People

Sparkle Impact

Meet a few of South Florida’s most savvy jewelers and discover what it really means to invest in a piece that makes anyone who looks your way mouth “WOW” “WHOA” and “WAY TO GO” — because half the fun of wearing a jaw-dropping piece is watching jaws drop.
Text by Sandy Lindsey | June 1, 2018 | People

Felipe Lopez
Morays Jewelers
50 NE 2nd Ave.
305.374.0739
MoraysJewelers.com

“Our store’s approach yields a low-pressure, concierge-style atmosphere with no attitude, a fun staff and clients who are treated like family.”

“Jewelry is in my blood,” says Felipe Lopez, Executive Sales Manager at Morays Jewelers. “Back in San Juan, my father operated the largest and most prestigious jewelry store — it was my father’s passion for diamonds that got me into the business.” Lopez was born in Cuba, raised in Puerto Rico and came stateside to “find himself.” After attending the GIA, he spent 10 years at Mayors and the last 21 years with Morays, a Downtown Miami institution for 75 years that is family owned & operated. “I’ve watched this store go from Generations 5 to 6 to now the 7th with Beau Hequin,” he says. “We are all-around jewelers, if you want something, we either have it, or we can create or find it. With that comes a great sense of pride. Building up great relationships with people who trust and respect your opinion is the most rewarding part of the job.”

Howard Steinlauf
Freddy’s: The Certified Diamond Store
36 NE 1st St., Ste. 129-131
305.371.8261
FreddysJewelry.com

“Selling certified diamonds is the most ethical way to help clients make an educated decision in this very important process.”

Howard Steinlauf’s parents wanted him to be a doctor or a lawyer, but since high school he knew he wanted to be in the jewelry business. “I just love jewelry, diamonds and interacting with customers,” he says. After receiving a degree in Finance from University of Florida, he went on to the GIA where he received certification in diamonds, diamond grading and color. When Freddy Strauss afforded him the opportunity to be a partner at Freddy’s: The Certified Diamond Store, he was honored. The two men share a similar work ethic and a strong camaraderie. Married 32 years, one of Steinlauf’s sons, Eric, joined the business 3 years ago and is following in his footsteps. Freddy’s is best known for its huge inventory of in-stock diamonds. Services include jewelry repair, custom jewelry design and “the best customer service this side of California.”

Christina Termine
Diamonds On The Key
By Appointment Only
1.305.851.1460
DiamondsOnTheKey.com

“What I do as a private jeweler is share the culmination of my 30+ years of experience and passion for diamonds.”

Diamonds On The Key Owner Christina Termine is indeed a rare find — she’s a private by-appointment-only jeweler, who gladly shares her 30+ years of expertise in the international fine jewelry industry with each client, while delivering both personalized service and the highest-quality designs, at prices that can’t be beat. So how does she do it? First, she eliminates expensive overhead and high mark-ups. Secondly, she manufactures her own designs through a separate division of the company, which supplies jewelry to 1,000 jewelry stores across North & South America. Her private clients in turn benefit greatly by receiving access to an incredibly vast selection of stunning fine jewelry in every price range, whether they’re looking to spend $200, procure an engagement ring or purchase a rare 10 carat canary diamond. Termine also has vision when it comes to re-imagining client’s existing, dated pieces. “I had one customer who inherited an elaborate diamond brooch that sat in a safe for decades,” she says. “I redesigned it into the jaw-dropping, black-tie chandelier earrings she’d always wanted.”

— Profile photo by Zoltan Prepszent; Luxhunters Photography; Jewelry photos by Eduardo Ford; INTI Photography.