Erno Ovari of Orem may be relatively new to America, but his centuries-old European art of custom copper roofing and metalwork is turning heads in Utah.

With over 21 years experience plying his Old World trade of hand-crafted copper roofs on castles, cathedrals and high-end homes in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Hungary, Ovari needed a break after 14 years without a real vacation.

A year ago, he flew to the states to visit a friend and fellow "spenglermeister," or master tinsmith, in Tennessee and winded up meeting and falling in love with Christina Lauritzen of Utah. Perhaps to make Ovari feel a little bit more at home, the couple's first date was at Snowbird resort's fall Octoberfest, and they married in Las Vegas in December.

"I knew maybe 20 words in English when we met," said Ovari, in his thick German accent reminiscent of a certain California governor. "Well, maybe 19."

Born and raised in Hungary, Ovari embarked on an apprenticeship as a spengler at age 14 at one of the country's most prestigious sheet metal roofing companies.

"My father helped me select it. He thought is was a good thing, so I tried it," he said.

Four years later he served his compulsory military service in Hungary before moving to Germany to hone his skills prior to applying to and entering an elite spengler master school. In the final stages of his master training, Ovari passed the "meisterbrief" test, the equivalent to a American post-graduate degree and an exam with only a 50 percent pass rate. As a spenglermeister, he is also authorized to take on apprentices to tutor in his trade.

"All in all, when you factor in all the extra schooling it's more than 11 years," Christina Ovari said. "It's more than most medical doctors."

Though spenglermeisters are more commonly found in Europe, Erno and Christina Ovari say they're only aware of three other spengler artisans in the United States.

Besides the exquisite beauty and fine craftsmanship in Ovari's copper, zinc and even stainless steel metalworks, the other hallmark of sheet metal roofing is its durability.

He has repaired 200-year-old roofs in Europe damaged by falling trees that were still in fine condition.

Some castle and cathedral roofs are as old as 400 years and continue to keep the elements out, he said.

In April, Ovari set up his trade in Utah with Christina acting as the company's business manager. He's currently installing the state's first zinc roof on a private residence in Park City.

And he doesn't only do roofs; Ovari can take on any size project including finials, cupolas, gutters, bay windows, and ornamental works.

Though complex math computations and engineering come into play when Ovari is commissioned to work on a round or three-dimensional object or reconstruct a structure's original framing on the fly, Christina Ovari said her husband's craft is as much an art as it a science.

"Our biggest challenge is to educate people," she said. "In the long run it's spendy but in the long term it's something that will last that no one else has."

Though his roof work varies widely in style, size, and ornamental features, the cost to do a 3,000-square-foot home can be as much as $100,000.

As a spenglermeister, Ovari said he's learned high quality work is something that can't be compromised. He said he's never had a complaint or had to come back and fix something in his 21 years in the industry.

The best compliment he's received was from a German client who initially told Ovari he was the most expensive contractor he hired, but after many years of satisfaction the customer commissioned him to do more work.

"At first we were the most expensive but over the years we were the cheapest," Ovari said the man told him.

"That's just fine. I can sleep well and know that these details and this roof is done well," he said.

With as difficult and labor-intensive as a spenglermeister's job is, only someone who truly loves the trade would continue to do it for so long, Christina Ovari said.

"I'm very happy," Erno Ovari said. Or "I would not be here."

For more information about Ovari's copper roofing, go to his Copper Exclusive's Web site at www.copperexclusive.com or contact Christina Ovari at 400-2515.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.