Camilla Dietz Bergeron & Gus Davis
Entering “Camilla Dietz Bergeron, Ltd.” is like visiting a gracious Southern home – but this home happens to be within the madding world of Manhattan. The treasure box jewelry store is the namesake of its Georgia born proprietress, and is co-owned by another dynamic Dixie-ite, Gus Davis, of High Point, North Carolina. Their partnership is like an unending Southern conversation sparked by a patois between two experts in gems. The two met at Sotheby’s where Davis was the part-time viewing assistant who struck up a conversation with the rarified lady – a conversation that has never ended. Today, some fifteen years later, their offices are at opposite ends of their sprawling corporate showroom, so a reliance on intercoms is necessary to continue their daily communiqués.
Different roads have lead Bergeron and Davis to their two-story Madison Avenue office. Bergeron brings a keen eye and business acumen to her legendary jewelry business. Since childhood, she set her sights on New York, a destination achieved soon after graduating from Vanderbilt University. Upon the death of father, her young mother – a descendant of a Southern patrician family – decided to take up a career. Dauntless, she successfully became the respected town librarian, and by doing so, instilled in her daughters the pride of self-reliance.
By contrast, Gus Davis endured a hard scrabble youth, one that he describes as “a dirt-poor childhood – where my immigrant parents worked tirelessly at their coffee shop, ‘The Nugget House.’” Davis continues, “My birth name is Costas Nicolas Antoniou, but my father abbreviated it – after all, there was no way in High Point that anyone could pronounce that. We understood, after all, we in turn could barely pronounce ‘Dunkin Doughnuts.’”
Bergeron graduated with honors from Vanderbilt and fulfilled her childhood dream for the big lights of New York, while Davis studied at a local community college, having long given up his dreams to matriculate at Wake Forest. Eventually, he journeyed to New York and earned his certification in gemology. Like Bergeron, he too, never looked back.
Bergeron’s first career was in finance. Beginning as a security analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank, Bergeron later became a partner at the investment bank of Fulman, Selz, Mager, Dietz, and Birney. When the firm was sold in the 1980’s to Xerox, Bergeron found time to re-evaluate her life. About it she says, “I loved it but was tired and almost worn out from the mass of work I produced. I knew I wanted to continue having a career, but I also wanted a change. With all modesty aside, I‘ve always had terrific taste – so much so, I was the unofficial fashion and jewelry advisor for my friends and colleagues.” For years, Bergeron refused to adopt the stodgy uniform that was considered the norm for women in business. She encouraged – a radical at the time – feminine appearance for women in finance – a stance that gained her much respect from both women and men alike. Bergeron says, “It was all so natural for me, that is, I always wore chic clothing and fine jewelry, but I noticed there was a void in exceptional estate jewelry at a good price, so I decided to take the plunge into this rather unchartered marketplace. I always had a good eye for precious jewels, so why not?”
Her timing was, as always, impeccable. She admits, “I had the wind at my back because there was much excitement about the impending sale of jewels from the estate of the Duchess of Windsor – something that was so huge, it socially legitimized the wearing of vintage pieces. That auction had an enduring impact on the appeal of estate and vintage jewelry.” Bergeron remembers placing a bid through a dealer friend on a bracelet belonging to the duchess estimated in the catalogues at $2-4K. Her instruction was to open with her bid of $28,000 because as Bergeron says, “I wanted it and realized that all the estimates were too low.” The bids from the fervid crowd surpassed Bergeron’s limit as the bracelet sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars – far above the auction house’s estimate. Realizing she could valuate the market and thrilled by the adrenalin rush of the high stakes auction, she was hooked – and Camilla Dietz Bergeron, Ltd. was born. Bergeron reflects, “I immediately loved the business which was enhanced by my unique perspective. I understood what a single woman who was making good money wanted because I was one of them! This was my big advantage.”
Bergeron laughingly recalls another stroke of timing and luck – this time about her ability to create publicity for her store without even trying. “My firm was selling our seat on the American Stock Exchange. The seat was in my name so when a reporter for Fortune Magazine asked me why I was giving up our seat, my reply was, ‘I am going to start a jewelry business!’ The story was entitled “From Stocks to Rocks.” After another article about her appeared in W Magazine, Bergeron’s name was branded.

Enter Davis, stage right. From their meeting at Sotheby’s, it is easy to imagine how this pair of gregarious jewelry buffs became kindred business counterparts. Like Bergeron, Davis is no stranger to sartorial refinement and is quite the keen shopper. “Paul Smith is the one designer who has cuts that require no alterations, so I can buy his line right off the rack,” he says. “My shoes are by John Lobb; I don’t want to sound pretentious, but I have to wear custom shoes because otherwise my feet hurt! Trust me, I can also be found lurking at Zara. And my tailor, Dory, at Neiman Marcus in Palm Beach, can make anything look custom – but my all-time favorite jacket is from the Church Mouse Thrift Shop in Palm Beach.”
Bergeron gives Davis much of the credit for the firm’s success, enthusing, “I am lucky that I have a wonderful partner who is 20 years younger – a spectacular person who is truly knowledgeable and a great businessman.” Davis rejoins with kudos all for Bergeron. “Camilla is suis generis, a great beauty and an even greater inspiration to everyone she meets.”

CBD, Ltd. (Gus and Camilla Q ad A)

FASHION
GD
I see us moving towards buying timeless classics again instead of just needing the next trendy article of clothing. For myself I always invest in a one
great blazer for the season that I will keep for years.

CDB
Favorite clothes are from Akris and Akris Punto – but I try to get them on sale!
I love Lands End’s cashmere,very high-necked mock turtleneck; I have them in so many different colors. I don’t like prints in clothing. I feel strongly that trousers should be very long, covering the shoes because it makes you appear thinner and taller – but in summer, crops are quite the thing.

FABRICS
GD
Solid colors with texture and a more structured feel.

ENTERTAINING
GD
I will be entertaining a lot more at home, having small intimate dinner parties with easy to cook meals. My favorites are turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes, and paella. I am moving towards not going out every night to a restaurant, but instead to connect with all my friends on a more personal level.

COLOR
GD
I have ventured out a bit from the safe colors and have to say that baby blue is my new favorite color.

CDB
New favorite color is the purple or eggplant of my favorite coat of last year. My other weakness is Hermes cashmere and silk shawls, especially if they have an eggplant border. In jewelry, we couldn’t give away amethyst, but now it’s hot in stylish jewelry.

GARDENING or FLORAL

GD
I love a simple classic orchid whether it comes from Home Depot or a fancy florist. Flowers are one of the few things in life that do not need a designer label.

ART or DESIGN

GD
The art in my home and office tends to be classic. I collect female artists especially American impressionist. There is something
about how women paint about which one can sense a maternal feel.

CDB
Before the rage, I collected old shagreen objects, silver and enamel bottles and boxes, and tortoise shell objects. I have a mixed bag of artwork, a number of Martha Walters whose paintings I love, especially those painted in Morocco.

BOOKS
GD
Tim Russert’s book,
Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons (ITALICS) also – for some reason, I have been reading all of Erma Bombeck’s books.
CDB
Favorite books for me are mysteries. Love the Swedish ones. Favorite Brit author is Peter Robinson.

MUSEUM

GD
The Bard Graduate Center on 86th Street they have the most interesting intimate exhibitions and I love visiting all the auction previews. To me, they are like an ever changing art museum.

RESTAURANT

GD
My local Italian restaurant around the corner from me called Zucchero and Pomodori; I like to call it my poor mans Sette Mezzo.

HOTEL

GD
My all time favorite is the Duc de St. Simon in Paris. Room 42 has a fabulous terrace.

CDB
I also love the Duc de St Simon in Paris.

MUSIC CD
GD
My newest favorite CD is one that I bought in South Africa, and what I keep in my car is what my friends tease me about and call “old man’s music” – Barry White,
Luther Vandross, The Pointer Sisters, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, and the legendary Ella Fitzgerald.
CDB
I loved ABBA before the play and movie, which I loved. Love listening to opera but not so much going to see one. Favorite is Bizet: “The Pearl Fishers.” And I adore the Peruvian flute music sold on street corners in the summer.
And PS: I love my husband who is French and my little cat who is called Abba!