By Jorge He’s Got It!
Jorge and Graciela Adeler’s Great Falls, Va., store is a true family affair: Daughter Valentina appraises and designs jewelry; her sister, Wendy, oversees marketing and philanthropy and manages e-commerce. Inventory is all custom, made with the help of seven full-time and three part-time bench jewelers.
While Jorge has worked in all metals (silver, gold, and palladium among them), he embraces platinum for many pieces, including those in his new wholesale collection—a first for the 38-year-old firm. The more conservative Traditional line features faceted and cabochon cuts; the High Fashion line includes unexpected stones such as crystal quartz—an inexpensive gem many jewelers wouldn’t set in platinum.
“I design by beauty—not by prestige or intrinsic value,” he says. “A stone could be only $500, but if beauty is there, I will put all the attention in the world into that piece.”
Jorge Adeler Collection ring in platinum with 42.06 ct. cabochon-cut rutilated quartz with 0.65 ct. t.w. round brilliant-cut diamonds; $14,600
Adeler Jewelers already has a robust retail business—their pieces are seen on such A-listers as Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez—but the idea behind the new collection goes right back to family values.
“We have five grandchildren. They give us hope that they will one day join the business,” says Jorge, who came to the United States with wife Graciela from their native Argentina in the 1970s. “Wholesaling will open up a lot of choices. So we will start now while I still have the energy. Then when my energy wanes, theirs will be at a peak.”