Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
Roberta Zimmer, Reeds Matriarch, Dies at 92
One half of the team that helped start and grow Reeds Jewelers, Zimmer also was known for her charitable contributions and nonprofit work.
Wilmington, N.C.--Roberta Zimmer, one half of the team that started Reeds Jewelers and helped it grow into a major jewelry chain, died May 16. She was 92.
Born Nov. 11, 1924 in Birmingham, Alabama to Louis and Annie Kantor Goldfarb, she attended Louisiana State University and the University of Alabama.
She met the man who would be her husband, William R. Zimmer, during the brief period he was stationed in Birmingham area during World War II.
The couple got married and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina in 1946 where, according to an online history of the company, they bought a small jewelry store that was for sale downtown and renamed it Reeds Jewelers. (Bill Zimmer already had experience in jewelry, having worked in his family’s stores.)
Over the years, Roberta Zimmer worked side-by-side with her husband, growing Reeds into a multi-store operation while still running the downtown Wilmington store and having four children.
Today, Reeds Jewelers remains a family-run retail chain and has more than 60 stores.
Outside of jewelry, Zimmer was active in nonprofit organizations including the St. John’s Museum of Art, the Cape Fear Garden Club and The Founders’ Society of Duke University. She also was a longtime member of B’Nai Israel Synagogue.
Zimmer was preceded in death by her husband, who died in 2002 at the age of 84.
She is survived by her four children and their spouses, Herbert J. Zimmer and his wife, Ronna; Arlene Z. Schreiber and her husband, Ronald; Alan M. Zimmer and his wife, Rose; and Jeffrey L. Zimmer; and 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held last Wednesday at B’Nai Israel Synagogue.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Zimmer Cancer Center, B’Nai Israel Synagogue or a charity of the donor’s choosing.
The Latest

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.


The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

The creator of the WJA Chicago chapter is remembered as a champion for women in the jewelry industry and a loving grandmother.

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.