Why Jewelry is such an important purchase?

I started working in our family jewelry store after graduating from Providence College in 1999. Being a people person, I could not have dreamt of a better job out of college. I got to talk to people for a living, learn valuable life lessons, and make meaningful life relationships (and hopefully they bought a piece of jewelry from me!) I always felt jewelry was an important purchase as it marked a special occasion and life moment such as Anniversary, Birthday, Christmas (termed the ABC gift).

It was not until the birth of my daughter in 2010 that my perspective of why jewelry is such an important purchase changed. Patek Phillipe’s tag line is “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation” and I never understood that until I saw my mom going through her jewelry and saying this is for my granddaughter. It then hit me that everything my Dad had bought for her over the years, 50th birthday, 25th anniversary was for her to pass on to the next generation someday. These pieces were their story and their continued legacy.

I started to think back to all the times in the store I would be working with our clients and they would dig deep into their pocket or handbag and unwrap a piece of jewelry that was wrapped very carefully and say this is my Mom’s or my Dad’s ring and I want to do something with it so I can wear it to remember them. We would work our KFJ magic and size the ring so it would fit them, edit from ring to pendant, and/or even take the gold and stones to create a design that had special meaning to them. It didn’t matter what we did but the end result was always the same when they saw the piece after it was sized, modified or created. Tears of joy as they felt closer to the person they inherited the piece of jewelry from. I always say “your ring, bracelet, bangle, pendant, earrings and necklace is the only luxury item that touches your skin that you do not have to remove and you can wear daily – We can’t say the same for your home, your car, or your branded belt or handbag”

Tanzanite Ladies Pendant

Blue Diamond Ladies Pendant

White Diamond Ladies Pendant

I now understood what every piece of jewelry means to my Mom. It is not only that she loves jewelry but she is going to pass each piece on to her daughters-in-law’s and granddaughters as a remembrance of my Dad and her. The sparkle in her eye as she looks at every piece of jewelry and says this is for my daughter-in-law or this is for my granddaughter now makes me understand that every piece has its importance in her jewelry box. I finally understood why jewelry is such an important purchase as it is not just for us to mark a special occasion but also that we are looking after it for the next generation.

White Diamond Ladies Bracelet

Emerald Ladies Bracelet

Tanzanite Ladies Bracelet

Many of you have known me since I started at the age of 20 and I am now 41 so half of my life I have had the opportunity to assist you in selecting pieces for you and your loved ones that will someday be passed on through your family as your legacy. As I sit back and reflect over the last 20 years while I am home during this global pandemic I want to Thank You for this opportunity as I have truly cherished it. I look forward to welcoming you back and adding jewelry items to your family legacy.

-Ash Chugani