CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and CenterIconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.
IndependentsNov 19, 2014
About Retail: One-time king of King’s takes on steel
Dale Perelman spent years at the helm of King’s of New Castle, a family-owned chain that had 51 stores at its peak. Now semi-retired, the Western Pennsylvania native has tackled a topic of great local interest in his latest book, Steel.
Published this year using independent publishing platform CreateSpace, Dale Perelman’s new book, “Steel,” traces 50 years in the history of the Pittsburgh area’s signature industry.
New Castle, Pa.--After many years working long hours in their stores, many jewelers might wonder what they are going to do with themselves with they retire.
Dale Perelman, who spent years heading King’s of New Castle, his family’s chain of jewelry stores that numbered 51 at its peak, already knew the answer when he hung it up in 2006: He was going to continue writing.
This year, the Western Pennsylvania-based writer and still part-time retailer published his fourth book, Steel, a history of Pittsburgh’s iron and steel industry from 1852 to 1902.
Perelman’s last book, Centenarians: One Hundred 100-Year-Olds Who Made a Difference, came out in 1999. He also has authored two books on famous diamonds, Mountain of Light (1984), about the 105-carat Koh-i-noor, and The Regent (1990), detailing the history of the 140-carat stone that is on display at the Louvre in Paris today.
“It keeps your mind fresh,” Perelman said when asked why he had adopted writing as one of his hobbies. “You get to plan and make your own story and you can also learn a lot while you are writing. It’s a combination. I just think it’s very fulfilling.”
Like so many other books, Steel started as something else.
Because of his Pittsburgh-area roots, Perelman set out to do a book on the 10 titans of the Steel City, gentleman whose names remain a large part of the city’s identity and cultural landmarks to this day--Henry Clay Frick, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Phipps and Michael Benedum, to name just a few.
However, his instructor at a writer’s course he took at Yale University--a 70th birthday present from his wife--advised Perelman that the scope of his project was too broad, so he narrowed it down to focus on the titans of the steel industry, and gave the book a specific time frame, 1852 to 1902.
He says he started on Steel around 2011, doing his research at the University of Pittsburgh, which houses original letters exchanged between Frick and Carnegie, the Pittsburgh Historical Society, the Duquesne Club and even taking a trip to see the Frick Collection in New York, the mogul’s former mansion full of artwork that he donated to the city. (Frick, Perelman notes, moved his artwork to New York because the air was so dirty in Pittsburgh.)
After several years of research and writing, Perelman self-published Steel using CreateSpace, an
independent publishing platform. Though it’s his fourth book and Perelman also has had a poem published and written for trade publications, including this one, he says he never wanted to be a full-time writer or journalist.
But he didn’t always dream of being in the family jewelry business either.
Perelman’s grandfather started what became King’s of New Castle in 1914, meaning the chain celebrated its 100th anniversary this year. Perelman’s father went into the business in the 1930s, and Perelman, now 72, followed in the 1970s but only after being coaxed back from Cleveland by his family.
In 1981, he sold majority ownership in the chain to Renco Group but remained on to run the stores until his retirement in 2006. After he retired, Renco Group took full ownership.
This year, Perelman’s niece and nephew, Jennifer and David, bought back the family business, which now numbers only seven stores. Perelman says they retained the stores closest to home, in the Pennsylvania towns of Monaca, New Castle, Sharon, Cranberry Township, Washington and Pittsburgh and in East Liverpool, Ohio.
“I am pleased to see that,” he says of his niece and nephew’s purchase. “They love the jewelry business. Our family’s been in it for four generations and I think they want to keep it alive.”
With the stores now back in family hands, Perelman says he does assist his niece and nephew from time to time. However, he doesn’t intend to re-enter the jewelry business full time and plans to continue writing.
While he says he “doesn’t make a living off of [writing]”--a statement any scribe can identify with--his book sales are decent and being a published author on a topic so integral to the area’s identity connects him to his community. After writing Steel, Perelman lined up a series of speaking engagements at historical societies, a couple of Rotary Clubs and a Lion’s Club. This keeps his name and, by association, the King’s of New Castle name, in people’s minds.
And he’s not done. The second installment of Steel will pick up where the first book left off at turn of the 20th century and go through 1937. As for steel production during World War II and industry’s U.S. downfall in the 1980s, “That’s going to be my third installment,” Perelman says.
More on Independents
The Latest
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This SummerThe luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.
Events & AwardsApr 03, 2026
JCK Luxury, NouvelleBox Partner on New Designer BallroomThe NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessYou deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Buddha Mama Brings Its ‘Moon’ Locket To DallasThe one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.
Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff ConcernsThe new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in TaiwanIt is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce InitiativeThe initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales RepresentativeThe wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion DesignsFoundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to AuctionA Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in MarchThe Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant ApplicationsApplications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ CollectionMejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in DallasThe Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
NDC Designates April 8 as 'World Diamond Day'The initiative invites those in the industry to share stories on social media highlighting the meaning and impact of natural diamonds.
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring CatalogThe new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from DiavikProduction has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England LocationThe store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.
MajorsMar 27, 2026
Saks Global Has Changed Its Mind About Closing These 3 StoresTwo Saks Fifth Avenue locations, one in Florida and one in California, and one Neiman Marcus store are off the chopping block.
CollectionsMar 27, 2026
Itä’s ‘Yarí Whirl’ Ring Tells Every Side of the StoryIn the “Tesoro” version of the ring, our Piece of the Week, each side of the gold hexagonal nugget has a unique colored gemstone design.
WatchesMar 26, 2026
Q&A: Citizen Watch America President Jeffrey Cohen on Eco-Drive’s 50th AnniversaryCohen discusses the evolution of Citizen’s light-powered technology, the brand’s cross-generational appeal, and tariffs.
