Michael Marentes, owner of Waldo Jewelers, started his journey in the jewelry industry in High School, taking a class that he had no clue would end up being his future, silversmithing. After graduating high school, Michael did not go into the jewelry industry and it was not until St. Patrick’s day when he was in Westport a bar district in Kansas city, and went into a silversmith shop looking for a ring for his girlfriend, while shopping, he ended up applying for a job and worked for that store for 2 years. With his passion ignited, Michael went to school at the Texas Institute of Jewelry Technology graduating with a degree in Jewelry Manufacturing and a certificate in industrial casting. Upon returning home from school, Michael found a void of bench jewelers in the Kansas City market servicing 4 designers and 6 retail stores, ultimately leading him to open his own retail store. It wasn’t until 2019, the brink of the Covid19 pandemic, Michael found himself in need of producing in house and invested into 3D Printing. Since then Michael’s business has grown giving him the ability to create custom jewelry pieces.