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A&E Diamond & Gold - Your “destination jeweler”

By Amanda MacFadgen
Progress Writer
 

The experienced and skilled staff at A&E Diamond & Gold in Merrimack, from left to right, Andrew Ciminera, Jr. (Sales Consultant), Marie DePasquale (Sales Consultant), Fred Alter (Owner/President), Brenda Wimpenney (Manager), and John Field III (Custom Jeweler)

MERRIMACK NH - When you walk into A&E Diamond & Gold in Pennichuck Square in Merrimack, it may take a moment for you to realize it is not your average jewelry store, it is a labor of love for everyone involved. Just ask anyone that works there, from the sales consultants behind the counters to the jewelry designer diligently creating at his bench, they all love jewelry at A&E and before you leave, so will you.

Glass cases line the bright, cozy showroom filled with a variety of fine jewelry from classic to creative - each carefully displayed item a work of art. Whether you prefer gold or silver, diamonds or semi-precious stones, cultured or fresh water pearls, there is something for everyone at A&E – and you’ll get it at a great discount. If you can’t find what you are looking for in the case, their experienced jeweler can help you create your dream in their on-site state-of-the-art design and repair center. “You won’t find the type of jewelry we have everywhere”, says A&E Diamond & Gold President Fred Alter. “Our jewelry is as beautiful and unique as the customers who buy it”.

After more than 40 years in the business, he should know. Alter started his career as a stock boy in Boston’s renowned Jewelers Building at the age of fourteen. He quickly moved into sales consultation, leaving even experienced professionals floundering in his wake. Eventually he became a principal of Karten Jewelers, one of the areas most well known jewelry chains until it was sold in 1994. “I love the public. I still get a thrill out of creating and selling jewelry even after forty years, it’s just so much fun.”

Since 1998, Alter has brought his vast experience and skill to A&E. A self described “destination jeweler”, A&E is a place that people come to when they know they are in the market to buy fine jewelry. At A&E, they carry designer lines of jewelry available at only the finest jewelers, and they guarantee the lowest prices in New England. They also carry an extensive selection of certified loose diamonds available to the public at wholesale prices, so customers can turn their glittering dreams into a real masterpiece.

After you choose the perfect diamond or stone, head jeweler John Field, III, can create the ultimate design and setting in A&E’s on-site design and repair center. Field is a second generation jeweler who brings seventeen years experience to the jeweler’s bench at A&E. He has spent years working under Master Jewelers to fine tune his artistic abilities. Field will be studying under Master Engraver Sam Alfano to further hone his skills, this summer. Field is passionate about collaborating with people to bring their ideas and visions to life. “I try to really listen to the customer,” says Field. “I get a real feel for what they are looking for and then make their dream a reality.” By creating preliminary hand carved wax designs, customers can make changes until the design meets their exact vision, before immortalizing it in the precious metal of their choice. An expert at repairing and re-fabricating antique and art deco jewelry, Field can perform all jewelry repairs on-site keeping family heirlooms safe and secure.

Precious and semi-precious stones including rubies, emeralds and sapphires or topaz, amethyst and tanzanite are also very popular items. According to consultants, precious pink and rainbow sapphires, made popular by Hollywood’s elite, like Jennifer Lopez are all the rage. Semi-precious jewelry made out of tanzanite is also in very high demand. Choose from an assortment of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets on display or have them custom create the perfect item for you. Prices start at $150 - $200 and up, depending on stones and settings. If there is something you particularly like at A&E, be sure to put it on a “Wish List”, so that special someone knows exactly what you want. “Our ‘Wish List’ is great,”  “You get what you wish for and it makes the gift-giver look like a hero – so everybody wins.”

But the thing that Alter feels really sets A&E apart from their competitors is customer service. Besides the 40 years experience Alter brings to the business, A&E’s new Manager Brenda Wimpenney has spent more than a quarter century in the jewelry business. In addition, each sales person on staff is an experienced jewelry consultant with most having at least fifteen years in the business. “We just love the jewelry business”. “It’s so interesting we just can’t get enough of it. It really gets a hold on you.” Ask anyone behind a counter at A&E about the jewelry, and it is easy to see the attraction. Each consultant has a thorough knowledge of jewelry that makes customers feel confident they are making an informed decision. Asked about the lustrous fresh water and cultured pearls on display at A&E, longtime consultant Marie DePasquale, not only answers all questions, but gives a brief history on pearls, dating back to the late 1800s, and Japanese pioneer Mikimoto, who developed the first cultured pearl.

“My staff is incredibly knowledgeable,” says Alter. “Not only that, we listen to our customers so they are happy with their purchase. My staff and I have the same philosophy, we never make a promise we can’t keep, and the sale is just the beginning of the service we provide to our customers. That’s what keeps them coming back again and again.”

To view their selection of fine jewelry or discuss creating your own custom masterpiece, visit A&E Diamond & Gold, Rt. 101 A, Pennichuck Square, in Merrimack, NH.