Earth Treasures is located on Route 36 in Eatontown and features a diverse selection of jewelry. NICOLE ANTONUCCI/STAFF When customers arrive at Earth Treasures jewelry store in Eatontown, they may embark on a journey that will continue for years.
This begins when the customer walks through the main door and is met by a sheet of glass with a diamond etched in the center. Almost as if bracing the customer for the experience, the diamond slowly splits and the glass slides open, revealing a room filled with gemstones, pearls, diamonds and more.
“We have a slogan, ‘Treasured moments begin with a trip to Earth Treasures,’ ” general manager John Baghsarian said. “We have been involved in making people happy for all the memorable times in their lives for 40 years.”
The jewelry store, owned by Paul Bischoff, is one of the original tenants of Michael’s Plaza on Route 36, opening in 1974 as small mom-and-pop store called the Handy Nook. In addition to jewelry, the store at that time serviced men’s electric razors and Timex watches, as well as providing other small services in “an effort to support and service customers with any needs they may have,” Baghsarian said.
With a focus on personal service and fair pricing, and by providing sales associates who are experts in the field, the store set itself apart from competitors and began to grow, he said. After expanding in its former location across the plaza, the store relocated two years ago to the larger space it is in today. On any given day, more than 100 people from near and far pay a visit.
Baghsarian, who has been with the company for 29 years, said he enjoys seeing many returning customers, including a 90-year-old woman who has been a patron since the store opened. Today, her children and grandchildren also come to the store.
“What’s nice is, when you are here for 40 years, you begin to see generations,” Baghsarian said. “It’s very gratifying to see that customers came in and they bought rings from you, and children come along. And the next thing you know, the children are buying their jewelry and engagement rings.”
Despite the success, Baghsarian said there are no plans to expand to other locations. Bischoff and his wife Karen prefer to keep the store in one location to continue to focus on providing quality services.
Earth Treasures offers a diverse selection of jewelry that includes gemstones, diamonds, pearls and estate jewelry. A customer who wants to know more about a particular piece of jewelry — such as where a gemstone came from and how it compares to others — may ask one of the five graduate gemologists, including Baghsarian, who are on-site.
“We have a joke that we are a teaching hospital of jewelry,” he said.
According to Baghsarian, all the jewelry is hand-selected or manufactured by the store.
“We really pick things that are leading trends — and not fads — but that have great value for the buck,” he said, pointing to the fairly large collection of pearls.
“The owners hand-select them, and have even dove in Tahiti and visited pearl farms. It’s not the plain white pearls from your grandmother. Ours come from all over the world now, and they come in all different colors.”
Regardless of the type of jewelry a customer may want, he said the store is focused on providing something for any special occasion, including birthdays, holidays, anniversaries or engagements.
“When someone comes in for the first time, looking for an engagement ring … we are interested in making it a pleasurable experience, giving the best value and instilling in them that we want to be there before, during and after the sale,” Baghsarian said.
For more information, visit www.earth-treasures.com.