It was some 50 years ago when Tony Cherkassky, owner of Fortrove.com, immigrated to New York City from Odessa, a time when it was still part of Russia. When he arrived in New York City, he met Susan, also from Odessa. The two fell in love, got married and eventually moved to Philadelphia.
The First Store
While he was still in Odessa, Tony had learned the art of watchmaking and watch repair from his father, George Cherkassky. He was soon using those skills to earn a living in his new city. “Dad started his first retail store with two cents in his pocket,” says Timothy Cherkassky, the eldest son of three and a partner in the business, “My parents were so poor when they met, they used to say they had to share a pair of pants.”
Tony and Susan decided to open their first retail jewelry store, Lucky Diamonds, in Philadelphia’s Jeweler’s Row. Tony has always been in charge of buying, while Susan handles the business end and sales. The store’s neon diamond sign “Lucky Diamonds” was made famous when it had a supporting role in the final scene of the film, “Silver Linings Playbook” (spoiler: it was at the exact moment that they kissed at the end).
Going Online
After almost 20 years in retail as a mom and pop jewelry retail shop, Timothy joined the company in 2004, and focused on bringing their entire business online, which changed everything. The Cherkassky family began sticking a toe in the vast ocean of selling online, and soon found out that their global online presence was surpassing foot traffic in their brick-and-mortar store.
One of things the family noticed was their customers, both online and instore, preferred signed jewelry. “Extensive research into current and past market prices guided our acquisitions. We sometimes relied on ‘gut feelings’ for unique items,” explains Timothy. “As our online sales grew, so did our ever growing collection that currently features over 1,000 unique estate designer pieces with a focus on pieces that are no longer available. The more unique, the better.”
When the jewelry business went online, with the goal of bringing luxury designer jewelry to the world, Lucky Diamonds was rebranded as Fortrove, a combination of fortune and a treasure trove. “Our extensive research into designers and brands became our specialized training. With over 25 years of digital experience, we've honed our expertise and knowledge in the industry,” comments Timothy.
Midnight Jewelry Sales
In addition to having rare signed jewelry, Fortrove also offers impeccable customer service. “One night I had come home late and was sitting there awake at 3:00 am when I got a message from somebody in Germany. We started chatting and about 30 minutes later he bought one of our rarest pieces,” recalls Timothy, who handles client relations. “There’s a reason why a very large percentage of our clients are repeat customers.”
So what are customers buying these days? According to Timothy, with the recent price hikes in gold, consumers are searching for substantial, statement pieces, while other clients like to invest in rare jewelry, recognizing its potential to increase in value over time.
“I see jewelry as works of art,” concludes Timothy. “One of my favorite aspects of this industry is the opportunity to photograph these works of art, capturing their uniqueness, intricacies, and beauty. Vintage designer jewelry pieces are particularly special, as they often showcase a great deal of intricate handwork and craftsmanship. We feel incredibly lucky to work with such exquisite pieces, and even luckier to have incredible customers that appreciate the love we have for jewelry as much as we do.”
The Cherkassky family; Diamond, cultured pearl and platinum earrings by Marianne Ostier; Diamond, ruby, tsavorite garnet, sapphire and 18-karat gold Angelfish brooch by Jean Vitau; Colombian emerald, diamond and 18-karat gold ring, accompanied by AGL report stating that the emerald is of Colombian origin, signed David Webb, circa 1980s.
Authored by Amber Michelle