey collecting textiles, stones, and whatever else he’s curious about at the time.

Growing up, Haig and his family didn’t stay in one place for too long as his father was a scientist whose job required frequent moves across the country. Haig bounced around from Massachusetts to California and nearly everywhere in between.

A man working in a window, the window reads "Diamonds, Gemstones"

“I never saw a tree grow as a kid,” explains Haig. “I never watched anyone grow up. We were just constantly moving.”

As the family journeyed around the country, Haig and his brother went on their own adventures in each city. “My family would drive our VW Microbus as we traveled from place to place,” Haig recalls. “When we stopped somewhere, my brother and I would go collect stones. We had a 40-pound limit each, and I would end up paying my brother to put my stones in his bag.”

Haig would also frequently visit museums along the way — the LA County Museum, The Smithsonian and The Museum of Natural History — where Haig explored the exhibits, learning about textiles, stones and relics. These adventures ultimately sparked his curiosity, the driving force behind his impassioned personality.

Close up shot of jewelry

Haig’s initial interest in stones transitioned into a passion for the gemstone business. He joined rock clubs wherever his family moved. By the time he was 14, he had his own business license to polish stones and repair items, and a year later was working for an opal dealer. Haig traveled to Seattle to work gem shows alongside his boss, who would buy and sell precious opals. Haig was like a sponge at these events, absorbing any information he could about not only stones but the business side of things.

Eventually, Haig’s family was able to set down some roots in his father’s hometown. “It was wonderful to come to Rochester and just have one place to stay,” says Haig.

During his freshman year, he got involved with Camp Oakland as a night watchman for the boys' camp. He noticed that there was no academic or musical tutoring for the camp goers, so Haig went directly to OU’s Education Department and asked them to start a tutoring program. They signed off on it, and the tutoring program was launched. He also kickstarted an arts and crafts program for the camp goers.

“Ten years ago, I had two ladies come into my shop and tell me that I had changed their lives. They were at Camp Oakland, and I made them feel like people, individuals, rather than just someone who needed to get married and have kids.”

Haig also worked as a student teacher while enrolled in the School of Education and Human Services. In the mornings, he’d work with second graders, and in the afternoon, he shifted his focus to special education. He worked as a chauffeur at Meadowbrook, a janitor for the university and worked in their pool room.

Haig’s curious mind was always looking for avenues to learn new things and better the community around him; a community he has been deeply rooted in since his move.

A black and white view down a jewelry store with a silhouette of a man walking up a winding staircase

In 1973, a freshly graduated Haig rented space above the Feed and Seed store in Rochester to start Haig’s Jewelers, a business that encompassed his love of precious stones. Fifty years later, he operates his own three-story storefront on Main Street in downtown Rochester. The showroom is on the ground floor, displaying all the lustrous and ornate jewelry Haig has collected and crafted. The basement is where Haig and his staff are able to hone their skills — cutting, cleaning and intricately crafting metals and gems. Upstairs boasts a mini-museum of Haig’s personal collection of relics, textiles and stones.

Aside from operating a successful business, Haig and his wife are constantly giving back to the community. They volunteer their time at cancer walks and races throughout the state, and spend time in classrooms teaching business students the tricks of the trade.

Deeply transformed by his own experience of learning things hands-on, Haig brings students with all different kinds of focuses into his store to teach them about stones, relics, history and business.

Passion and curiosity are still the force behind Haig’s never-ending drive, and it’s still as prominent as it was when he was a 12-year-old cutting his first “emerald.”

“There is always more to learn and experience, so it’s important to never stop,” says Haig.

A man in front of his jewelry store with a sign that reads "Haig's of Rochester Fine Jewelry & Objects of Art"

Share this story