Policies & IssuesSep 30, 2021
Brad Brooks-Rubin Joins RJC as North American LeadIndependentsOct 01, 2021
Jim Silfies of Hamilton Jewelers Retires
Silfies has spent 50 years in the jewelry industry, including 30 with Hamilton Jewelers.
Jim Silfies of Hamilton Jewelers is retiring after more than 50 years in the fine jewelry industry.
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.—After nearly fifty years in the fine jewelry industry, Jim Silfies of Hamilton Jewelers headed into retirement at the end of September.
Silfies spent 30 years with Hamilton Jewelers, but his career began at Kay Jewelers.
In 1972, his American Legion baseball coach, also a Kay Jewelers manager, recruited Silfies to work in a store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
He went on to become a manager at a Cornwell Heights location, managing the store for a year before moving on to J.E. Caldwell as a merchandise coordinator.
In 1976, he was promoted to store director in Harrisburg.
Silfies was with the company through 1992, moving to the Dupont Hotel in Wilmington, Delaware and then to Washington, D.C.’s Connecticut Avenue, where he was director of operations.
When he left J.E. Caldwell, he was in charge of two stores in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.
In 1992, he joined Hamilton Jewelers and took on the role of store director in Princeton, New Jersey.
By 1994, he was promoted to regional director of the company’s two stores in Palm Beach County, where he stayed until 2021.
"When I started in the industry, both my father and my late grandfather told me that if I wanted to learn something, I should watch Jim Silfies,” said Hamilton Jewelers COO Andrew Siegel in a press release about Silfies’ retirement.
“I spent many days watching, and listening to, Jim's interactions with clients and team members and quickly realized that there's simply no one quite like Jim. The ease with which he makes you the center of his attention means that you'll always feel good after an interaction with Jim. I'll miss watching him work but am so happy for him as he begins his well-deserved next chapter.”
During his career at Hamilton Jewelers, Silfies helped hundreds of employees and sold several million dollars worth of fine jewelry and watches, said the company.
"It has been an honor to count Jim Silfies as a member of the Hamilton family for 30 years,” said Hamilton President and CEO Hank Siegel.
He described Silfies as a natural leader, highlighting his loyalty, commitment, support for his team, and his willingness to make a client happy.
“His humor, reliability, and vast industry knowledge have been tremendous assets through his career. Through his tenure with Hamilton, Jim wore many hats—leader, closer, recruiter, trainer, and all-around good guy,” he said.
“The entire Hamilton team joins the Siegel family in wishing Jim and his wonderful wife, Michelle, much enjoyment in this next phase of their lives together.”
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