Business: Naperville Jewelers
Address: 120 Water St., Naperville
Phone/website: 630-718-9036, www.napervillejewelers.com
Owner: Edmond Benyamin, 71, of Glenview
Years in business: 34
What do you do? “I do everything custom and I do repairs, of course. Watches, jewelry, everything from A to Z. I cannot tell the customer, ‘I can’t do it.’ There’s no such word. The customers are very happy,” Edmond Benyamin said.
What’s the background? “I started the business in Naperville 1989 at a different location. (I’ve been) here since 2018.”
Why are you a jeweler? “I took it from my father and my uncle. They were both jewelers, manufacturer and selling. … I started when I was 14 with my father, Julius.”
Where was that? “Somewhere overseas. I don’t want to mention (the country’s) name.”
What do you like about your job? “I like the appreciation of the customer. If they are happy, I am happy. … I’m the only jewelry bench worker in the whole neighborhood. Everybody else, they take (jewelry needing repairs) to 5 S. Wabash, The Jewelers Center, in Chicago. … I used to do (that) when I started.
What happens when a woman wants you to make a ring? “First, I talk to her. See what she likes. If she has some old gold, I can melt this and design her a ring. First, I make a few sketches. Then, I will create a wax model for her. … I show her how the ring, bracelet, pendant will look. If you like it, I will give you a price.”
How are the prices? “It depends.”
How are your eyes with all this detailed work? “Good. Matter of fact, I (recently) saw the eye doctor. He said everything is OK.”
Is it difficult to come up with a new design? “It is and it is not. There’s always something that comes to your head. Honestly, sometimes I get up in the middle of the night, I do the sketch and go back to sleep before that idea goes away.”
Do you enjoy your work? “Very much. … When I work, the customer makes me happy. … It is an art.”
What’s the price difference between natural and lab-grown diamonds? “Natural, one carat, it costs today $6,000 to $7,000 depending on the quality. Lab-grown? Not more than $1,500 to $2,000 for one carat.”
How can you tell the difference between the two? “We have a testing machine. It tells the difference between a natural diamond and an imitation diamond.”
Do you have a lot of competition? “Always there is competition. But for the bench work, there is no competition. There’s a difference between retail and our store. … I don’t price everything double. … I don’t do that. I do whatever costs me, I put a certain percentage on top. That’s my profit.”
What sets you apart? “These days, it is very hard to find somebody who does what I do. … If you’re not working with your heart, you can’t stay in the business.”
Is Naperville good for business? “I started here, so I want to continue here. … Still, I like it. … Thank God, I have reduced my hours. Don’t forget, I own two stores. I have a store in Glenview. My daughter Lisa (Benyamin) runs the other one. … She said, ‘Dad, I want to be a jeweler like you.'”
Has anyone ever proposed in your store? “Oh, yes. Many of them propose here.”
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What’s changed in your business? “Honestly, since the computer came out, this business has changed a lot. Everybody, they want to wear something different. Every single item I create is a one of a kind. … We used to stay open until 8 o’clock. I stayed and worked until 11 o’clock. Finish the job. When I have custom jewelry to make, I have to finish it. I tell them three days, four days, at the most one week.”
What’s your advice for someone starting a business? “The first five years, you’ve got to put over half back into the company. You have to put the money back in. If you take it out right away, you’re not going to profit. … And expect to spend a lot of hours in the store,” store manager Dawn Gorman said.
“It’s very difficult to explain it, but you have to have good knowledge,” Benyamin added.
If you know of a business you’d like to see to profiled in Down to Business, contact Steve Metsch at [email protected].
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.