Yellowknife (Oct 11/06) - Francois Thibault may have fallen down a few times, but he knows how to get up.

After recovering from surgery on an ailing back, the jeweller/carver is set to open shop in Yellowknife by the end of the month.

Francois "T-Bo" Thibault holds up a crafted wolf made from muskox horn, a Canadian-mined Diavik Polar Bear diamond and a Gem and Gemology magazine with his work on the cover. The Yellowknife jeweller/carver is hoping to open up a new gallery on Franklin Avenue by the end of the month. - David Ryan/NNSL photo

The new gallery/studio, called Originals by T-Bo, will be located on Franklin Avenue in the same building as Magic Touch Drycleaning, said Thibault.

"I think there is a need for the diamond capital of the North to be recognized as it is supposed to be," he said.

The merchant currently incorporates NWT-mined diamonds into his jewellery, but he has plans to one day expand his craft, he said.

"I'd like to be able to buy direct from the diamond mines and work out a deal with a cutting plant," he explained. For now, he's focused on opening up his gallery. The jack-of-all-trades is currently tinkering with the high-tech security system in the shop as he awaits extra supplies before he can put out the welcome mat.

Various types of jewellery will be available in different mediums including gold and silver. Thibault is also confident that he can produce his own line of original signature products for corporations or schools.

Each line of jewellery would be authentic to a particular school or members of a business, he said.

"A Northern design doesn't have to look like anything else in the world," he said.

While catering to Northerners is a top priority, Thibault is always on the lookout to produce signature pieces like the "T-Bo" piece he was commissioned to make in 2001 by the Ekati Diamond Mine. That piece of jewellery was featured on the cover of Gem and Gemology, an internationally recognized magazine for jewellers.

Having his work on the cover has helped Thibault get his name out beyond the North to a world-wide market, and he hopes the same will be true for his new shop. "I don't have to sell my stuff at garage sales anymore," he said.

BHP Billtion considers the "T-Bo" artwork one of their main showpieces, said Ekati spokesperson, Deana Twissel. "We're pleased to hear that another business person in Yellowknife is opening a jewellery and manufacturing design shop," she said.