Barefoot Rugs
A rare gem: Cohasset Jewelers celebrates 25 years
Cohasset Mariner Newspapers
By Nancy White
Thurs July 19, 2007, 03:57 PM EDT
 By Robin Chan Mark Cirone, left, and his brother Don, are celebrating the silver anniversary of Cohasset Jewelers. |
Cohasset - On July 1, 1982 Cohasset Jewelers opened its doors for business and now, a quarter-century later, the family-owned business is still going strong. The Cirone family has grown the business over the last 25 years into a store South Shore residents turn to when looking for a special piece of jewelry.
Owner Mark Cirone has developed a philosophy to provide “surprisingly affordable, quality jewelry.” He has even has the phrase trademark showing his dedication to its meaning.
“I love Cohasset and the community on the South Shore,” says Cirone who grew up in Hingham, works in Cohasset and now lives in Scituate.
Cirone has been with the store since opening day. Cohasset Jewelers, which is located in Tedeschi Plaza, had its beginnings long before coming to Cohasset. After almost 30 years in the Jeweler’s Building, Cirone’s father, Jerry, decided to move his business to the South Shore. Increasing costs of doing business and the traffic hassle of going in and out of Boston made the move appealing. Jerry Cirone brought his jewelry experience to a pre-existing but struggling jewelry business in Cohasset and re-named it Cohasset Jewelers. Don Cirone, Mark’s brother, joined the team a year and half after opening and now serves as the bench jeweler.
“It took us a few years to figure out the taste of Cohasset,” says Cirone since the Boston-based business had a much broader spectrum of customers. But once they did the business began to grow and his customers began to trust him with their important jewelry purchases. He is proud of the fact customers feel comfortable handing him a $30,000 watch to be repaired without asking for a receipt.
Over the years, Cohasset Jewelers has grown with its hometown. Cirone says his customers have grown more jewelry savvy and now he carries more fashion forward pieces.
One of the integral and unique aspects of Cohasset Jewelers is 80 percent of the jewelry underneath the sparkling glass counters is made on the premises. In a rear workshop, Don Cirone creates rings, necklaces, bracelets and custom jewelry for the store and clientele. They buy their composite parts to create the jewelry directly from the manufacturer.
“If you are manufacturing the jewelry, you can control the quality and keep the prices low — we cut out the middle man,” says Cirone. If a customer needs a repair or purchase the same day, Cohasset Jewelers can complete it.
Today’s Cohasset Jewelers is a much different one than 1982’s Cohasset Jewelers. There is more of a focus on the fine jewelry, “more important jewelry,” Cirone says. High quality diamonds and naturally colored gemstones are two of the hallmarks of his jewelry.
“You won’t find any blue black sapphires or light mossy green emeralds or brownish yellow diamonds in our cases,” says Cirone, the displays are full of the truest colors of gemstones. But, Cirone is careful to note there is something for everyone with prices ranging from $50 to $50,000.
When Cohasset Jewelers opened on the South Shore, Cirone says they were the pioneers of the marketing idea of “off-price discount jewelry” to the area, beating department store prices and mall “fast-food jewelry stores” in quality and price everyday.
“People learn and realize and come to trust,” says Cirone after they don’t get the same service and knowledge from a jewelry store.
Cirone is passionate about all types of jewelry, but his first love is estate jewelry. On a typical day he sees two to three people looking to sell estate jewelry. Estate jewelry is a broad term for pre-owned pieces. He will buy the pieces or re-set them in a way better suited for the customer. Finding older jewelry from the days when most jewelry was meticulously handcrafted is a constant search. Some estate jewelry he displays in the store and other pieces he will sell to area jewelers.
Another focus at Cohasset Jewelers is philanthropy — in the last few years they have donated more than $44,000 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the largest private funding source for breast cancer research and community outreach programs. One hundred percent of the proceeds from a pink ribbon pin designed by Cohasset Jewelers — pink cubic Zirconia set in 14-karat gold.
To celebrate 25 years of business in Cohasset, Cohasset Jewelers is currently holding a merchandise sale.