Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
Richmond Jeweler Named “Distinguished Retailer” of 2015
Ronnie Adolf of Adolf Jewelers in Virginia was lauded for his continued success and performance in his field, as well as his charitable giving in the community.

Richmond, Va.--A jeweler down in the Mother of States has been named the 2015 Distinguished Retailer of the Year by a local association for the success of his family business and service to the community.
Ronnie Adolf is the owner of Adolf Jewelers in Richmond, Va. and received the award from the Retail Merchants Association. The association has been doling out the accolade every year since 1966 to local retailers who have a reputation for outstanding performance in their field and charitable giving throughout their community.
“Adolf Jewelers opened its doors--not exactly because we technically had no doors--in 1961,” Adolf wrote in his entry piece for the award. “Initially there were two employees, my mom and dad. They set up shop in a very small space in the Flair Store, Willow Lawn Shopping Center.”
A second space was opened in the mid-60s, also in the Flair Store, and Adolf joined the business in 1968, expanding from costume to fine jewelry and opening an official Adolf Jewelers location.
“The business continued to grow and we moved west to our current location in the Ridge Shopping Center in the early ‘80s,” he said. “Business was good! In 1996 we doubled in size and doubled again in 2007. Today we are fortunate to have a thriving business with 11 full-time employees.”
The store has been recognized by local publications Richmond Magazine, Style Weekly and the Richmond Times-Dispatch and awarded the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for business ethics and integrity in 2006.
Adolf Jewelers also supports more than two dozen charitable organizations in the community and beyond, including the Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Richmond Ballet, the Ronald McDonald House, the World Pediatric Project and Massey Cancer Center, among others.
A GIA graduate, Adolf also contributes content to publications such as JCK and InStore magazine.
“While I could not be more proud of my business accomplishments, I’m most proud of my family,” the jeweler said. “My wife Susan, son Jason and daughter Robin all have, and continue to be, involved and support the family business.”
The Retail Merchants Association is dedicated to the success of local retailers and small businesses in greater Richmond and its surrounding communities.
The Latest

The reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

In the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.


The 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.

Colored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.

The expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.

The lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.

The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.

Two suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.

Finsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.

Michel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.

Longtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.

The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.

Jamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.

Duvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.

The mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.

Honest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.

QVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.

The brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.

Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.

Sponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers

Cloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.

Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.

Etsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.




















