With nearly four decades of combined design experience, the artists at Roemer Originals aren’t just customer service people. Owners Melinda Nolan and her son, Tom Nolan are trained in the art of building jewelry. And they want to tell their client’s stories through the pieces they fashion for them.
“The reason this is so important is that we know what can and can’t be done as far as functionality and durability of a piece,” Melinda says. “We can help design beautiful elements but also recommend structural integrity into the design to make it last. When it comes to designing a piece of jewelry that you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on, it’s good to know you’re putting it in the hands of someone that is experienced and knows what they are talking about.”
Opened in 1975, Roemer Originals uses only the most highly skilled craftsmen and merchants to create one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. “Each piece of jewelry we design starts from scratch. When you own a Roemer Original, you can take pride in knowing that you are wearing one of the finest pieces of custom jewelry made in the world today. Why settle for a copy, when you can have the original? We specialize in custom design, and we feel like we do it better because we are designers, not just salespeople selling jewelry out of a case,” Melinda said. And, we don’t work on commission, so there’s never any pressure.
Melinda has always had an eye for everything that shines, and Tom is a GIA Graduate Gemologist. “I’ve always loved anything that sparkles. I remember I used to try to find the sparkly rocks in a rock pile as a child.”
She said, while Roemer does offer pre-designed rings, including mountings from their manufacturers, from silver to platinum to diamond jewelry and everything in between, much of what they do is original. “People bring in screenshots from the Web or other pictures. We interpret what the customer wants and design it from there.”
Melinda and Tom specialize in pieces that are often a conglomeration of jewelry items that have been handed down for generations from loved ones—pieces that are worn out or are not the current owner’s style. They call this the “Roemer Re-Style.” Melinda says maybe the owner wants to wear their heirlooms, but for whatever reason, is unable to. “She's been holding onto them in a box for years, but finally decided it's better to turn them into something she’ll wear and appreciate, than to leave them in their current state sitting in a dark box, unworn and unloved,” she says.
Then other times, their clients may have a dream of a special gemstone, symbolizing an anniversary or the birth of a child, that Roemer will put into a unique and priceless setting to be worn for years to come. Whatever the person’s story may be, Melinda and Tom create the perfect piece using stones the person already has or helping them find the perfect gems to create that one-of-a-kind piece that they dream of.
Roemer has an in-house jeweler and does its appraisals and repairs at the shop in St. Charles, Missouri. Melinda says she wholeheartedly espouses supporting small businesses. Nevertheless, she says, wherever a person goes to find that perfect piece, Melinda recommends never purchasing expensive jewelry online. She said she had a client recently who purchased a lab-grown diamond from a chain store, though they were not told it was lab-grown versus mined.
“A certificate for a diamond doesn’t tell you everything. There are so many things about a diamond that can only be seen with your own eyes,” she says. Not only do you want something unique and for it to make you feel special, you want to make sure the store you’re purchasing it from will still be there, and that they are ethical. You’re always going to have a better experience with and be able to trust privately owned stores. Plus, they give back to the community and support local programs and charities. I recommend reading the reviews of companies just like you do for a vacation or other products and services.”
Roemer offers repair services, jewelry appraisals, resizing, and pearl restringing. They buy gold and estate jewelry and offer corporate gifts. They also offer financing. And they can educate customers on fine metals and pearls, gemstones, diamonds, ring styles and setting types.
Roemer also offers First Impressions and Cassandra Erin—two lines that capture the fingerprints and paw prints of loved ones. The keepsake pieces have different “feels” and each tends to gravitate toward different clients.
Cassandra Erin’s line is flexible and can capture anything from handwriting, to a drawing, to a handprint to create an heirloom to last for years to come.
The First Impressions® line captures the essence of what is most important to people—love and relationships. The pieces are tangible reminders of the touch of someone—a new mom, a spouse of a distant soldier, a person battling a life-threatening illness, or someone who has passed—and simply reflect the notion: "I need you to be with me always."
