When Evan Duke was eight, he wasn’t just tagging along to his parents’ jewelry store—he was behind the counter, helping customers, polishing jewelry, and learning lessons that would shape his future. “Most kids go to work with their parents but don’t really take part in the work,” Evan recalled. “For me, it was hands-on from the start,” he said.
His parents, Chuck and Sylvia Duke, opened Venice Jewelry Coin Exchange in 1981 and, in 1989, opened a second store, Classic Creations in Diamonds & Gold. After graduating from Jacksonville University Evan joined them full time. As the business and Venice grew, his vision led to the 2010 opening of the freestanding Classic Creations in Diamonds & Gold and Coins, Loans & Collectibles at 2389 S. Tamiami Trail.
Though he once imagined a different career path, Evan’s ease with the business is second nature. And that instinct—along with the values his parents modeled—has guided Classic Creations ever since. After officially purchasing the business in 2017, Evan continues to honor his parents’ legacy while embracing the innovations and tastes of a new generation.
Among the biggest trends, he said, is the popularity of lab-grown diamonds. “If you’d asked me four years ago to sell you a lab-grown diamond, I’d have said ‘no thank you,’” he admitted. “But customers started asking, and we listened.”
Now, Classic Creations carries one of the area’s largest selections of both natural and lab-grown diamonds, clearly labeled with color-coded tags—white for natural, pink for lab-grown. This helps both the customer and staff from confusing to the two products. “There’s up to an 85 percent savings with lab-grown stones,” Evan explained. “They’re 100 percent real diamonds, and we only carry high-quality diamonds that hold their own next to natural stones.”
Yellow gold has also made a comeback, and the look of the season is classic and delicate. “Big halo rings have given way to simpler, timeless designs—think Tiffany-style settings,” he said. “We’re seeing people gravitate toward jewelry that feels meaningful and wearable every day.”
That sense of sentimentality takes center stage during the holidays, when jewelry often becomes part of family tradition—a gift that holds memory and meaning. “Jewelry is important not just for its dollar value, but because of what it represents,” Evan said.
“We love helping people repurpose cherished items—maybe turning a ring into a pendant or resetting grandma’s diamonds into a modern design. We bring those memories back to life and create new ones for future generations.” The store also carries a large and varied selection of fine estate jewelry.
At Classic Creations, the joy of giving extends beyond the jewelry case. “We joke that we’re the ‘Cheers’ of jewelry stores,” Evan said. “My staff usually knows customers by name. It’s casual, friendly—a happy experience.” Some of his team members have been with the business for more than a decade, helping to create that welcoming, family-like atmosphere.
And the connection with customers runs deep. “We’re starting to see the grandchildren of my parents’ original customers,” Evan said. “It’s incredibly special—three generations of trust. We’re the family-run jewelry store people know they can count on.”
That spirit of gratitude and giving also shines through in Evan’s community involvement. He has served as president of the Venice Area Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of South Sarasota County, among other local organizations. The store still sponsors a Little League team—the same one he once played on—and remains active with the Loveland Center and the Child Protection Center.
“My parents always taught me that giving back is part of what we do,” Evan said. “Without our customers, we wouldn’t have a business. So it feels good to share our success with the community.”
As the holidays approach, Evan and his team are restocking cases with hundreds of new pieces. He also offers timely advice: “With gold prices so high, we’re always buying old jewelry—a single earring, a broken chain or bracelet, an old high school ring or wedding band, even a gold tooth. Customers can get cash or apply that value toward something new and sparkly,” he said. “And we’re not repricing our existing inventory to reflect rising gold prices, so people can still find beautiful gifts at last year’s gold prices.”
At its heart, Classic Creations remains what it has always been—a business built on trust, gratitude, and the joy of giving. “We help people celebrate life’s milestones,” Evan said. That’s what jewelry is all about, he added: love, memories, and the sparkle that connects generations.
We joke that we’re the ‘Cheers’ of jewelry stores—my staff usually knows customers by name. It’s casual, friendly, happy.
Jewelry is important not just for its dollar value, but because of what it represents—love, memory, connection and legacy.