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How a family-owned westwood jeweler has thrived for 70 years, even in the new age of internet buyer pseudo-certainty

by Jessica Jones-Gorman Photos By amessé photography

In 1945, Michael LaViano, a third generation master jeweler and Swiss-trained watchmaker, put his craftsmanship to work and established a small jewelry store in Westwood. The shop, which started as a small watch repair and retail business before slowly expanding to carry a full line of jewelry, was developed on a premise of quality, as LaViano dedicated himself to providing clients with the finest products available, regardless of price. Now celebrating its 70th year in business, LaViano Jewelers remains family owned and operated, and has grown into one of the most respected independent jewelry stores in the country.

“After 70 years and three generations in this industry, I truly believe that it is our strong business principals that have made us a success,” noted Jeffrey LaViano who essentially grew up in the store, shadowing his father and grandfather before joining the business full time in 1996. “Our focus has always been to sell quality products and maintain an honest relationship with all of our clients, consistently making their best interests our priority. We don’t’ just sell expensive products; we look for a really good, lasting value that people can appreciate and respect.”

The shop changed locations just three times over the past seven decades, but always in the same town, growing with the Westwood community as it evolved from a Jersey vacation destination to a completely residential neighborhood. And while many other jewelry stores have come and gone from the area, LaViano said his store’s product and customer service have withstood the test of time.

“So many things have changed in this industry over the years,” the jeweler noted. “The new economy has made price a huge issue for many customers, and so we strive to provide the best quality within a reasonable price point, and honestly, that has been the key to our longevity. Is there cheaper jewelry out there? Yes, but you get what you pay for. Our work and our stones stand the test of time. When you’re buying jewelry, customers can trust they’re getting only the best set work and the best quality stones and metals.”

LaViano Jewelers is an authorized representative for over 20 timepiece brands, including names like Patek Philippe, Cartier, and Breitling. It also carries a number of designer jewelry lines but the mainstay of business is one-of-a-kind, custom made pieces featuring gem quality, GIA-certified diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and exotic stones.

“We have a disciplined approach when it comes to designer jewelry,” LaViano said. “It’s easy to carry big brands, but you pay more for them. But more often than not, I find clients would rather have something made by a smaller manufacturer who specializes purely in beautiful jewelry, not on a big advertising budget. In the past five years, we’ve actually cut back on some of our branded products and focused on more one-of-a kind pieces instead.”

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That said, LaViano pointed out that his alignment with major watch brands will never cease to exist. “We’re fortunate to rep some of the finest Swiss watch lines, having been authorized agents with some brands for more than 30 years,” he said. “Patek Philippe—a family owned company that has never closed its doors, even through the Great Depression—is one of the world’s finest luxury products, carried right here in our store for decades. There is not a watch they’ve ever created that they won’t repair and put back into service. My father recently bought a pocket watch made by the company in 1901. He sent it in for service, and it took them a year to rebuild it by hand because some of the watch parts no longer exist, but they did it. No machine can do what a watchmaker does. It took a veteran watchmaker with exceptional skills to reproduce those parts…that is the kind of company we like to work with.”

It’s a kindred kind of dedication to customer service, LaViano explained, that sets his store apart from the rest.

“We are a family business dedicated to finding the very best product for each and every one of our clients,” he said. “For years we’ve supplied time-honored pieces for generations of families and are now challenged, as many small retail businesses are, to surpass the lure of the internet and educate our customers about the jewelry they buy. You can do a lot of research online today, but you cannot buy a quality diamond ring from a computer.”

For LaViano, it’s a goal to attract a new generation of shoppers with a wide selection, personal touch, and experience rich advice.

“I’ve found that at least in my store, classics are still what people buy,” he added. “If you’re buying an engagement ring or another important piece, it’s a serious purchase…an investment, so you need to make sure that you don’t just go with something trendy that you might not necessarily like in two years. Diamond studs, solitaire pendants…those are all purchases that will last. There are many people selling jewelry today, but there are very few jewelers who offer the quality and selection found here.”

LaViano Jewelers
175 Westwood Ave., Westwood / 201.664.0616 / lavianojewelers.com