A new jewelry business is now making its home at La Encantada shopping center. At gorjana — spelled with a small g and pronounced “gor-yana” — find the most delicate of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and charms that celebrate milestones and moments.
The chain is owned by Gorjana and Jason Reidel, who live in California, but have now opened stores across the country, including Phoenix. This is the third Gorjana store in Arizona.
“We’ve had great success in the Phoenix and Scottsdale market,” COO Tanya Obermeyer said. “It’s been an important state for us to address and make sure we’re hitting the entire addressable market. Tucson was just a matter of time.”
In addition, the owner once lived in Arizona.
“Arizona holds a special place in my heart as an alumna of Arizona State University and it has been so much fun to open stores in a state I once called home,” Gorjana Reidel said. “The Catalina Foothills are a stunning backdrop for our third location in the state, and we are so excited to welcome even more Arizona shoppers to our new Tucson location.”
The brand Gorjana calls itself easy, effortless jewelry, and is meant to be layered or worn alone.
“We have a mix of fine jewelry and fashion products,” Obermeyer said. “Our fashion products are 18-carat gold plated jewelry. It’s really accessible, at an entry level price point. Our fine jewelry is 14-carat jewelry and it’s at an accessible price point.”
The products are lovely, no question, and the fashion jewelry can be affordable, but it is not a five-and-dime product. A gold- or silver-plated necklace with a bit of embellishment is $58. There are several others at this price, embellished with colorful stones or a charm in the shape of a letter.
Avery is the highest priced fashion necklace, coming in at $175. It measures 33 inches and also comes gold- or silver-plated and features a lock and key charm.
Necklaces in the fine jewelry category are 14-carat gold and could feature a small diamond and opal. This comes in at $165. If you’re feeling more generous, the top priced necklace, the Melbourne, is $4,500, but features 36 diamonds on a 14-carat gold chain. It is a beautiful piece.
The bracelets come in different sizes up to seven inches. Also look for earrings and rings.
One of the features of gorjana jewelry is their customer service. Sales staff are trained to ascertain a customer’s style and can then show them what might appeal and how to layer with other pieces. Everything in the store, Obermeyer said, is available to try on.
To that end there are vanity-like, “styling stations” around the walls of the store where customers may sit and try things on.
The business’ customer base is varied.
“We don’t have one customer,” Obermeyer said. “Our customers can be met with several different types of our products. If you are someone who goes to UA and you’re coming in here … you’re going to shop fashion or fine product. You’re going to be able to style it or stack (earrings) no matter how many piercings you have.”
Earrings may also be bought singly or by the pair.
Making a connection with the customer is the most important thing, Obermeyer said.
“We’re going to try to understand what you want; we want you to feel welcome into the store,” she said. “It’s not about the product first, it’s about welcoming you in, learning what you’re here for. We tell you a little bit about the brand and then from there we’ll try to figure out what product might be best, what you’re interested in, what we can style for you.”
Even fun can enter the equation.
“Our goal is, ‘Come over, sit down, let’s style, let’s have fun,’” Obermeyer said. “Even if you walk away with nothing today, we want you to have fun playing with the product… We want it to be a personal and fun experience for you.”
Gorjana
Upstairs at La Encantada
2905 E. Skyline Drive
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
909-174-9172, gorjana.com
