Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
Lippa’s Jeffrey Berger to Retire After 50 Years
The family business will be passed down to his son, fourth-generation jeweler Michael Berger.

Burlington, Vt.—Jeffrey Berger, president and CEO of Lippa’s Estate and Fine Jewelry, will soon retire, passing the business down to his son and fourth-generation jeweler, Michael Berger.
His retirement comes after 50 years working for the estate jewelry company.
“It has been an honor and a pleasure to interact and serve our local and national clients for all these years. Lippa’s has been a staple in this community since my family started this business in 1933,” said Jeffrey Berger in a press release.
The family-run business specializes in estate, period, and antique jewelry.
Its website allows shoppers to filter search results by time-period, from the Georgian era and Art Noveau to more modern jewels of the 1960s to 2010s.
Soon-to-be owner Michael Berger is a graduate gemologist who has worked alongside his father for eight years. Previously, he spent 12 years as a buyer and gemologist for Stephen Silver Fine Jewelry in California, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“As the fourth-generation family member to own and operate Vermont’s oldest family-run jewelry store, I look forward to the challenge,” said Michael Berger.
A store-wide sale, available both in-store and online, began this month to kick off Berger’s upcoming retirement and celebrate his tenure.
“It will always be a part of the family. I know I'm leaving the business in good hands,” said Jeffrey Berger.
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