CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
SurveysOct 11, 2017
50 Jewelers/50 States: Tennessee
Rone Regency Jewelers is facing competition from the internet but its excellent customer service keeps it relevant in the digital age.
Rone Regency Jewelers if facing competition from the internet but its excellent customer service keeps it relevant in the digital age.
Chattanooga, Tenn.--In 50 Jewelers/50 States, National Jeweler interviews one retailer in each of the 50 U.S. states to find out how they are meeting the challenges of the changing retail environment.
Rone Regency Jewelers opened in 1944 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Bob Mason has been with the store for 47 years, working under the original store owner until he retired. “He’s like a father to me,” said Mason. “He left us a great foundation and he taught me a lot.”
Mason and his wife, Sherry, became the owners of the store in 2006.
Mason told National Jeweler about the challenges he’s facing due to competition from the internet, and how his store’s focus on customer service is keeping them relevant, even in the digital age. 
National Jeweler: What’s the biggest challenge your store is facing today?
Bob Mason: I think the biggest challenge is the internet--trying to get customers to understand the value of purchasing at a local brick-and-mortar store where you can walk in and get service immediately, or if you have an issue with a watch or a ring or whatever it is, you don’t have to ship it back anywhere.
A local retailer like us, we’re going to stand behind it 100 percent. If somebody buys an engagement ring from me and the stone comes out of it, we replace it free.
NJ: What’s the top-selling category at your store?
BM: Watches and engagement rings are about even; watches are our best.
NJ: What’s your top-selling brand?
BM: In the watches it would be Rolex and Breitling; primarily Rolex is the number one seller for us.
NJ: Describe your regional customer.
BM: We’ve been fortunate and blessed enough to have customers literally all over the United States. People who have lived in Chattanooga and moved away, or people who refer their friends to us because of the service we’ve given them over all these years.
I worked on a foundation in New York for 20-plus years. Through that relationship I got a lot of customers and clients from all over the country.
It’s really a wide range of people and at every economic level. Our customer based in Chattanooga is probably in their 20s up to their 70s. When you’ve been in business as we have
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
for 73 years, you develop a lot of long-term, generational relationships.
It’s kind of an even gender breakdown. Today we have a lot of ladies, because of the designers my wife has put in, who come in and self-shop. It’s really nice and we build wish lists for those husbands who need help in their purchasing.
NJ: What’s the most popular style of engagement ring with your clientele now?
BM: A popular style would be white gold or platinum metals and cushion-cut diamonds, which are very popular with us, as well as ovals, which have come on very strong recently, and, of course, with a halo and diamonds running down the shank of the ring.
NJ: Which social media accounts are important to your business?
BM: We’re very active on Facebook.
NJ: Do you have e-commerce?
BM: We do not. It’s not for us right now.
NJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer to a fellow independent jeweler?
BM: You know, just give great service. We just received the award of best jewelry store in Chattanooga, Tennessee for the 10th year in the row. There are only, I think, 12 companies in the city that have achieved that for all various, different kinds of business, but we got best jewelry store 10 years in a row and I think it’s because of our service.
We’re not going to let anyone else do something for one of our customers that we can do. Even if we lose money to make sure we stand behind what we sold that customer, we’re going to do it because we’re going to take great care of them.
NJ: What’s a fun fact about you we can share with our readers?
BM: I enjoy what I do. I truly do. It’s really a labor of love for me because I love the people. I’ve been here 47 years. The customers who come into our store are like family for me. I sell engagement rings to young ladies who I held when they were babies; sometimes, I even held their mothers when they were babies.
I love to travel and my wife loves to travel, so we’re trying to do some more of that. For many years I took very little time off and now I’m trying to take some time off so she and I can enjoy traveling together.
It’s kind of an even gender breakdown. Today we have a lot of ladies, because of the designers my wife has put in, who come in and self-shop. It’s really nice and we build wish lists for those husbands who need help in their purchasing.
NJ: What’s the most popular style of engagement ring with your clientele now?
BM: A popular style would be white gold or platinum metals and cushion-cut diamonds, which are very popular with us, as well as ovals, which have come on very strong recently, and, of course, with a halo and diamonds running down the shank of the ring.
NJ: Which social media accounts are important to your business?
BM: We’re very active on Facebook.
NJ: Do you have e-commerce?
BM: We do not. It’s not for us right now.
NJ: What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer to a fellow independent jeweler?
BM: You know, just give great service. We just received the award of best jewelry store in Chattanooga, Tennessee for the 10th year in the row. There are only, I think, 12 companies in the city that have achieved that for all various, different kinds of business, but we got best jewelry store 10 years in a row and I think it’s because of our service.
We’re not going to let anyone else do something for one of our customers that we can do. Even if we lose money to make sure we stand behind what we sold that customer, we’re going to do it because we’re going to take great care of them.
NJ: What’s a fun fact about you we can share with our readers?
BM: I enjoy what I do. I truly do. It’s really a labor of love for me because I love the people. I’ve been here 47 years. The customers who come into our store are like family for me. I sell engagement rings to young ladies who I held when they were babies; sometimes, I even held their mothers when they were babies.
I love to travel and my wife loves to travel, so we’re trying to do some more of that. For many years I took very little time off and now I’m trying to take some time off so she and I can enjoy traveling together.
More on Surveys
The Latest
AuctionsOct 09, 2026
8-Carat Blue Diamond Goes Unsold at UK Jewelry Auction The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Events & AwardsOct 08, 2026
Pattons Fine Jewelry Sweeps Local Design ContestAra Chanakian, a jeweler at Pattons, took home top honors in every category at Jewelers of Louisiana’s annual jewelry design competition.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
CrimeOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
Events & AwardsOct 06, 2026
JIS Fall Returns to MiamiThe 2026 edition will feature presentations on alternative materials and design trends, as well as pop-up activations on the show floor.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
AuctionsOct 05, 2026
The Star Cats of the Sandy Lerner AuctionThese jewels stood out at Bonhams’ sale of the cat-loving tech entrepreneur’s collection of objects depicting the feline form.
CollectionsOct 05, 2026
Sorellina Writes Another Love Letter for ‘Postscript’ CollectionThe fine jewelry brand has expanded the collection that debuted at Couture with four new designs based on its most popular styles.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
Bruce Bridges Joins CIBJO BoardThe AGTA president was elected for a two-year term on the board of directors.
SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
