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May 2, 2002/Nisan 30, 5763 Vol. 55, No. 36
Scottsdale jeweler closes on Shabbat
JESSICA BARBER
Staff Writer
The Diamond Vault, a jewelry store specializing in loose diamonds imported from Israel, has recently opened in Scottsdale by a religiously observant Jew. The store offers diamonds at wholesale prices - except on Jewish holidays and the Sabbath.
"A lot of the people in the industry are religious," says owner and general manager Oren Ephraim. "Our cutter in Israel keeps Shabbat and that type of observance filters into the lower levels of the industry. He would be reluctant - if not unwilling - to sell us diamonds if he knew we were selling them on the Sabbath."
Neighboring stores and customers have needed some time to get used to The Diamond Vault's business hours, however they are slowly coming around, says Ephraim.
"We got a lot of strange looks from our neighbors when they found out we would be closed on Shabbat," he says. "We've had situations where customers just wouldn't believe that we are closed on Saturday. One thought it was a sales ploy. But they are getting used to it."
Ephraim also admits that his primary sales woman, who is not Jewish, was disturbed when she realized that the Passover holiday would result in a two-day closure of the store.
"Passover really took her by surprise," he says. "Of course she wants to sell as much as she can and being closed for half a week has an effect on her sales for the month."
Ephraim can only imagine what financial effect remaining open on Saturday would have on his business.
"We have never been open on Shabbat, so how would we know what closing is doing to the business?" he says. "We do know (Saturday) is the busiest day in retail."
Ephraim opened the store in November 2002 after leaving a career in information technology. In addition to having family members in the diamond business, Ephraim met and partnered with a diamond cutter from Israel who supplies loose diamonds to the Scottsdale store.
"I spent some time with him at the brokerage (in Israel) and we decided we could make the store (in Scottsdale) work," remembers Ephraim. "(The partnership) results in a unique situation for the customer. It gives us one of the 150 licenses in the world to buy rough diamonds directly from DeBeers and offer them at a much lower price."
Ephraim decided to offer wholesale prices as a way to break in to Scottsdale's highly competitive jewelry industry.
"Scottsdale is a hotbed for diamonds and diamond jewelry," he says. "If we didn't have a competitive edge going in, we really wouldn't have anything to do in this market."
Although Ephraim has family involved in the business, he was never interested in being a gemologist. However, after earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Arizona State University and spending time in the "flailing" information technology industry, he was looking for a change.
"I never had the desire to learn about it until it became a business opportunity," he says. "But now I think it's very interesting. It has been a traditionally Jewish business because of the nature of the diamond - a valuable lightweight object that can be carried across borders in times of persecution."
In addition to loose diamonds, The Diamond Vault offers bracelets, necklaces, earrings and more pre-set jewelry. The store is located at 7119 E. Shea Blvd.
Ephraim and his wife Elana are members of Chabad of Scottsdale. Ephraim is the former president of Hillel at Arizona State University.
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