Since its founding in 1910, H.L. Gross & Bro. Jewelers in Garden City, NY, has been family focused and dedicated to providing a unique shopping experience that creates lasting memories beyond the beautiful jewelry purchased in their store. There are currently three generations working together: President Michael Gross (4th generation), Vice Presidents Brad & Matt Gross (5th generation), and Treasurer Helene Gross (third generation). We sat down with Brad to discover what sets their business apart, and their number one jewelry shopping tip.

Describe the “H.L. Gross & Bro. Jewelers” experience for customers.

We are a family owned and operated jewelry store that has been in business since 1910. It is extremely important to our longevity that we treat all of our guests as part of our family. We achieve this through friendly, honest and meaningful interactions. When we get to know our clients on a personal level, we increase the likelihood of a successful gift giving experience. This, in turn, helps us to build a lifelong relationship based on trust. We strive to give every customer a positive and memorable jewelry shopping experience in order to inspire advocacy for our brand.

How did you get your start in the jewelry industry?

I began helping out my father in our store on weekends and during the holidays when I was 13 or 14 years old. I started my career by entering handwritten sales-slips into our computer and, of course, cleaning the showcases. When I graduated college in 2001, I had no intention of entering the family business but, instead, had Wall Street ambitions.  I actually had a follow-up interview scheduled with a firm on Wall Street but the events of 9/11 changed my schedule and made me rethink my aspirations. I decided to temporarily work for my father but quickly decided I was destined to enter my family’s business as the 5th generation of H.L. Gross & Bro. Jewelers. In January 2002, I earned my Graduate Gemologist Degree from the Gemological Institute of America and never looked back.

JA helps people shop with confidence. What’s your top jewelry shopping tip?

It’s always better to make an educated decision based on value rather than a hasty decision based on price.  Before making a purchase, do your research, ask for recommendations and develop a personal relationship with a trusted jeweler.

What jewelry “trends” do you see most often in your area?

Our clients are exploring more of their personal style, mixing multiple lower priced but high-design items. They are wearing different jewelry styles together to build their own, signature look. Springboarding from this idea is a super popular trend: layering. This is being displayed on necks, mixing choker necklaces with lariat styles, and on fingers, mixing thin, stacking rings with more elaborate designs. Keeping with the personal expression trend are bold color pieces, such as gemstone slices or larger designs showcases semi-precious gems, ear cuffs and climbers, mixed metal colors and vintage look designs.

What are your best sellers?

Our best selling bridal brands are Tacori and Verragio.  Their rings are uniquely detailed, distinct in their design, and maintain an elegant, timeless beauty. Our non-bridal best sellers are the classics: diamond stud earrings, diamond pendants and diamond bracelets. Our clients prefer clean, classic looks that elicit compliments whether dressed for an evening out or while wearing their favorite tee-shirt and jeans. In our watch department, Rolex is king. Whether brand new or pre-owned, a Rolex conveys the ultimate expression of style, sophistication and status.

What on-site specialty services do you offer customers?

We truly are a full-service jeweler. We employ several Graduate Gemologists, an insurance appraiser, master jeweler and polisher, and master Swiss watchmaker.  We buy and sell estate jewelry, buy precious metals, coins and diamonds, and offer custom jewelry design. We specialize in designer bridal jewelry offering thousands of engagement rings from today’s top designers.

What are your most-often asked questions from customers?

Our customers have done a lot of research and web browsing before stepping into our store. However, much of the information available is conflicting and raises more questions, or offers little guidance.  A wise person once said, “A small amount of knowledge can be a dangerous thing.” This is why it is important to develop a trusting relationship with a professional and knowledgeable jeweler. The most popular questions we receive are:

• What is the difference between platinum and white gold.  Why does platinum cost more?  Which would you recommend?
• Is it more important to get a better quality diamond or bigger diamond?  Where should I draw the line when it comes to diamond quality?  
• Why are round diamonds more expensive than other shapes?

What is the best part of being a jeweler?

Without question, the very best part of being a jeweler is the gratification I get helping my clients celebrate their most special occasions.  I spend the majority of my day in the back office running the business. On Saturdays, however, I get to work on the sales floor and meet my customers, making it my favorite day of the week. When selling an engagement or wedding rings, I love hearing the couple’s whole story: how they met, what they do, the wedding planning, honeymoon planning, etc. We consider our customers part of our extended family, and it’s extremely rewarding to help them celebrate their most significant occasions. 

What is the most challenging parts of being a jeweler?

Being perfect. It’s our job to be perfect, and we strive for perfection on every order, every day. However, perfection is impossible 100% of the time. It’s the nature of our business that we work with extremely important orders with strict deadlines. There is little room for error. A single delay on just one order could potentially mean a wedding day without the wedding rings. For this reason, we are extremely selective as to which manufacturers we work with. It’s easy to find a vendor that makes a quality product, but we also need that manufacturer to care about our customer. We also employ a system of checks and balances; strict procedures that ensure every order, from a sterling silver pendant to a 3 carat diamond engagement ring, is supervised from start to finish. We may not be batting 1,000, but we are pretty darn close.

Do you have any upcoming projects or events you’re excited about?

Each year, our events get more and more popular and our customers and staff both have a blast! Recently, we hosted our annual wedding ring event, which is always my favorite event of the year. Several representatives from our industry’s top designers were right in our store, complete with their entire ring collections -- literally thousands of wedding rings in every shape, style and color. We always like to offer our clients unique, cool, and fun novelties during our events and this was no exception. Our local nail salon sent technicians to give free manicures to our patrons.  At our bar, we served mimosas, sangria, and specialty snacks. We also had a super fun Instagram photo contest where customers snapped pics of their ring choices in front of two floral backboards we created and the winner won $1,000 off their wedding band purchase!  This contest got huge traction online and our customers loved showing off their new rings to the world.

On May 6 and 7, 2017, we had our Tacori Trunk Show, complete with CEO Paul Tacorian himself!  There were lots of fun and exciting things planned, from cocktails and hors d’oeuvres to a live showing of Tacori’s entire bridal line. 

What makes the staff in your store special?

Our family of employees is comprised of industry professionals with decades of collective experience.  Every associate in our store understands they have a responsibility to create a positive experience for all of our clients. They wholeheartedly believe in the importance of their work, helping you celebrate life’s most important people.