BOSTON — Using classic rocks — and rockers — as its theme, jeweler Shreve, Crump & Low struck the opening chord for its new flagship on Thursday on Boylston Street here.
The interior of the 22,000-square-foot emporium is replete with curve motifs, articulated with circles, arcs and demi-lunes that extend from the cases to the carpet to the 580 handblown bubbles of Steuben glass hanging spectacularly from a two-story circular cutout in the center of the store.
Visual director Lucy Ann Bouwman outfitted windows and six interior “stages” with an homage to Boston natives Aerosmith and constructed a huge wreath out of melted, curled albums.
In the touches of smoky, mirrored glass and glossy dark woods, there is a nod to the former flagship, an Art Deco space a few blocks away that the 209-year-old jeweler occupied for the past 70 years.
But the new store, which formerly housed FAO Schwarz, has better lighting and a more open layout that allows the retailer to put fashion on the first floor and basics, like engagement rings, Mikimoto pearls and sterling silver baby rattles, in a more intimate setting upstairs.
The first floor’s purpose is to pique the interest of a younger, more fashionable customer through big-name designers such as Gucci and through intricate workmanship unavailable at lower-priced competitors. The store has taken greater risks with edgier jewelry, such as massive citrine and coral pieces from Tony Duquette and heavy alligator bracelets from Kieselstein-Cord. There are also new takes on necklaces and brooches for power suits from classic jeweler Seaman Schepps.
Shreve’s has a Boston exclusive on about 70 percent of its designers.
“We’ve seen an onslaught of customers looking for larger pieces and warmer colors in rings and neck pieces,” said Cathy Cronin, Shreve’s diamond buyer. She chose to lead the floor with Paul Morelli’s gold filigree pieces, backed up by Laura Gibson, whose rock candy-style necklaces continue to perform “phenomenally,” said Cronin.
Upstairs, Shreve’s has grouped Vera Wang with its 30-foot engagement ring display, tripling the space devoted to the category. There is a private diamond room for VIP customers, a repair shop, stationer and bridal registry.
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Shreve, Crump & Low operates a second store in The Mall at Chestnut Hill in Chestnut Hill, Mass. It is owned by Montreal-based Tryingham Investments Ltd., which purchased the jeweler in 1992 for $4 million.