It all started with a tiny shop in a Boston suburb above one of the city’s most popular ice-cream stores. Now, more than 40 years and four boutiques later, Pageo has firmly established its brand as synonymous with distinctive style, impeccable quality and a timeless elegance.
“It was the ’70s. Gold chains were popular,” says Pam Swartz, recalling the early days of selling her jewelry to women in beauty salons and in their homes. Demand grew, and Swartz — along with her brother, George Pelz — opened Pageo, a combination of their first names.
Distinctive décor
Each location has its own look and feel appropriate to its setting. After first a downstairs and then an around-the-corner move, the original upstairs store in Newton Center, just outside Boston, was recently renovated to create a “sleek and contemporary design.”
Swartz and Pelz selected Nantucket, Massachusetts, as the site of their second store. Opened 25 years ago, the store sits in the middle of Main Street and caters to the summer crowd of locals as well as vacationers who flock to the island. “The store reflects the Nantucket lifestyle,” notes Swartz, adding that “people feel comfortable coming in wearing a bathing suit or dressed up on their way to dinner.”
The Boston store, which Swartz describes as a “gallery,” sits on fashionable Newbury Street, surrounded by Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef & Arpels, Bulgari, and Cartier. “We’re the only small non-branded independent store on this block,” Swartz points out. Managing the shop is her daughter, Caroline Stangle, ushering in a second generation of family jewelers.
Elegant Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida, is home to the newest boutique, Pageo X Misani, which opened a few months ago. Having a store in Palm Beach seemed the next logical step for Swartz, encouraged by clients who winter there. “A lot of stores in Nantucket and Boston have stores in Palm Beach, and we knew it would be a great complement during the island’s off-season.”
Non-designer approach
While the stores’ décor may differ, the collections across the boutiques are similar, although not dominated by many well-known jewelry designers. Swartz describes her buying process as “very, very selective” and applies a fine eye to curating the assortments. “We’ll display pieces from different designers in the same showcase so it all works together and appeals to our clients.” And she often features styles that have been popular throughout the years. “We have had the same cuff bracelet for 30 years. It is still as great-looking and wearable as the day we first put it out.”
Swartz began carrying Milan-based brand Misani jewelry 30 years ago. “I was attracted to its cutting-edge designs, which included leather,” she recalls. “Everyone is doing leather now, but Misani has maintained a unique look with gold, diamonds and gemstones.”
Pageo does a “tremendous” amount of custom design. Not every piece has sentimental attachment, but “it could be her grandmother’s diamond,” Swartz explains. “We create a new ring that gives the diamond new life but keeps the memories.”
Return of color
Looking ahead, Swartz identifies color as a trend that is gaining momentum. “We haven’t shown a lot of color, but demand is growing,” she reports.
She also sees different diamond shapes coming into vogue. “There was a time when people wouldn’t look at anything except an emerald cut, radiant or round. Now marquise, pear and fancier shapes are more in fashion.”
While the typical Pageo client is a woman who enjoys “looking good,” Swartz acknowledges that today’s more casual lifestyle has expanded that definition to include day-to-night wearability. “The woman who comes in with an 8-carat diamond ring can easily be looking for bracelets that go with jeans or a great sweater.”
Swartz’s clients cut across generations. “It’s about relationships,” she emphasizes. “We carry jewelry that is beautiful, but there is beautiful jewelry everywhere. We are more of a concierge jeweler with personal shopping and styling services.”
Their approach helps to develop trust, she continues, “so your clients know you are going to steer them in the right direction. Often, it’s shocking to see what a husband might pick out for his wife, but we know her taste and the jewelry she owns.”
Ultimately, she adds, “people come into our stores to commemorate happy and important moments. Our business isn’t like any other. We are dealing with people who want to celebrate life.”
pageo.com Article from the Rapaport Magazine - June 2019. To subscribe click here.