Events & AwardsJun 06, 2025
Here Are the 2025 Retailer Hall of Fame InducteesThis year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
IndependentsAug 31, 2016
In Louisiana, A Fund is Formed for Flood Victims
Jewelers of Louisiana created the fund for jewelers and their employees in the hard-hit state, and Stuller employees are in need of help too.
Scott Berg, pictured here in a green baseball cap, employed the use of a friend’s boat to rescue a Lee Michaels employee from her flooded south Louisiana home following the recent rainstorms that dumped feet of water on the area. (Photo taken by Sylvana Cline, courtesy of Chad Berg)
Baton Rouge, La.--Over the course of a few days, an unnamed storm dumped 31.39 inches of rain on Watson, La., 27.47 inches on Brownfields and 26.26 inches on Monticello, National Weather Service data shows.
A little perspective on just how much water that is: It’s more rain than some U.S. cities get in an entire year, and it’s triple the total amount of rainfall that poured down on south Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina.
The rains caused widespread flooding, claimed 13 lives, destroyed tens of thousands of businesses and left just as many with no place to go.
Now south Louisiana is in need of help, and the state’s jewelers association wants to make sure members of the industry aren’t left out, creating a fund through the Baton Rouge Area Foundation for donations.
Established in 1964, the foundation has come to the aid of Louisiana residents in the wake of other tragedies, including Katrina and the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Following the floods, a number of companies have started charitable funds through the foundation’s Employees 1st program. By donating through the program, companies don’t pay taxes on contributions and employees who receive the aid don’t pay income tax on it, said Louisiana Jewelers Association President Chad Berg, of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelers.
To donate money to those in the jewelry industry via the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, go to Employees1st.org/JewelersofLA.
Berg said at Lee Michaels, which has two stores in Baton Rouge plus stores in Shreveport, Lafayette and Metairie, they have 15 employees whose homes were flooded.
He said his brother, Scott Berg, who heads the Baton Rouge market for the family-owned chain and is president of the American Gem Society, found a friend who had a boat in order to rescue one Lee Michaels employee from her home.
His tale is just one of many emerging from this devastated region.
“Everybody,” Chad Berg noted, “has a story to tell.”
Pattons Fine Jewelry, which has stores in Baton Rouge and Alexandria, has four employees who lost everything.
Eric Armentor, of Armentor Jewelers, is being forced to shut down his Abbeville store after it was flooded with more than three feet of water. “All of our showcases and displays were damaged beyond use,” he said. “We’re not going to rebuild this store and restock it.”
Armentor, whose father opened the first Armentor Jewelers store in 1939, said that prior to the storm, sales were a little soft at the Abbeville location, and they were considering closing it down to concentrate on the other two stores, in New Iberia and Lafayette.
Now, that is a foregone conclusion.
He said most of the inventory was saved, so they are going to run a short liquidation sale and just close up after that, dividing any inventory that doesn’t sell between their other two locations.
“To try to go forward here’s just not going to work,” Armentor said.
“It’s a little disheartening. We’ve been here 28 years.”
Then there’s Stuller.
The largest supplier to the U.S. jewelry industry, Stuller is headquartered in hard-hit Lafayette, where nearly 22 inches of rain fell, according to the National Weather Service, which records rainfall at the regional airport there.
While the company’s facilities were not damaged, it did elect to suspend operations for one day, Friday, Aug. 19, for the safety of its staff, shipping all orders the following Monday.
The manufacturer and supplier told National Jeweler that about 90 of its approximately 1,400 employees in Lafayette lost either a home or a car in the flooding. Stuller is now accepting Visa gift card donations in $50 increments, which employees can use for food, home improvements, rental cars or other needs.
The company also is accepting checks made out to cash, which it can use to purchase gift cards.
“This has been a trying time for many here at Stuller and in our community. We thank you for not only your contributions, but for supporting our Stuller family,” said the company’s vice president of human resources, Jennifer East.
Eric Armentor, of Armentor Jewelers, is being forced to shut down his Abbeville store after it was flooded with more than three feet of water. “All of our showcases and displays were damaged beyond use,” he said. “We’re not going to rebuild this store and restock it.”
Armentor, whose father opened the first Armentor Jewelers store in 1939, said that prior to the storm, sales were a little soft at the Abbeville location, and they were considering closing it down to concentrate on the other two stores, in New Iberia and Lafayette.
Now, that is a foregone conclusion.
He said most of the inventory was saved, so they are going to run a short liquidation sale and just close up after that, dividing any inventory that doesn’t sell between their other two locations.
“To try to go forward here’s just not going to work,” Armentor said.
“It’s a little disheartening. We’ve been here 28 years.”
Then there’s Stuller.
The largest supplier to the U.S. jewelry industry, Stuller is headquartered in hard-hit Lafayette, where nearly 22 inches of rain fell, according to the National Weather Service, which records rainfall at the regional airport there.
While the company’s facilities were not damaged, it did elect to suspend operations for one day, Friday, Aug. 19, for the safety of its staff, shipping all orders the following Monday.
The manufacturer and supplier told National Jeweler that about 90 of its approximately 1,400 employees in Lafayette lost either a home or a car in the flooding. Stuller is now accepting Visa gift card donations in $50 increments, which employees can use for food, home improvements, rental cars or other needs.
The company also is accepting checks made out to cash, which it can use to purchase gift cards.
“This has been a trying time for many here at Stuller and in our community. We thank you for not only your contributions, but for supporting our Stuller family,” said the company’s vice president of human resources, Jennifer East.
More on Independents
The Latest
CollectionsJun 06, 2025
Piece of the Week: Harwell Godfrey’s ‘Granny Squares Eleanor’ Necklace As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
GradingJun 03, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade Adds ‘Fei Cui’ to Jade ReportsThe company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."
SourcingJun 02, 2025
Gemfields’ June Auction to Include 36-Carat RubyThe large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
GradingJun 02, 2025
GSI Opens New Lab in Thailand Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
