By Cynthia Unninayar

When Leonardo Zeik opened his first store in 1964, his passion for fine jewellery—combined with a strong work ethic, determination, and compassion for others— started him on a long journey, one that continues today with the second generation.

The story of Leonardo Jewelers reads like the American Dream. A young immigrant from Cuba, Leonardo Zeik arrived in the United States in the early 1960s with a wife, four young children, and no money. To provide for his family, he found a job in a factory, working two back-to-back shifts. After these gruelling 80-hour weeks, he began selling jewellery door-to-door to other Cuban immigrants. By 1964, Zeik saved up enough money to open a store in his hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Originally called Joyeria Leonardo, the store was small with only one counter for jewellery and watches. The rest was packed with necessities that other Cuban immigrants would need, such as toasters, refrigerators, furniture, and clothing. Zeik understood only too well the hardships faced by these new arrivals, and he did his best to help them. As his son Michael explains, “His store was a place where Cuban-Americans who didn’t have established credit, couldn’t speak English, or didn’t have the cash to pay for their necessities, were offered credit with no questions asked. He didn’t even charge interest on their s u c c e s s s t o r i e s debt. A handshake to repay whatever they could afford on a weekly basis was all he asked.” Many of these original customers, their children, and grandchildren have remained loyal clients of Leonardo Jewelers.

By the end of the 1960s, Zeik eliminated the furniture, appliance and clothing lines to focus on high-end jewellery and Swiss watches. The store quickly gained a reputation for having some of the highest quality pieces to be found anywhere. During the 1970s, the store expanded beyond its original Cuban-American customer base, and Leonardo Zeik became one of the first U.S. retailers to travel to Europe in search of fine jewellery.

“In Europe, our father met and forged relationships with the finest goldsmiths and designers,” says daughter Lourdes. “Now, 45 years later, we continue to scour the planet for new and exciting jewellery brands whose attention to detail, beauty, and quality are unparalleled. Sometimes they are new designers who have strokes of genius and are one-trick-ponies, so to speak. Others are consistent in their quality and creativity. One brand that offers consistency in its products is Ramon.”

Ramon’s jewellery speaks for itself in the showcases at Leonardo Jewelers, as Lourdes goes on to add, “The quality, design, and finish of Ramon’s pieces are among the most beautiful and well-finished pieces in the industry. The brand’s designs have stood the test of time. They are created for the ages.”

It has been more than a decade ago since the elder Zeik passed the business onto his children—Ivette, Leo, Lourdes, Michael, and Vivian. Inheriting more than just a successful business, the second generation also received their father’s passion for quality and craftsmanship as well as his commitment to customer service. Today, Leonardo Jewelers has two large and respected locations in New Jersey, Elizabeth and Red Bank. In addition to jewellery, the stores carry an impressive range of watches, a watch repair centre, and a major jewellery repair centre, as well as a studio design centre to help clients with special pieces.

“Our aim is to provide our customers with a wide selection of jewellery and watches, and a warm atmosphere in which to conduct our business,” says Michael. “Because we are a true family-owned business, our customers always have an opportunity to work with one of the owners. We strive to make a visit to our stores a very pleasant experience, like one would expect when visiting friends.” Treating customers like friends also extends to giving back to the community. As immigrants, Leonardo Zeik and his children are grateful for the opportunities provided by their adopted country, and support a number of worthy causes in their area. Daughter Vivian explains, “We help a number of groups but our main focus is on the Monmouth County Cancer Society and the Trinitas Medical Center, the local hospital, as well as the Fisher House that provides assistance to military families caring for their medical needs. For us, it is a win-win situation since sales at special events also generate extra donations for a number of organizations.”

Clearly, the sense of service to the community and to the customer is what distinguishes Leonardo Jewelers. Of prime importance is also providing good quality products, which meet the needs of their clients. And, while the Zeik’s search for the best jewellery and watches is an ongoing endeavour and their collections continue to grow and evolve, the mantra of Leonardo Jewelers always remains the same: It’s not about selling just a product. It’s about selling the right product.

When Leonardo Zeik opened his first store in 1964, his passion for fine jewellery—combined with a strong work ethic, determination, and compassion for others— started him on a long journey, one that continues today with the second generation.

www.leonardojewelers.com