TrendsOct 03, 2025
Selena Gomez, Benny Blanco Tie the Knot Wearing Diamonds, White MetalsGomez’s jewelry included Tiffany & Co. drop-style earrings while Blanco stacked diamonds from Jacob & Co. on his wrist.
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
GradingOct 03, 2025
Grading Lab HRD Antwerp Names New CEODiamond industry banking veteran Paul De Wachter will take on the role in January 2026.
TrendsOct 03, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kallati’s Pink Sapphire RingTaylor Swift flaunts an Elizabeth Taylor-esque gemstone in promo for her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
CollectionsOct 02, 2025
Boucheron Debuts Cuffs Crafted With 3D-Printed SandIts “Quantre Sand” capsule was made using a 3D sand printing technique borrowed from the automotive and aeronautics industries.
Weekly QuizOct 02, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeOct 02, 2025
$1M in Jewelry Stolen in Northern California Smash and Grab Four individuals have been charged in the “takeover-style” robbery of Heller Jewelers last month, and additional charges are expected.
MajorsOct 02, 2025
Neil Lane Jewelry Exhibition Coming to Toledo Museum of Art“Radiance and Reverie” will showcase more than 150 jewels from Lane’s personal collection by Tiffany & Co., Cartier, and more.
Brought to you by
reDollar.com Is Rolling Out the Next Level Jewelry, Diamond & Watch Consignment ProgramWith their unmatched services and low fees, reDollar.com is challenging some big names in the online consignment world.
TrendsOct 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: October’s Colorful ShowThe month’s birthstones, tourmaline and opal, complement the palette of autumn.
ColumnistsOct 01, 2025
Peter Smith: Why Vendor Success Starts With Self-ReflectionSmith shares the importance of looking at your company with openness and honesty to identify opportunities you may be missing.
EditorsOct 01, 2025
Playing Favorites: The Best Jewelry From VicenzaoroAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco visited Italy to spot jewelry trends at the September Vicenzaoro show and share her top finds.
SourcingOct 01, 2025
Gemfields’ H1 Revenue Falls 47%Its latest interim financials revealed a challenging first half due in part to production troubles at its mines.
MajorsSep 30, 2025
Pandora CEO to Retire in 2026, Hand Reins to CMO Alexander Lacik has led Pandora since 2019. Berta de Pablos-Barbier will succeed him, the first woman to head the company.
CrimeSep 30, 2025
2 Suspects Charged in $300K Sleight-of-Hand Jewelry Store ScamTwo men allegedly used counterfeit bills to purchase luxury watches and jewelry from a North Carolina jeweler.
CollectionsSep 30, 2025
Billie Eilish, Finneas Partner with John HardyThe “Lovestruck” collection, designed with the Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings, is the brand’s first lab-grown diamond offering.
IndependentsSep 30, 2025
Spinelli Kilcollin Announces Residency in DallasThe brand, celebrating its 15th anniversary, has popped up at Market, a luxury fashion destination in Highland Park Village.
IndependentsSep 29, 2025
Nina Pugliese, Longtime Henne Jewelers Employee, Dies at 65She was remembered as a creative and generous woman of faith, who also had a sweet tooth.
TrendsSep 29, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Ear FocusMove over neck mess, the ear story is the way to make a layering statement today.
IndependentsSep 29, 2025
Mark Henry Jewelry to Debut in CanadaThe New York-based brand is set to launch a limited-time offering for the holiday season at Holt Renfrew in Toronto.
MajorsSep 29, 2025
Overnight Releases New Bridal CatalogThe “Volume 7” bridal catalog features best-selling engagement rings, trending styles, and a new section highlighting anniversary bands.
Events & AwardsSep 26, 2025
Winners of Austin Jewelry Design Contest Announced Jamie Turner Designs is among the winners of the local “Austin Shines” contest, hosted by Eliza Page, a jewelry store in Austin, Texas.
TrendsSep 26, 2025
Piece of the Week: Kwit Jewelry’s Square Signet Pinky RingThe red and azure colorway is one of many fun enamel pairings offered, bringing whimsy to the classic style of a monogramed signet ring.
Policies & IssuesSep 25, 2025
JA CEO Provides Tariff Update Following Annual Fly-InA trade deal with Switzerland seems probable, but reaching an agreement with India remains a challenge, David Bonaparte said.
SourcingSep 25, 2025
2 African Countries Aim to Take Stake in De Beers Botswana’s president said his country wants a controlling share, while Angola envisions multiple countries holding minority stakes.
Lab-GrownSep 25, 2025
Kira Jewels Expands Lab-Grown Diamond ProductionThe manufacturer is adding 1,400 chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactors to its growing facility in India.
IndependentsSep 25, 2025
Alex Moss’ New Flagship Brings Bold Jewels to SoHoThe jeweler to the stars has worked with Drake, A$AP Rocky, Tyler the Creator, and other celebrities.
WatchesSep 25, 2025
Wilson & Son Jewelers Donates to the Horological Society of New YorkThe Scarsdale, New York-based jeweler donated a professional-grade watch cleaning machine.
