CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
SurveysMay 15, 2017
50 Jewelers/50 States: Connecticut
Soon to reach 120 years in business, one of the keys to Lux Bond & Green’s success is being open to changing with the times.
Connecticut jeweler Lux Bond & Green opened in 1898 in Waterbury. Today, the company has six store locations, four in Connecticut and two in Massachusetts.
West Hartford, Conn.--Amid the changing and challenging retail environment, the editorial team at National Jeweler wondered how macro trends--from online shopping to serving new generations of consumers--have affected jewelers in disparate parts of the country.
In order to find out, we launched a series called 50 Jewelers/50 States, in which we interview one retailer in each of the 50 U.S. states.
Connecticut retailer Lux Bond & Green opened in 1898 under the leadership of M.A. Green.
Nearly 120 years later, Green’s great-grandson, John A. Green, who joined the family business in 1978, is the president and CEO.
Today, Lux Bond & Green has six store locations, four in Connecticut and two in Massachusetts.
Green spoke to National Jeweler about the importance of staying open-minded and embracing new methods of communication.
National Jeweler: What’s the biggest challenge your store is facing?
John A. Green: I think the same thing that challenges every brick-and-mortar business today: evolving your business in today’s new retail world.
People’s habits are changing, the way people shop is changing, the way we do business is changing, and we have to bring a great professional staff into those changes.
My challenge really is bringing 90-plus people into the new retail world.
NJ: What’s the top-selling item or brand at your store?
JAG: The two-top selling categories are definitely bridal and watches.
NJ: What’s the most popular style of engagement ring with your clientele?
JAG: The round brilliant is still our bread-and-butter engagement ring, ranging from 1 1/2 to 2 carats. We pay close attention to the beauty and value of the gemstone.
Our customers’ favorite setting is always platinum with brilliant diamonds on the side and most ladies prefer four prongs set low. It’s both practical and beautiful.
NJ: Describe your regional customer.
JAG: The customer is changing. In the olden days the customer was a well-established and well-educated business man or woman who loved great values and great designs from a name that they could trust.
That’s yesterday. Every day it’s different.
Today it’s going to be a combination of a very young person or a very old person who wants to be treated with respect and wants
to be communicated with the way they want to be communicated with.
So everything we knew in the past is out the window except our core values: Respect, confidentiality, quality, value and exceptional service.
Some people still want a phone call, some people still want an e-mail, some people want a text, some people want communication in the form of a letter, and some people want you to come to their office or their home. So we need to ask them because everyone is different today.
Some people say, “Just leave a message on my voicemail.” It’s amazing. And it’s not necessarily age specific except for probably with the younger age category, which will most likely prefer a text.
In the olden days how did you communicate with somebody? You did a radio commercial or you did an ad in a physical newspaper, that’s how you communicated with people. You didn’t call them up, you didn’t write to them, you unlocked your front door and you waited for them to come in.
If you do that today, you’re dead.
NJ: What’s your internet and social media presence like? What accounts do you have or actively use?
JAG: We’re actively using Instagram and Facebook and we’ve had an internet store tied to our inventory for 15 years. I guess we were--in our own very small way--leaders in that category and it’s evolving daily because it has to.
It’s very difficult to measure which platform is the most successful for us. Advertising and marketing have always been difficult to measure.
With all of the analytics that we’re getting today I actually think it’s even more difficult to measure. Although you can sit there and look (at different figures), true measurements are at the end of the month. The question is, “Did you have a good month?” Not, “How many people opened your e-blast or how many sales did you make on the internet?”
We’re not an internet-only company. It’s a small percentage of our overall business. So we believe that if we’ve had a good month as a company, which includes our internet store and includes our social media platforms, that we’re actually reaching and touching more people.
Because we do know that even people who shop with us physically have started going to the internet and social media to help them make a purchase.
NJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer to other independent jewelry stores?
JAG: Listen to your customers. A lot of people want to tell their customers. Listen to them. If you do, they will tell you what they need.
The world is changing so quickly and that’s good. The problem is to make sure to be the agents of change.
If the owners aren’t the agents of change for their company, then the company won’t change.
NJ: What’s a fun fact about you we can share with our readers?
JAG: I met my wife at the GIA.
It was 1978 at the Santa Monica campus, which was pretty cool back then. She was in the jewelry business too.
We were supposedly the 17th couple to meet at the GIA in class and then get married.
So everything we knew in the past is out the window except our core values: Respect, confidentiality, quality, value and exceptional service.
Some people still want a phone call, some people still want an e-mail, some people want a text, some people want communication in the form of a letter, and some people want you to come to their office or their home. So we need to ask them because everyone is different today.
Some people say, “Just leave a message on my voicemail.” It’s amazing. And it’s not necessarily age specific except for probably with the younger age category, which will most likely prefer a text.
In the olden days how did you communicate with somebody? You did a radio commercial or you did an ad in a physical newspaper, that’s how you communicated with people. You didn’t call them up, you didn’t write to them, you unlocked your front door and you waited for them to come in.
If you do that today, you’re dead.
A post shared by Lux Bond & Green (@luxbondgreen) on Feb 26, 2017 at 2:28pm PST
NJ: What’s your internet and social media presence like? What accounts do you have or actively use?
JAG: We’re actively using Instagram and Facebook and we’ve had an internet store tied to our inventory for 15 years. I guess we were--in our own very small way--leaders in that category and it’s evolving daily because it has to.
It’s very difficult to measure which platform is the most successful for us. Advertising and marketing have always been difficult to measure.
With all of the analytics that we’re getting today I actually think it’s even more difficult to measure. Although you can sit there and look (at different figures), true measurements are at the end of the month. The question is, “Did you have a good month?” Not, “How many people opened your e-blast or how many sales did you make on the internet?”
We’re not an internet-only company. It’s a small percentage of our overall business. So we believe that if we’ve had a good month as a company, which includes our internet store and includes our social media platforms, that we’re actually reaching and touching more people.
Because we do know that even people who shop with us physically have started going to the internet and social media to help them make a purchase.
NJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer to other independent jewelry stores?
JAG: Listen to your customers. A lot of people want to tell their customers. Listen to them. If you do, they will tell you what they need.
The world is changing so quickly and that’s good. The problem is to make sure to be the agents of change.
If the owners aren’t the agents of change for their company, then the company won’t change.
NJ: What’s a fun fact about you we can share with our readers?
JAG: I met my wife at the GIA.
It was 1978 at the Santa Monica campus, which was pretty cool back then. She was in the jewelry business too.
We were supposedly the 17th couple to meet at the GIA in class and then get married.
More on Surveys
The Latest
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Cristiano Ronaldo Proposes With Gigantic Oval-Cut DiamondModel Georgina Rodríguez received a rock of an engagement ring, with her diamond estimated to be 35 carats, experts say.
Weekly QuizAug 08, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
ICA Names 2025 Board of DirectorsThe board elected 9 new directors at its recent ICA Congress in Brazil.
TrendsAug 13, 2025
Colorado Jeweler, Whiskey Maker Collab on Ring GiveawayThree winners will receive a custom ring from Honest Hands Ring Co. inlaid with a piece of history from Denver-based distillery Stranahan’s.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
SourcingAug 13, 2025
Columbia Gem House Launches Winza Sapphires, RubiesThe new inventory, all untreated, features vibrant hues and unique bicolor combinations.
SourcingAug 12, 2025
Gemfields Sells Fabergé for $50MAcquired by a tech investor, the historic brand will continue to focus on jewelry, accessories, and timepieces.
Policies & IssuesAug 12, 2025
Higher Tariff on Chinese Imports Paused for 90 Days, Trump SaysPresident Donald Trump issued an executive order extending the pause on higher tariffs to November as negotiations with China continue.
CollectionsAug 12, 2025
Jacquie Aiche’s New Collection Harnesses the Energy of the ThunderbirdThe “Thunderbird Slab” collection features a thunderbird motif as a symbol of power, protection, and boundless possibility.
ColumnistsAug 12, 2025
Creative Connecting: How to Take a Better HeadshotColumnists Jen Cullen Williams and Duvall O’Steen share tips on how to elevate your professional image.
CrimeAug 11, 2025
Man Convicted of First-Degree Murder in Death of Colorado JewelerPeter Damian Arguello, a jeweler in the Denver suburb of Wheat Ridge, was found dead inside his store in November 2023.
IndependentsAug 11, 2025
Lisa Bridge to Depart Ben Bridge JewelerThe retailer, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is becoming part of the Berkshire Hathaway Jewelry Group with Helzberg.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2025
Bethenny Frankel to Give Keynote at CBG’s Experience ShowThe Continental Buying Group’s 2025 Tampa Experience Show is slated for Sept. 8-10.
EditorsAug 11, 2025
The Colors Expected to Be On-Trend in a Couple YearsAssociate Editor Lauren McLemore recently attended a fabrics trade show where a trend forecaster shared her predictions for summer 2027.
FinancialsAug 08, 2025
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 3% as Engagement Ring Sales RiseThe company raised its full-year sales guidance while noting it has not yet assessed the potential impact of the latest tariff news.
Events & AwardsAug 08, 2025
GJEPC’s Jewellers for Hope Celebrates 10 Years of FundraisingThe organization has raised more than $1.3 million for charity since its inception.
TrendsAug 08, 2025
Piece of the Week: Rahaminov Diamonds’ Bezel BangleThe brand’s latest iteration of a bezel-set diamond bangle features clean lines and a timeless design for a new modern silhouette.
WatchesAug 07, 2025
Bulova’s New Collection Honors Tony BennettThe first watch in the series commemorates his participation in the Civil Rights movement, marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.
Lab-GrownAug 07, 2025
Chatham Releases Catalog for Loose Lab-Grown GemstonesThe catalog contains a complete listing of all the loose gemstones in stock, as well as information about the properties of each stone.
TechnologyAug 07, 2025
Rembrandt Charms Debuts New Website, Bird CharmsThe company added a retailer dashboard to its site and three new birds to its charm collection, the cardinal, blue jay, and hummingbird.
Policies & IssuesAug 06, 2025
Tariff on India to Rise to 50%, Trump Says An additional 25 percent tariff has been added to the previously announced 25 percent.
MajorsAug 06, 2025
Claire’s Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy AgainThe jewelry and accessories retailer plans to close 18 stores as part of the proceedings.
IndependentsAug 06, 2025
Smith & Son Jewelers to Close 107-Year-Old Location Its Springfield, Massachusetts, store is set to close as owner Andrew Smith heads into retirement.
CollectionsAug 06, 2025
Zahn-Z Swims With Whales in ‘Beluga’ CollectionDesigner Hiba Husayni looked to the whale’s melon shaped-head, blowhole, and fluke for her new chunky gold offerings.
