|
Cover
Trust Your Impulse
Custom or fashion, the Adamas stores have something for everyone.
By Joyce Kauf
|
| Original design by Adamas Fine Jewelry. |
We always like to keep things interesting,” says Veronica Sagherian, explaining why she and her brother, Anto Aboyan, have opened two completely different concept stores. From customized gemstone designs at Adamas Fine Jewelry to designer fashion jewelry at Impulse by Adamas Fine Jewelry, customers enjoy a choice of collections and shopping experiences in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts.
Aboyan, who began apprenticing at age 10, honed his skills designing for jewelers in Boston. But it was a desire to explore other artistic directions, coupled with Sagherian’s goal to start her own business, that led them to open Adamas Fine Jewelry in 1996. From the start, their goal was to develop a niche in custom design, catering to customers who want very personalized, very unique jewelry.
The choice of location was also a deliberate decision. “We looked for a more suburban setting rather than downtown Boston,” Sagherian explains. “Newton offered the best of both worlds — it was easily accessible from Boston and close to affluent suburban customers.” And now, with social media, Sagherian adds, “We’re everywhere.”
“I listen to what women tell me and approach my designs according to their likes and dislikes,” says Aboyan. “I want the piece of jewelry to be beautiful, practical and always have a fun element. I try not to take myself, my art or the piece of jewelry I create too seriously.” Working with a staff of “design visionaries” that includes Sagherian, Aboyan crafts new pieces or modifies a customer’s own piece to enhance the beauty of a stone or add a more contemporary look. In addition to his local following, Aboyan’s jewelry has been worn by “Desperate Housewives” stars Eva Longoria and Nicollette Sheridan.
Diamonds, especially bridal jewelry, are among the retailer’s top sellers. While blue sapphires are traditionally favored by New Englanders, Sagherian says that sapphires in different colors and in slices are strong sellers as well.
“We realized there was an opportunity to offer people something different than we could at Adamas,” Sagherian explains. In 2012, the retailers opened Impulse, which features more fashion-oriented, less expensive jewelry. While Adamas Fine Jewelry offers custom work requiring time and collaboration, this new boutique encouraged “trust your impulse” buying.
Sagherian admits that she and her brother were motivated in part by that fact that fewer women were making investment purchases of jewelry after the economic downturn. Although it was important to differentiate the stores, they still wanted to maximize the advantages. Situated approximately six miles away in Wellesley, Impulse is “located just far enough away to open another market to us, but close enough to benefit from the synergy of both stores,” Sagherian points out.
In contrast to the more traditionally designed Adamas Fine Jewelry with its locked cases and an L-shaped counter that runs the length of the showroom, Impulse imparts an open-concept ambience with cases that seem to float around the room. “It’s not your typical jewelry store,” Sagherian remarks. There is no counter to stand behind nor is there an island. The majority of the product is displayed in cases that encourage touching and trying on. The recessed lighting accents the contemporary, shopping-conducive environment. Designed to be event friendly, the store hosts many charity events.
While Adamas Fine Jewelry offers predominantly Aboyan’s designs, Impulse’s more eclectic inventory includes a Private Collection by the brother-and-sister team, as well as jewelry from both established and emerging artists. “I like to find designers who complement our existing pieces,” Sagherian says. Amáli, Heather B. Moore, Rebecca Overmann, Suzanne Kalan and Mizuki are among the lines carried. Sagherian looks for established designers with “a good following” but also seeks out “new, lesser-known designers who are very talented and not oversaturated in the market.” She cites Suzanne Kalan as an example, adding that she now carries both the designer’s eponymous 18-karat line as well as the 14-karat KALAN by Suzanne Kalan.
Sagherian’s effort to identify local talent led her to the sister team of Lisa Sisco and Carolyn Berluti, whose Sisco Berluti new and vintage bead bracelets not only became Impulse’s largest retail brand, but also influenced the store design. To accommodate their inventory of over 1,000 bracelets designed by Sisco and Berluti, Sagherian explains that they created an interactive Bracelet Bar, complete with high, bar-style chairs. “When customers walk by, they are automatically drawn in by the vertical stacks of multicolored bracelets visible from the street.”
While design and quality are paramount in both stores, Sagherian is adamant that customer service is their top priority. “You can have the aesthetic and the design but if you don’t follow through with the service, it can all backfire on you,” she concludes. “At the end of the day, the customer has to be happy and leave with a smile on her face so she can spread the word.”Article from the Rapaport Magazine - August 2014. To subscribe click here.
|
|