RAPAPORT... He is a third-generation bench jeweler; she was a mechanical engineer and computer analyst. But their passion for diamonds and innovative outreach to their community have made Roman Jewelers’ business soar.
In 1998, Roman Shor and his wife Sophie opened their first store, a former feed mill, in Flemington, New Jersey. They transformed it into what is now an elegant showroom that includes a visible workshop where custom designs are manufactured. Much of the custom work originates with Roman, who remains true to his roots as a bench jeweler. After emigrating from Belarus in 1980, he used his jewelry-making skills to design and manufacture jewelry for other companies. Branded and designer jewelry are popular with this retailer’s upscale clientele, but original designs and custom work also contribute a substantial part to the overall revenue.
Today, there are two Roman Jewelers stores — the 7,000-square-foot flagship, located in Flemington’s Renaissance Plaza, and a smaller branch in neighboring Bridgewater Commons — that employ three designers, two jewelers and one diamond-setter, whose tools range from standard jewelers’ equipment to state-of-the-art CAD/CAM software.
The Flemington store is distinguished by a two-story atrium detailed with balconies, intricate woodwork and a glass roof, design elements inspired by Milan’s famed Galleria. The interior of the store provides a visual feast, with cherry showcases, crystal chandeliers and brocade seating. On display are designer and house-produced collections of diamonds, diamond jewelry and brand-name watches. Designer collections include Roberto Coin, John Hardy, Judith Ripka, Simon G and Gregg Ruth.
The clientele for this retailer consists of educated, upscale consumers with generally conservative taste. The average age range is about 35 to 55, so generally speaking, it is not a huge engagement ring crowd, although some engagement rings are sold. Quality diamonds are the order of the day, most often in D to G color, VSI to SI1 range. The average customer spends between $7,000 and $15,000 on diamond jewelry, and the majority of sales are in the carat-and-above range.
BEYOND THE 4CsEducating the public about diamonds is a goal much touted by jewelers, industry groups and consumer advocates, but the owners of Roman Jewelers have taken this activity one step further. Unlike most retailers who educate customers in their stores, Sophie Shor and daughter Lucy Zimmerman have targeted a younger audience than that: They teach the basics of diamonds to children in local schools.
Shor says the diamond education program started as a lark six years ago and has grown into a sophisticated power-point lesson about the origins, mining and cutting of diamonds that mother and daughter perform as often as twice a month. Each lesson is modified for specific age groups, from elementary, middle- and high-school levelsto programs for the adult community.
MAKING IT FUN
In a typical presentation, Shor begins by giving each child a pencil. She explains that the carbon-based graphite in the pencil is the same element that makes a diamond. Using images of “funny characters,” she illustrates how and under what conditions a diamond crystal grows, where diamonds are found, the mining process and their end uses in either jewelry or industry. She also includes a little bit about the 4Cs and talks about the phenomenon of colored diamonds.
At the end of the session, she gives each child a stone; all are cubic zirconia, except one, which is a real diamond. She instructs the children to take their diamond home and use the simplest test to determine if their stone is real: “Draw a line with the pencil and place the stone table down over the line. If the line can be seen, the stone is fake. If you can’t see the line, the diamond is real.”
Shor says the popularity of the program has grown rapidly and the children respond well to it. “We understand how important it is to make it fun and get the children involved. If we bring beauty to them, open their minds and develop their interest early, they will carry that excitement about diamonds,” she says. “They go home to their parents and tell them what they have learned.”
Of course, there are few sales that can be directly attributed to these lessons, but they do accomplish important goals, says Shor. First, they arouse a curiosity in children about diamonds, encouraging some youngsters to learn more about them or perhaps choose a career in the jewelry industry. Secondly, the programs create a positive buzz about the store and help share the romance and beauty of diamonds. “It is fulfilling to educate children,” says Shor, who is currently developing a program for a kindergarten-age audience.
ADDING COLORED DIAMONDS TO THE MIX
The Shors also keep up a regular schedule of in-store activities, such as trunk shows and designer special appearances, most of which benefit worthy causes and charities. A favorite local beneficiary is the Hunterdon Medical Center. One of the most successful recent shows was a colored diamond event featuring loose diamonds in a variety of colors, cuts and sizes. At the time, it was viewed as mainly an educational event and the principals didn’t really expect any sales to come from it. However, several sales were made and the event is credited with inspiring considerable interest and questions about colored diamonds.
Recently, Roman Jewelers announced the hiring of a large, New York–based agency to handle its growing advertising program. Advertising is an “interesting process,” says Shor, and successful programs involve trying different media and assessing what works and what doesn’t. “We believe you have to be where your type of customer can find you,” she says. For Roman Jewelers, this means radio and cable TV advertising and testing some new print ads in the regional New Jersey Life magazine. Much of the most successful outreach to customers, however, has been through direct mail.
Regardless of the medium, says Shor, the message is the same. “We urge our customers to buy the most beautiful stone they can afford; we romance it to them and show them why it is beautiful. We genuinely love our customers and we are passionate about what we do.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2007. To subscribe click here.