Written by: Andrea Carneiro • February 6, 2019• Pinecrest

Pinecrest’s Family Gem

To say Pinecrest residents are familiar with Maurice’s Jewelers would be an understatement. The store, which opened its first Miami location in the 1960s off of Bird Road, is synonymous with birthdays, anniversaries and holidays for most of those who live within, or grew up within, the Pinecrest boundaries. But not many may know the story behind the name.

Now four generations strong, Maurice’s (named for founder Maurice Koppel), is a true family business, run today by Maurice’s son, Andrew Koppel, his wife Karen and their daughters. And aside from their own familial ties, the Koppels say the everyday business of jewelry is much more than just a retail operation. “The best part of our business is being that hometown trusted jeweler for so many families,” says Kierstin Koppel Silva, one of Andrew’s three daughters. “Some begin their journey with us when getting engaged, and then as their family grows we become part of some of the biggest moments in their lives- birthdays, children’s graduation and eventually those children become our clients. We have personal connection with so many of our clients that makes what we do so important and special.”

The Koppel legacy began back in the 1930s, when Maurice (an artist and entrepreneur) began doing renderings for jewelry. “He believed that if he could draw it, he could make it,” says Silva. The Koppel’s business continued to grow, eventually employing three master craftsman/gemologists in-house, allowing the family to offer not only custom designs, but also the security and responsibility of taking in one-of-a-kind pieces for repair or redesign. “We often work with family heirlooms, pieces that are handed down for generations but a client would like to re-create into a new design, while keeping its sentimental value,” explains Silva, who adds that all jewelry is photographed and measured for security. “We also offer expert jewelry repair on site. The most important thing about our process is that, unlike other jewelers, our clients’ valuable pieces and heirlooms never leave our store.”

Maurice’s expansion hasn’t just been measured in square footage, the Koppel sisters (alongside Kierstin are Meaghan and Erin) have been vocal about evolving with time and technology, embracing social media by sharing new pieces and hot items on the store’s Instagram and Facebook accounts. The sisters have also turned an eye to price, noting that not everyone is in the market for higher-end pieces. “At Maurice’s we wanted to make sure there are jewelry pieces at price points for everyone in the family,” says Silva. “My sisters and I have tried to create a product mix and marketing campaign that appeals to new generations and styles that are current and hot.” That means everything from stacking bracelets to delicate layered necklaces and the ever-popular initial/personalized pieces. And at every price point, Silva says customer service is a constant. “We have always kept that family feel when it comes to serving customers,” she says. “When you walk into our store our staff is up to date on latest trends; we make it a point to get to know our clients style preferences which provides a personalized shopping experience.”

Also at top of mind is the desire to educate clients on the intricacies of the jewelry business, specifically in the area of man-man or lab-grown diamonds (“Diamonds are valuable because they are rare and mined (or natural),” says Silva) and online shopping. “Our clients can come to us with a stone that they found on the internet and they can let us do the research for them. We will match or beat any price found on the internet, and we guarantee the highest quality and value in the market.” Silva also says it can be a challenge to communicate just exactly how much variety the store offers, an issue resolved by client visits. “We have the largest selection of jewelry in South Florida- more than 10 stores combined,” she says. “Because of our large selection of hand-picked inventory we can provide instant gratification. Not a day goes by that a new client doesn’t walk in and say ‘Wow I’ve never seen a jewelry store like this before!’”

Maurice’s Jewelers is located at 11865 South Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33156 and a second location is in Dolphin Mall. There is the Pandora Concept Store at The Falls Shopping Center. For more information call 305-253-5740, visit www.mauricesjewelers.com or follow us @mauricesjewelers on instagram.

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