RAPAPORT... The longest-running show on Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive is David Orgell Jewelers, a retailer who has attracted top names in the entertainment industry and gained an international following.
David Orgell Jewelers was established by its namesake in 1953 as a gift and silverware outpost. At one time, the owner boasted five locations in and around the Los Angeles area, but just this one remained when he sold the business about 20 years ago to the Soltani family, who own and manage the store today. The enviable address on Rodeo Drive, one of Los Angeles’ most upscale shopping venues, means the retailer also enjoys the close proximity of some of the world’s most recognizable jewelry retailers, such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Martin Katz and David Yurman, to name a few.
Korosh Soltani, vice president and store owner, has developed a sharply focused business, offering a combination of highly personalized customer service and a selection of top-of-the-market diamonds, jewelry, watches, giftware, crystal and antique silver. Despite the range of product categories, Soltani says he does not try to be all things to all people and generously gives his competitors credit for running class operations. “They are all great — and good competition,” he says.
Despite the store’s prominent location and the reflected glamor of the entertainment industry, this jeweler keeps in-store activities and overt promotions to a minimum. “Trunk shows for jewelry generally don’t work in Los Angeles,” Soltani says. “Everyone has an event every week; there’s too much activity.” Instead, David Orgell’s social calendar is limited to a handful of watch events — during which the retailer often sprinkles in some rare diamonds, because “men like the watches; women like the diamonds” — and an invitation-only VIP party to kick off the holiday season in November.
Contrary to most of his competitors, Soltani says his store does not loan out jewelry to celebrities for red-carpet events. “We stopped doing that about seven years ago,” he says. “We can get our name out there in other ways.”
The retailer cites diamonds as a very important part of his overall business, contributing an estimated 25 percent to total sales. With the downtown Los Angeles jewelry center in close proximity, diamond dealers regularly trek up to the store to sell their wares. However, Soltani says he prefers to limit his suppliers to a small base of trusted sources. “I know every diamond I have,” he states.
David Orgell sells both loose diamonds and finished diamond jewelry, with colors ranging from D to I, the majority at F. Clarity ranges from flawless to SI, depending on the buyer’s requirements. While custom-designed pieces are provided for customers, they are not of a specific brand or designer name; diamonds are set into whatever style the customer requests, such as four-prong or micropavé.
LARGE DIAMONDS A SPECIALTY“We sell everything people want to buy,” Soltani says, which includes a range of stylish diamond necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings, many crowned with large, important stones, sometimes natural-colored diamonds. Best-selling diamonds range in size from 5 to 15 carats. “It’s not a woman’s first diamond,” says Soltani, but more often an upgrade, a second wedding, etc. Popular lately are pendants, retailing from $17,000 to $25,000, in which a large center diamond is framed in micropavé.
Unlike typical jewelers, engagement rings are not a big priority here. “We are not really a bridal store,” Soltani says, although he does sell diamond engagement rings on occasion. In addition to an inventory of 18 top watch brands, designer collections include Norman Silverman diamonds, Judith Leiber diamond and colored gemstone jewelry, selections from Carrera y Carrera and Chimento. Most of these brands are displayed in their own cases, but Soltani says he picks and chooses items from other top brands, which are included in the regular stock.
The personal touch is a key element of his client relationships, the owner says. For example, when he recently acquired a large diamond, he emailed a note about it to his top 50 customers. “They may not all be looking to buy a diamond, but they like to be informed,” he says. In general, David Orgell Jewelers enjoys a strong local customer base of sophisticated, informed people. Sometimes, a private dinner date is his way of keeping in touch.
OWN BRAND OF SERVICEInterestingly, many of the typical services provided by independent jewelers — buying back diamonds, cleaning, restringing, appraising jewelry — are not generally offered here unless it’s at the request of an established client. Soltani says he will trade or upgrade diamonds purchased from the store, but he balks at buying other diamonds. If a customer approaches him about selling a stone, he will contact one of his suppliers and act as liaison between the dealer and the customer.
Being surrounded by the glitz and glamor of the entertainment industry can have positive and negative effects. On the plus side, studio heads regularly shop at the store and sometimes order a number of corporate gifts; A-list celebrities wear the jewelry at high-profile events and help spread the name recognition. On the negative side, in recent months, the writer’s strike put a damper on local businesses and awards events. “It did affect us a bit, but hotels and restaurants really felt the loss,” Soltani observes.
The general expansion syndrome has not reached Soltani. He says he is not looking to expand and open multiple branches. “I arrive at 7:30 every morning and open my store and I close at 6 p.m. It takes too much time and energy to have branches.” Instead, he spends his efforts improving the design of the existing store. “Now our look is very traditional with a lot of wood; in two to three years, we might change to a more contemporary design.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - March 2008. To subscribe click here.