Big Changes Coming to DC's Tiny Jewel Box

PHOTO: One-of-a-kind, custom-made swirl diamong ring from Tiny Jewel Box; photo courtesy of Tiny Jewel Box

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On it’s 85th year in business, Tiny Jewel Box, the historic family-run jewelry business on Connecticut Avenue in Northwest DC, is expanding into the retail space previously home to Burberry.

From humble beginnings as a 100-foot breezeway shop offering vintage jewelry, the three-generation business plans to unveil its 8,000 square feet retail expansion in November 2015. Here’s more about the expansion from a news release:

Gensler is overseeing the expansion and renovation of the historic property. The new space will feel grand yet inviting with a distinctly modern aesthetic throughout the new space, while maintaining a classic, timeless design when entering the bridal salon. Guests will be received in a grand rotunda and have the option to radiate down several different experience paths. While the new large open space will house multiple departments, guests will feel an ease in shopping experience that will allow them to spontaneously explore whatever strikes their fancy.

“We are excited to add many designers to our exclusive offerings with this expansion, including: Cartier watches, IWC Watches, Adel Chefridi, Carla Amorim, Marli,Paul Morelli, Spinelli Kilcollin, Temple St. Clair, Lika Behar, Sakamoto, Elizabeth Garvin,Yossi Harari, Annie Fensterstock and George Sawyer; all exclusive to us in DC. We’ve taken great care to maintain a matrix curated specifically for DC tastes,” said Tiny Jewel Box President Matthew Rosenheim.

The ground level shop will include a watch department featuring a Rolex corner, a Cartier watch space, among other fine watch brands, and a Rolex-authorized repair center with watchmakers on the floor.

The expanded departments will include:

• a bridal salon designed to create an over-the-top experience for the couple
• a custom design center with additional staff to handle demand in this increasingly popular service
• a unique collectibles shop, which has historically served the needs of dignitaries at the highest level
• a vintage heirloom boutique, original business of Tiny Jewel Box

The company will continue to utilize the five floors above the retail space for office space, manufacturing, custom design and corporate gifts.

In a time, when many brick-and-mortar retail businesses are struggling to stay afloat, this family run business is growing and expanding its categories. Run by a father and son team with stellar reputations in the jewelry world, Jim Rosenheim is the chairman and is credited with discovering some top designers in his 55-year career including David Yurman and Alex Sepkus.

Rosenheim won the 2014 Human Spirit Award Couture Jewelry Show and was elected to the National Jeweler Retailer Hall of Fame in 2011 and has sat on the boards of both Jewelers of America and Jewelers for Children. In 1948, Jim made his first sale as a 6 year old, started as an apprentice at 12 and at 18 was helping to run the store.

Matthew Rosenheim is the president and a graduate gemologist; Matthew was a founding board member of the Executive Board for Gen-Next Jewelers, serves on the Advisory Board of the Jewelry Information Center, is a member of the Young Presidents Organization and will be taking his father’s place on the Jewelers of America board.

Paid on salary rather than commission, Tiny Jewel Box retains sales professionals for an average of more than 10 years, versus a retail industry standard of 100 percent turnover every three years, the store points out.

“While we are excited to usher in this new era for our business and our family, we will never leave the founding principals of Tiny Jewel Box behind, said We are passionate about providing special, unique offerings to Washingtonians and an attentive, anticipatory, luxury experience to everyone who enters,” said Tiny Jewel Box Chairman Jim Rosenheim.

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