ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
IndependentsJan 09, 2018
Frances G. Loose, Owner of Tuel Jewelers, Dies at 86
She bought the Charlottesville, Virginia jewelry store in 1975 and ran it alongside her daughters.
Charlottesville, Va.--Frances Elizabeth Gibson Loose, who bought Tuel Jewelers in 1975 and operated it with her two daughters for decades, died Friday. She was 86.
Born Frances Elizabeth Gibson on June 13, 1931, in Charlottesville, Virginia, she was the daughter of Nellie Mary and Arthur Gibson.
She graduated high school in 1950 and went to night school for bookkeeping at Jefferson Business School.
She worked the candy counter at McCrory’s Five and Dime and did sales and fashion merchandising at Diana Shops before landing a job in 1953 as the bookkeeper at Tuel Jewelers, the Charlottesville store that watchmaker and jeweler Roy P. Tuel opened in 1945. Though hired to keep the books, she soon began assisting the watchmakers with materials and fitting parts.
Loose learned the business from the ground up, and in 1975, she bought the store and ran it with her daughters, Mary and Frieda, and, later, her grandsons Hunter and Tyler.
She engraved and restrung pearls until she broke her wrist and waited on customers at Tuel Jewelers until Parkinson’s disease prevented her from walking on her own. Yet she still came to work every day, dressed for business and with a smile on her face, greeting customers from her desk.
Outside of the jewelry industry, Loose was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, Credit Women International, the Apple Harvest Festival (now the Dogwood Festival), the Albemarle Charlottesville Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Downtown Business Association and the Downtown Business Alliance.
Tuel Jewelers remained closed Monday and Tuesday and is set to reopen Wednesday. The store’s answering machine tell customers that: “We plan on serving you for many years to come.”
Loose is survived by two daughters, Mary Loose DeViney (John) and Frieda Loose-Wagner (Michael); two grandsons, Hunter and Tyler; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Hermann, who died last year; three brothers, William, Luther and Verley Gibson; and one sister, Louise Haney.
Services took place Monday in Charlottesville and Keswick.
In addition to flowers, contributions can be made in Loose’s
name to Grace Episcopal Church-Cismont, P.O. Box 43, Keswick, Virginia 22947.
More on Independents
The Latest
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
Weekly QuizMar 26, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
CollectionsMar 26, 2026
Lionheart Celebrates 13 Years of ‘Cassandane’The collection features symbols of love, luck, and light, based on the story of Queen Cassandane and Cyrus the Great of Persia.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
NAJA, Instappraise Introduce New ScholarshipIt’s the third scholarship to be launched as part of the partnership to help appraisers advance their professional credentials.
Events & AwardsMar 26, 2026
JA Still Accepting Entries for 2026 CASE AwardsThe deadline for entries in the jewelry design competition has been extended to April 3.
SourcingMar 25, 2026
Rob Bates Steps Down as JCK News Director After 28 years with JCK, the veteran industry journalist is launching his own publication on Substack called The Jewelry Wire.
GradingMar 25, 2026
New York’s Natural History Museum, Wiley To Build Minerals DatabaseWiley said the project will give scientists worldwide access to the American Museum of Natural’s History renowned mineral collection.
CollectionsMar 25, 2026
Boochier Turns Flower Friendship Bracelets Into Fine JewelryThe “Flower Puff” collection looks to beaded flower friendship bracelets from childhood, turning the silhouette into nostalgic fine jewelry.
Policies & IssuesMar 25, 2026
Community for Ethical Jewelry to Host Bench Jeweler Shortage WebinarSet for April 2, the webinar will discuss how the jewelry industry can address the workforce gap.
IndependentsMar 24, 2026
Lisa Bayer, Illustrator and Beloved Member of the Muse Family, Dies at 64Bayer, founder of Lisa Bayer Designs, is remembered as “a bright light in every room.”
AuctionsMar 24, 2026
White Diamonds Shine In Christie's Jewels Online SaleThe highest-grossing lot was a Tiffany & Co. ring set with a flawless, emerald-cut diamond of 10 carats.
SourcingMar 24, 2026
AGTA Solidifies Tucson Dates For 2027-2029The next three editions of AGTA GemFair Tucson will feature a five-day show that includes Sunday.
WatchesMar 24, 2026
Christie’s Names New Senior Specialist, WatchesFormer Sotheby’s executive Tom Heap has taken on the London-based role.
CrimeMar 23, 2026
NYPD Looking for 3 Jewelry Store Robbery SuspectsThe group of women allegedly robbed two Catbird stores and one Gorjana location on the afternoon of March 9.
FinancialsMar 23, 2026
Movado’s Q4 Sales Rise As Demand Grows From Younger Shoppers, WomenMovado CEO Efraim Grinberg noted continued strength in the fashion watch and accessible luxury segments in the U.S.
