Rio Grande began as a vision of better serving the jewelry industry. What started out as a small operation has grown into an international distribution center for thousands of valued customers. Our vision remains much as it was when Saul Bell founded the company more than 56 years ago, with customer service, support and satisfaction the basis for all business conduct.

As a young man, Saul Bell dabbled in a number of occupations during the ebb and flow of war, the Great Depression, the Crash of '29, and yet another world war. It was during one of his stints in construction that he happened to pass through New Mexico on his way to California, marveling at the vast quantities of silver jewelry available at stops throughout the southwest. It didn't take this young entrepreneur long to realize that the skills he learned as a jewelry apprentice under his uncle, and the experience he gained during the '20s when he had his own jewelry business, could be a valuable commodity in a place like New Mexico. So, with a lot of ambition and not much else, he gathered up his new bride, Olive, and moved to Albuquerque.

Within a few years, Saul's vision paid off, and in 1944 he was able to buy the old White Eagle Trading Post on historic Route 66 in Albuquerque when the owner passed away. These were war times, and silver was scarce, but Saul managed to keep his doors open to allow the silversmiths to continue their work. He extended credit to craftsmen who wouldn't otherwise have been able to continue working during such hard times, and so gained the reputation of being not just a fair and honorable businessman but a friend as well. His strong belief in people, coupled with a desire to share his knowledge of jewelry-making, continued when he moved his operation to a bigger location in 1947. The business was renamed Rio Grande Wholesale Jewelers, and Rio Grande is still the name under which our distribution lines—tools & equipment, gems & findings, and display & packaging—operate and are widely known.

The tradition of excellence in the jewelry industry that Saul Bell started more than 50 years ago still flourishes today. Under the leadership of seven directors (including four of Saul's children), Rio Grande remains a highly respected industry leader for serving customers with integrity and high standards in jewelry manufacture and distribution. The value Saul placed on sharing his knowledge with others continues, too, through The Santa Fe Symposium. This annual not-for-profit event, co-founded by Eddie Bell, provides a forum in which jewelers can gather and share information and gain the knowledge they need to manage their businesses more successfully. Clearly, the vision Saul Bell had so long ago of helping others to learn, and the legacy he left behind of high standards and excellence, continues.