For Sandra Riper, the owner of West Chester’s Sunset Hill Jewelers, it was a dream that predated even her love of pearls, rubies, and gems. When she was a young girl, she stood in front of Cartier on Fifth Avenue and marveled at the bow and ribbon that transformed the victorian mansion into a New York-sized present.

“If a jeweler could have an idol mine would definitely be Cartier,” Riper said of the Parisian luxury brand known as “the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers.”

Since then, and since launching Sunset Hill Jewelers over thirty years ago, Riper has dreamed of bringing the same public-art-installation-type Christmas grandeur to her own facade at 23 N High St in West Chester.

“I’ve always loved Christmas. Whenever the BID hands out garlands I always ask for extra,” she said. It was at a chance introduction through the West Chester Business Improvement District that put her in touch with Vince Del Vacchio, the landscaper who moonlights during the winter months as precisely the kind of Christmas decoration specialist Riper needed.

“I said I know this might sound crazy…but I have this idea,” recalls Riper.

It wasn’t SO crazy to Del Vacchio and his team.

“We were very excited when we saw what she was looking to do. We knew it would be a challenge but it was an exciting opportunity. We like doing that custom, really unique work,” said Del Vacchio.

Del Vacchio said the hardest part of the project was building the ribbon and bow, which are made from wood, metal, cherry-red canvas, and back lit by bright red LED lights.

Del Vacchio and his team completed the install the day before Thanksgiving, but Riper sent out invitations to 50 of her closest friends and customers for a special lighting ceremony the following Friday.

When the ribbon finally glowed, it was a moment almost a lifetime in the making.

“I cried. I had no idea how impressive and how awesome it would be,” said Riper “It was like the grand finale of the fireworks at Longwood Gardens. Everyone oooo’d and ahhh’d.”