Porcello Jewelers

Nov 26

In their own words

“Our vibe here is low pressure. We pride ourselves on being very knowledgeable. We want to make sure our clients are well-educated, so when they do make a decision, or they make a purchase, they can do it confidently, feeling that they’ve checked every box.”

-Jason Porcello

Jason’s Interview with Jason

Jason

Today we get to talk to Jason Porcello from Porcello Jewelers. How did you get into the industry?

Jason Porcello

It wasn't really planned, to be honest with you. I did grow up in the business. My grandparents founded the company back in 1952 in Renton, Washington. I grew up around the store. After high school, I was going to a local college in the area, I would come in and help my grandparents out. I had a pretty decent knack for it. As time went on, I finished college here in Washington, and I went down to Southern California and attended GIA.

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Jason
What do you love about jewelry?

Jason Porcello
I like the ability to create different pieces. It gives you the opportunity to be a bit more artistic and selective in the type of product that you carry. You get to be involved in a lot of things, start to finish. We get to create product.

Jason
In your store, what's the ambiance?

Jason Porcello
Our vibe here is low pressure. We pride ourselves on being very knowledgeable. We want to make sure our clients are well-educated. They can feel like they know what they're buying. What you see in our store is more one-of-a-kind pieces. It's not going to be cookie-cutter merchandise.

Jason
What's your specialty?

Jason Porcello
I would say unique, custom jewelry. We also do a lot in estate jewelry, like vintage and antique merchandise.

Jason
Are there any standout pieces?

Jason Porcello
We've got a really cool two-carat emerald-cut engagement ring. That came together from putting that into a mounting that kind of, in my opinion, just set the whole piece off. That’s definitely one of my favorites in the store. We've got an extremely cool large tanzanite and diamond pendant. I think it's around sixteen karats in the center. And we've got a larger custom piece, an over sixty-carat aquamarine, set in an eighteen-carat white gold custom pavé diamond mounting. That is absolutely spectacular.

Jason
Describe your aesthetic in three words.

Jason Porcello
Friendly and good service.

Jason
What differentiates you?

Jason Porcello
Better quality of service. You're not going to find a high turnover ratio. The people that have been here have been here for many, many years. I think our most recent hire was nine years ago. You're going to find great value. You can walk in the door, I'm available for you.

Jason
Can you talk us through your custom experience?

Jason Porcello
We sit down and spend as much time as needed with the client, getting an idea of what it is that they're trying to achieve.

Jason
How long does the process typically take?

Jason Porcello
Usually, we go through one to two consultations to get an idea of what they want. Then, we move forward to CAD, which we can show the client. Once the client signs off, we move forward with casting, putting it all together, and providing them with something that hopefully exceeds their expectations.

Jason
Lab-made diamonds, synthetic diamonds. What's your thought on these types of stones and ethically sourced stones?

Jason Porcello
I think lab-grown diamonds fall into a category, like a new age moissanite. I think natural diamonds will continue to be dominant. It's kind of like, in my opinion, do you want a Picasso or do you want a reprint? It's all going to depend on whether the industry as a whole embraces it, or decides to shun it.

Jason
You do so much for the community. The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and other charitable giving that your team does. Can you talk about a few of them?

Jason Porcello
One that we're proud of that we've participated in more recently is called Acres of Diamonds, a charity to help abused women and children, or homeless women and children in the region. Another one that we work with is called Dance for the Cure. It’s a ballet-type show to raise money for cancer funding, cancer research. We try to give back to the community as much as we can.

Jason
Here's your chance to say whatever you like to Meet the Jewelers. What do you want them to know?

Jason Porcello
I encourage anybody that's curious about jewelry to come and see some fun things. Come in and spend the time, meet us. You're going to find a very unique shop that has a lot of heritage. We might be the oldest independent store in the area at sixty-eight years of age. We're here to help.