About Haig's > Paul Haig

Paul Haig has been in the business of making jewelry since he was eight years old. His hobby of collecting mineral specimens turned into a small business when, as an elementary school student, he started making rings, bracelets, pins and pendants. Paulalso began repairing antique jewelry for many jewelers and antique dealers.

Paul learned the art of stone cutting at age ten. He made crude cutting units from pie plates, apple crates and old washing machine motors. Interestingly, Paul's stone cutting tutor was Pierre Touchette, a retired U.S. ambassador to France and Rhodesia. He met Touchette while his father, a former colonel in the United States Air Force, was stationed in Washington D.C.

In 1968, Paul moved to Rochester, Michigan, to studies at Oakland University. He augmented his income by cutting stones and making rings in his dorm room.

At age twenty-three, Paul decided to turn his life-long interest in jewelry and stone cutting into his profession. He graduated from Oakland University in 1973 and, that same year, opened his first custom jewelry and design shop at 307 1/2 Main Street in downtown Rochester.

As both a stone collector and cutter, Paul has been involved in the entire process of transforming a raw stone into a jewel. From the beginning, he has always worked with natural gemstones and not with imitations or synthetics. Additionally, Paul specializes in opals and has a vast collection and knowledge of the vibrant and delicate stone -- knowledge unequaled among area jewelers.

Paul's jewelry designs range from simple, classic pendants and rings, to highly stylized bracelets and pins. Paul has even fashioned a bracelet out of a seventeenth-century English umbrella handle!

Over the years, Paul has successfully turned a little jewelry shop into one of the largest jewelry retailers in the Rochester area. The store's wide selection of modern, custom, classic, antique and estate jewelry is unparalleled, and attests to the company's knowledge of the jewelry industry.

In addition to his jewelry interests, Paul is also an avid collector of Asian antiques. Inspired by his family's enthusiasm for Asian art and culture - a brother is a scholar of Asian languages - Paul, together with his wife, Diane, has traveled the world to find the most beautiful antique Asian lacquers, textiles, bronzes, prints and ceramics. His frequent visits to Indonesia and Thailand have not only yielded fabulous art finds, but also a legion of very close friends.

In 1994, Paul was severely injured while he and his wife were visiting the island of Sumatra. The bus they were riding in plunged off a winding road. Paul, whose back was broken in the accident, spent several weeks in an Indonesian hospital before doctors allowed him to travel back to the United States. This adventure (among others) led to his local nickname: "Indiana Haig".

After a few months of recovery, Paul eagerly continued with his new business venture -- Haig Galleries. Concentrating on the arts of Asia and the Pacific, the gallery displays and sells artifacts Paul and his wife have collected over the years.

The gallery was originally established on the second floor of 311 Main Street -- a building purchased and renovated by the Haigs in the 1990s. The restoration of 311 Main to its appearance C. 1918 has become a prime example of historic preservation in southeast Michigan, and has won numerous design and architectural awards. The restoration was completed in 1998, when Haig Jewelers moved to the first floor of 311 Main.

In 2005, Paul announced the beginning of a new era in the retail history of both companies. Haig Jewelers and Haig Galleries merged to form Haig's of Rochester Fine Jewelry. The merger illustrates the unique evolution of two exceptional stores. By providing the Rochester community with a unique shopping adventure, this growing company is quickly becoming the destination where you can "Accessorize Your Life."

For many years, Paul has been actively involved in the metro Detroit arts community. He has served on the board for the Detroit Institute of Art's Friends of Asian Art, as well as on the advisory board for Oakland University's College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, Paul is deeply involved with many local governmental units and non-profits, including Rochester's Downtown Development Authority, Crittenton Hospital, the Lighthouse of Oakland County and the Paint Creek Center for the Arts. He frequently gives lectures to school and community groups, and assists with local appraisal clinics.

In the fall of 2006, Paul, along with collaborator Marla Shelton, released a new book. Threads of Gold: Chinese Textiles from Ming to Ch'ing is a comprehensive guide to collectible Chinese textiles. The book includes an extensive number of examples and an understandable evaluation system. Threads of Gold is beautifully illustrated with over 500 detailed photos of ceremonial court robes, badges and decorative textiles dating from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1911). The book was written for historians, Asian studies scholars, textile collectors and enthusiasts alike. The book is available for purchase through many online retailers including Amazon.com.

For more on Paul Haig or to schedule a lecture or private tour of our fine jewelry and Asian antique galleries, call us at (248) 652-3660..

Lecture Topics

How to Clean & Care for your Gemstones
Lessons in Stone Cutting
Collecting, Appraising & Evaluating Antique/Estate Jewelry
Appraising Your Jewelry
The Vibrant & Delicate Opal
What You Should Know About Conflict Diamonds
Collecting, Appraising & Evaluating Asian Antiques
Collecting, Appraising & Evaluating Antique Chinese Textiles

Repairing & Restoring Antique Jewelry
Repairing & Restoring Ancient Art
Exploring the Culture and Art of Indonesia

Tours

Private tours of our jewelry and Asian antique galleries are available upon request.