Family, friends, employees, and members of the jewelry industry gathered at The Ryland Inn in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 26, to celebrate the 80th birthday of Roman Jewelers founder Roman Shor.
honoring more than six decades in the jewelry industry and a lifetime of craftsmanship, leadership, and family.
The evening honored not only a milestone birthday but also a remarkable career spanning more than six decades in the jewelry industry—a journey defined by craftsmanship, perseverance, family, and an unwavering commitment to integrity.
Roman's story in jewelry extends across three generations. Following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather, respected jewelers in Minsk, Belarus, he developed a passion for fine craftsmanship at an early age. By 16 years old, he was already creating jewelry by hand, demonstrating the talent and dedication that would shape the rest of his life. And, although he earned a degree in construction engineering, jewelry remained his true calling.
Working as a jeweler in the former Soviet Union, however, came with significant limitations. The government tightly controlled creativity and required jewelers to work only with the materials and designs it authorized. For Roman, whose passion was creating beautiful, meaningful pieces, those restrictions were impossible to accept. He dreamed of a place where artistry, entrepreneurship, and hard work—not government mandates—would determine success.
That dream led Roman, his wife Sophie, and their young family to immigrate to the United States in 1980 in pursuit of opportunity and the freedom to build a future of their own. Like so many immigrant families, they arrived with determination, a strong work ethic, and a belief that success could be earned through dedication and perseverance.
Soon, Roman's engineering education would prove invaluable. Combining technical expertise with an entrepreneurial spirit, he personally built the family's first Roman Jewelers store in Flemington, New Jersey, in 1989. As the business flourished, he expanded that original location twice before constructing the company's second store—quite literally building the foundation of the family's business with his own hands.
Over the many years, Roman and Sophie built far more than jewelry stores. They built a family business centered on trust, exceptional service, and lasting relationships. In the next three decades, Roman Jewelers grew from a small independent jeweler into one of Central New Jersey's premier luxury jewelers, welcoming generations of families and representing many of the world's most respected designer jewelry collections and prestigious Swiss watch brands. Yet despite its growth, the company has remained true to the values upon which it was founded: honesty, craftsmanship, hospitality, and treating every customer like family.
Today, that legacy continues through daughter Lucy Zimmerman, who represents the fourth generation of the family's jewelry tradition. Growing up in the business, Lucy learned from her father not only the art of fine jewelry but also all the principles that have guided Roman Jewelers since its founding.
"As a little girl, I watched my father build this business from the ground up—literally," said Zimmerman. "He taught me that your name is your reputation, that quality is never
negotiable, and that every customer deserves your very best. Everything I know about this business started with him."
She continued, "When people look at Roman today, they see a successful businessman, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. But I see something even greater...a man who had the courage to leave everything familiar behind and come to America with no guarantees. I see someone who took an enormous risk so that our family could have a better future.
He taught me that every lesson in business begins with a lesson in life. No matter how busy we were or how much the business grew, family always came first. That is the legacy I am most proud to carry forward."
Roman Shor’s many talents also include playing the piano. So, the celebration included a gift from the Roman Jewelers’ staff—a conductor's baton—to reflect his love of music but, more importantly, to represent what he does every day: lead. Leading not only by example but also with character, according to the staff.
As Roman Jewelers look toward the future, the company continues to build upon the foundation Roman established more than four decades ago. Guided by the next generation while remaining rooted in its founding values, Roman Jewelers remains committed to thoughtful growth, exceptional craftsmanship, and creating memorable experiences for generations to come.
