Family-owned and -operated Hamilton Jewelers opened the doors of its newly refurbished Worth Avenue boutique in Palm Beach, Florida, last December. This major overhaul, including an expanded bridal salon, followed quickly on the heels of another ambitious renovation project at its flagship store in Princeton, New Jersey, in the summer of 2023.
“It was time for a refresh,” says Anne Russell, the company’s executive vice president. “After celebrating our 113-year anniversary and then renovating our Princeton location, we felt the timing was right to update Worth Avenue.”
Founded in 1912, Hamilton Jewelers was acquired by Irving Siegel in 1927 and has remained in the Siegel family ever since. Heading it at present are third-generation family member Hank Siegel as chief executive officer, and chief operating officer Andrew Siegel, who represents the fourth generation. Aside from the Princeton and Worth Avenue locations, the company portfolio includes a third Hamilton Jewelers boutique in Palm Beach Gardens Mall. There is also H1912 — an antique and vintage jewelry concept store — and Hamilton Home for giftware and decorative items, both in Princeton, along with a specialty gift and insignia business online.
Community business
“What separates Hamilton Jewelers is our commitment to providing the best possible experience for our clients and local communities,” says Russell. “We dedicate tireless hours to training programs, even running our own Hamilton University masterclass series every summer to ensure our sales team, craftsmen and marketing team are all at the top of their game.”
Hamilton Jewelers considers itself a trailblazer in Palm Beach. When Irving Siegel retired to the area in the early 1970s, he “quickly saw an opportunity to bring the Hamilton Jewelers experience to his new community,” according to Hank Siegel. “His instinct to open our first Florida boutique paid off; we are one of the longest continuously operating jewelers on Worth Avenue, and we are incredibly fortunate to have remained at our present iconic location since 1983.”
Hamilton’s company ethos is to become entrenched in the communities it serves, and Palm Beach is no exception. Russell describes the local teams as “proud members of the Palm Beach community,” supporting local events and charities. “Our team lives and breathes its business. The owners and executive team live in the communities where our stores are located, so we are highly attuned to the needs of our clientele.”
From watches to wedding bands
The jeweler formally unveiled the Worth Avenue boutique revamp in December 2024, with extensive changes to the interior design, seating areas, fixtures and jewelry spaces to support the company’s long-term growth. Hamilton collaborated with luxury timepiece brands to create tailored areas for labels such as Tudor, Breitling and Breguet. It has also refreshed its approach to engagement- and wedding-band shopping, spotlighting bespoke bridal design and a remodeled jewelry salon with gemstones from Hamilton’s own Private Reserve collection.
Beyond these offerings, the Worth Avenue boutique presents a curated selection of ready-to-wear fine jewelry from designer brands, including Mikimoto, Cartier, Chanel, Bulgari, Roberto Coin, Chopard, Temple St. Clair, Pomellato, and Palm Beach-market newcomer Giorgio B. It is also the exclusive US carrier of several international brands, such as Parisian fine jeweler Fred. All sit alongside Hamilton’s own in-house collections and an array of antique and estate jewels, timepieces and gifts.
Diamond service
Despite this floor-to-ceiling overhaul, the company has not changed its overall merchandising strategy, Russell stresses. “Our goal was to provide and elevate spaces and create key visual updates that would display our jewelry and brand partners’ collections more prominently in our store.”
Natural diamonds are a major focus, with improved lighting to make stones stand out against the stark white walls, floors and ceilings that dominate the interior.
“At Hamilton, we are wholly dedicated to offering only naturally mined diamonds to our clients, and that is what they have come to know and expect,” states Russell. “Our clients rarely take issue with market fluctuations, because they have received the best possible education from our sales team by the time they are getting ready to make their purchase.”
Looking ahead, the Hamilton team is expecting a flurry of requests for east-west diamond settings thanks to Hollywood star Zendaya and her Jessica McCormack engagement ring. Short-term trends have not dampened the demand for traditional cuts, however, with round brilliants, ovals, cushions and emerald-cut diamonds all firmly at the top of shopping lists.
Overall, Russell sums up, Hamilton aims “to be curated, to focus on our team’s expertise, and to provide a fun, elevated shopping experience. At the end of the day, [it] is all about creating something special for the client.”
Main image: A quiet corner for consultations at the refurbished Hamilton Jewelers store; Hamilton executive vice president Anne Russell. (Giorgio B; Hamilton Jewelers)
