Business Q&A: Jeffrey Alan Jewelers

When it comes time to pop the big question to the love of your life or are just looking to get a nice trinket to show that you've been thinking of her (or him), the one thing you want to be is in the hands of a capable jeweler.

That’s where Alan Badler comes in. The owner of Jeffrey Alan Jewelers, located at 43 Merrick Ave., Badler honed his skills working for Fortunoff for 21 years before striking out on his own.

Opening Jeffrey Alan Jewelers three years ago, Badler has been enjoying a successful run plying his expertise in fine jewelry for the Merrick community and establishing a reputation as a master craftsman.

Tell us about what your jewelry shop brings to the table.

I’m a full-service retail jeweler. The one big distinction between me and another jewelry store is that I am a bench jeweler by trade – I grew up making jewelry, manufacturing jewelry and fixing jewelry, so I know how a piece of jewelry should sit and how it should look. I do the repairs myself, I do the manufacturing myself and I also sell the jewelry. I do very nice design work without the price tags associated with big-name designers.

I also don’t sell my diamonds to customers. If a couple comes in to look for an engagement ring, I do a consultation with them, give them an education and narrow down the ring to what they want, establish price and then I show them some cubic zirconium samples. Once we establish what kind of stone they want, I make an appointment with my diamond guy and he’ll supply several diamonds that the couple can look at. This way, I’m not pushing my diamonds on people – I’m giving them what they want.

What are some of your more popular items?

The most popular items would be pendants and necklaces; a nice diamond pendant makes a great gift. Also, a woman always needs a nice pair of diamond earrings for her wardrobe.

Tell us a little bit about your background in the jewelry business.

I was the senior head jeweler at Fortunoff for 21 years. I was hand-selected by the Fortunoff family. I worked very closely with the Fortunoff family, even designing some of their personal jewelry and doing work for their special customers.

When the company went out of business, I bought up a lot of their equipment; very sophisticated equipment, very expensive equipment that most independent jewelers don’t have. I started up my own place three years ago in probably the worst economy we’ve had in years, but I’m still here, and I’m doing well.

Why is it called “Jeffrey Alan Jewelers”?

A lot of people ask that. I debated about my business name longer then it took me to name my child. My middle name is Jeffery and I thought the two first names sounded good together. I just switched them around for the business’ sake.

Tell us what you like about owning and operating a business in the Merrick Community.

I love the freedom to design and create, and educating customers and the people here bring a little fashion and Manhattan style to Merrick. I’m also involved in a lot of local charitable organizations, such as Stand Up America, the Lion’s Club, autism and toy drives. I enjoy helping the community.