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Our History

Filigree Jewelers specializing in vintage, antique and custom jewelry since 2012.

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Early Years
  • Born in Houston, TX and raised in Orinda, CA, Catherine Tenenbaum’s interest in jewelry formed at an early age. Her parents owned a local store in San Francisco named Heirloom Jewelers at the Sir Francis Drake, specializing in antique jewelry for over 45 years.

  • Catherine’s father also founded the Estate Jewelers Association of America. Thanks to her natural creativity and love of people, Catherine’s knowledge of and experiences within the world of jewelry grew abundantly. A lifelong passion turned into a profession within the world of natural gemstones.

  • A Minnesota boy, Brent Thies was born and raised in Hopkins, Minnesota. With a lifelong interest in the arts, his knowledge of jewelry and horology culminate to help curate the Filigree collection.

  • With a focus on art history and design, he continues to develop his craft through custom design, appraisal services and restoration.

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Love & Jewelry
  • It would seem to have been fate that brought Brent and Catherine together at Syracuse University. After college, the two moved to California to get their start working with Catherine’s family in 2001.

  • Not long after getting married in 2002, Catherine and Brent Thies eventually branched out on their own and opened a store called The Collection, Time & Treasure in La Jolla, California.

As time went by, the desire for something different began to emerge. A deal was struck, the business in California was sold, and the Thies’ packed up and moved to Minnesota.

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Beginnings

Like most business’, Filigree Jewelers had a quiet start. With 5 rings, no retail location or online presence, Catherine took meetings with clients at coffee shops while Brent took on clients such as Chubb and Lloyds of London as an estate appraiser.

  • Filigree Jewelers planted is roots as a small shop in the Colonial Warehouse building, a historic landmark in the North Loop of Minneapolis in 2011.

    Filigree’s collection of rare and vintage jewelry expanded, defining their iconic style and aesthetic philosophy.

  • It was at this new location where things began to take off. Shortly after, the couple found a second location, “The Black Room”, a space inside the iconic MartinPatrick3 building in 2015.

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Filigree Present

In August of 2018, Filgree found its lovely home and permanent storefront in the North Loop.

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Our Staff

Our goal is to curate an experience that is special for each individual person, taking their needs into careful consideration. Helping our clients find their dream jewelry pieces is what we do best!