The Jeweler With a Heart of Gold

Over the past 2 weeks, I watched the Olympics with rapt attention as the best athletes in the world showed us the results of decades of training and determination, following their dreams and callings.? Gymnastics and running drew me in, and I called my family to jokingly place blame as to why I didn't stick with my childhood sports. I came out of those calls at peace though, reminded of how much they supported me and my talents, and both encouraged and allowed me to find myself, which has produced its own memorable wins and awards along the way.

We hear the athlete’s backstories, overcoming struggles and injury – it’s inspiring and I’m there for each one.? But at the end of the day, they count the hardware, not the blood, sweat and tears that goes into an athlete’s aspiration and execution.? Jordan Chiles, we love you.

Which got me thinking about the training we all put into our careers, the history of the medals awarded, the significance of this "jewelry" and the value we place on something so small, but that means so much.

I called my friend Leslie DeStefano, Chief Sales Officer of Rumanoff’s Jewelers in Hamden, Connecticut.

Leslie, too, was glued to the Olympics, mostly swimming.? A mom of two girls, one whom happens to be a gifted swimmer, Leslie, her husband Paul and the girls have a special attraction to the games.? And Leslie, a passionate and admirable businesswoman who’s got precious metal in her professional DNA, has an educated perspective on the prize everyone wants to take home.

“I love seeing everyone wearing USA colors and especially their Olympic jewelry.? Seeing the athletes receive their medals on the podium is extremely exciting and special” she says.

“I was so inspired watching Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles support Rebeca Andrade during their medal ceremony.? And I watch the parents in the stands - this means so much to them, too. The Olympics brings everyone together - the common goal is special, as are the medals, of course.”

But this year’s medals bring a little something extra special.

“Did you know that this year’s medals are made with pieces of iron from the Eiffel tower,” Leslie shares, and we talk about the history of the medals.

The tradition of giving gold, silver and bronze medals to the top finishers in every event at the Olympic Games began at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. And since the design of the medals is the responsibility of the host city's organizing and design committee, they vary with each of the Games.?

For the 2024 Olympics, French jeweler Chaumet molded iron taken from the many modernization projects of the Eiffel Tower over the years into hexagon-shaped pieces and placed them in the center of each medal. The design is a nod to France's nickname of "l'Hexagone," or "The Hexagon," because of the country's six-sided shape.

While the street value of the gold in a gold medal is only about $800, “within each medal from the Olympics there’s a part of the Eiffel tower.? That’s incredible that they’ll take that home with them,” Leslie reflects.

We discussed how generations of their family to come will be able to hold, wear and appreciate the medals their great-grandparents worked so hard for.

“We live on with our jewelry and with the wearer, forever. And now Paris and the Eiffel tower will live on for these athletes, too,” she says.

Leslie is a stylist and designer in her own right.? @Looks.To.Love.With.Leslie, now its own Instagram, started as a few Instagram posts showcasing how Leslie had helped customers reimagine family pieces or restyle things they were no longer wearing, similar to the repurposing of the iron saved from the Eiffel Tower.? When she redesigns a piece with the current or future wearer in mind, she’s aligned with customers in appreciating where it comes from but also connecting with the person who’s going to wear it every day or treasure it in their collection.?

She recently had a customer who inherited a ring from his father that was admired by the whole family.? Leslie helped produce an exact replica so both of the customer’s sons could use it as their wedding bands.?

“For them to look down and see a ring that their grandfather and father both wore, that’s a spectacular feeling for everyone,” she says.? “Everyone involved lives on and there’s a story and a good feeling attached.”

“There’re very few industries that I know of where something will hold such monetary and generational value.? We truly care and want people to have the best experience and return for more special pieces or with family members and friends.”

And many of their customers have become friends and do return for every important milestone and moment.

She also shared her love of adding engraving in jewelry and encourages people to put a special power word, phrase or initials on pieces to help commemorate the event and tell its story.

Leslie was born into the jewelry world, but don’t for a second take that to mean it was easy or handed to her. Her great uncle, Jack Silver, had the right name, but also the idea and determination to start a wholesale jewelry business.? It’s since been passed down to her grandfather Eli, then to her father Mike and Uncle Steve, and now to her brother Doug and Leslie.? An incredible journey to get to this 4th generation, succeeding despite tough financial times, partnership and personnel changes, name changes (formerly JA Silver Company), having to keep up with trends and being transitioned into a retail business by Leslie’s father.

And while Leslie, a genuine relationship builder and talented singer, went to college for Public Relations with a minor in Music, she kept coming back to that feeling of being in the store as a child, seeing her father with customers, gaining their trust, delighting them with sentimental pieces, and knew that the feeling she'd had since she was 14 was her true calling.

She and her brother Doug Rumanoff, CEO of Rumanoff’s Jewelers, and whom I’ve been lucky to call a friend since Junior High, have worked hard, educated themselves and reached a point where they’ve earned ownership of the company, alongside their father.

Trusted in the jewelry industry since 1938, the Rumanoff family serves their community on the basis of trust, integrity and value and continually providing their customers with a uniquely friendly and comfortable atmosphere.? To that, they’re thrilled to be expanding this Fall across the street from the current location to a new freestanding building featuring a larger showroom, allowing more space for customers to consult, design and feel at ease, even including a full bar.

When asked what’s it’s like to run a family business, Leslie said it’s a wonderful thing she and Doug have going. They lift each other up when needed but give each other space to innovate and balance each other out.

They’re passionate about what they do, and their customers, and are deeply invested in improving and perfecting their craft.? From talking to talented and well-respected people in the industry to attending various industry conferences, studying through Gemological Institute of America (GIA), attending jewelry shows and always looking to learn about the industry at more professional levels, they are dedicated to their profession and constantly seek out new and exciting ways to serve their current clients and earn new clients.

Her mother, Felicia, and father, Mike, work at the company, as well.? Felicia is the engraver and Mike is part owner.

“You get to do it together and genuinely have people you can rely on” she says, speaking to how much they value their staff and the fact that they truly are a team.?

Leslie also says her success and balance wouldn’t be possible without the incredible partnership with her husband, Paul DeStefano.

An entrepreneur himself, recently opening the Golf Cove in North Haven, CT, they’ve fed off each other as they’ve gone through their business journeys and are all-in as proud girl-parents.?

“He’s our biggest supporter,” she says.

As I listened to the athletes being interviewed, whether they had just won the gold or missed the mark, there was a lot of value placed on the team camaraderie and people that have supported them over the years, as well as giving themselves grace.?

I get that same sense when speaking with Leslie.

She ends our conversation with the fact that she’s been able to become who she is because of the support of her family and a mindset ‘to live life with meaning and do the best I can.’

We're both sad that the games have ended. And while we may not be Olympic athletes, sales is pretty demanding and difficult, too, but we're feeling inspired and renewed to keep learning, do our best and always be focused on the real prize - happy customers.

Leslie, you truly have a heart of gold.? Thanks for the chat, to your family and Rumanoff's Jewelers staff for the dedication you've shown to your business for so many years, sharing your talents and taking such great care of your customers.

Here’s to the continued success of Rumanoff’s.??à ta réussite!?

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P.S.?Rumanoff’s Jewelers is involved in various charity projects, from supporting local firefighters, to raising money for pediatric cancer.? Giving back to the community that has supported them is a must for this family.

In fact, at the time of editing this piece, I was thrilled to learn that Rumanoff's was experiencing a viral moment with a philanthropic purpose!

Check out @Looks.To.Love.With.Leslie and @famousmisspeaches on Instagram to see the pendant that Leslie and the Rumanoff’s Jewelers team created for Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy with Miss Peaches’ nose on it!

Click HERE to learn more and place your order for a one-of-a-kind pendant with a portion of the proceeds donated to animal rescue organizations!

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