 Tiffany will open its fourth iridesse location in Florida - in Palm Beach Gardens - this fall, joining stores in Boca Raton, Tampa and Aventura. |
Tiffany's Pearl Harvest
Tiffany & Co.'s barely 2-year-old offshoot called Iridesse is an industry first: A store devoted entirely to cultured pearls -- strands, rings, earrings, cuff links and more. Of the 10 Iridesse stores, three are in Florida (Boca Raton, Tampa and Aventura), and a fourth is set to open this fall in Palm Beach Gardens.
Over the past two decades, the art and science of harvesting and culturing pearls has exploded, says Iridesse President Robert Cepek. Today's pearl farmers have the capabilities to culture a vast array of pearls from the rare and exotic Tahitian pearls to the more traditional South Sea or Akoya pearls, creating more choices in color, size and shape. The design possibilities have also grown. "We love the iconic role the pearl strand has played in a woman's wardrobe for many years, but we have also taken many other design steps with pearl that haven't been done before," says Cepek.
With so much to choose from, the company has embarked on a mission of education called "Pearls of Wisdom." The diamond industry has done a great job educating customers on how to buy a diamond, says Cepek, not so with pearls.
Iridesse is hoping to mimic that success. In the back of each store is a "pearl bar" where customers can view a DVD explaining the different types of pearls and what to look for when evaluating them. There are pearl comparison trays, and from apothecary-type drawers, customers can pick and choose which designs they want to try on. Iridesse carries pieces from as low as $50 to the tens of thousands of dollars.
 Gemologist Richard Malkolm examines a sapphire. |
Style Transformation
Mayors has an alternative to relegating older pieces to the hidden recesses of your jewelry box when styles change. Through a program it calls Gem & Design, jewelry wearers can work with in-house designers to update or transform dated pieces. Customers can sift through collections of loose stones and settings to find just the right stone and fit. A gemologist is on hand to appraise the new piece.
"It's rare that you would have so many loose stones and an actual designer on location for something like this," says Daisy Chin-Lor, the company's chief marketing ottings by adding micropave stones.
Many people, says Chin-Lor, are opting to upgrade to platinum settings, choosing to transform their solitaire rings to three-stone, past-present-future rings, or changing.
The program is running through August at all Mayors' Florida locations.
 Congress carries high-end designers such as Marco Bicego |
Seaworthy
When he was just a boy, Scot Congress moved from Indiana to Sanibel, where his father opened Congress Jewelers and built a clientele with jewelry he designed to be reminiscent of the sea. Today, the store is an island landmark known for its line of sea life and seashore jewelry, and Scot and his brother, Doug, run the family business.
"This is not souvenir-type jewelry," says Scot Congress. "It's meant to be passed down generations." Perhaps the family's best-known (and often imitated) pieces are the Sanibel sandals, 14k gold fl ip-fl ops with diamonds or inlay. They come in pendants, earrings, even bracelets, with prices starting at $350 for a pendant. Another new line called Silhouettes features silhouettes of sea life from dolphins to fl amingos made out of diamonds. A new assortment of inlay pieces will be available this fall.
Congress also carries high-end designers such as Leslie Green and Bez Ambar, credited with inventing the square cut diamond.
Besides the original Sanibel store, Congress also has stores in Bonita Springs, on Fifth Avenue in downtown Naples as well as at Coastland Center, and on Duval.
SHOPPING
Jewel Cluster
Bal Harbour Shops has the highest concentration of world-class jewelers of any shopping center and continues to attract elite names.
The famed Harry Winston jewelers opened its first mall location there in December 2005, joining long-term tenants like Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.
In August, the shops will welcome two newcomers: London-based Graff Jewelers, known for exquisite diamonds, and Swiss fine watchmakers Audemars Piguet.