Jewelry store offers $3.6M necklace to compete with e-commerce

In the ongoing battle brick-and-mortar retailers are waging with e-commerce entities, a Naples jewelry store has an out-of-this-world weapon: a Harry Winston sapphire and diamond necklace priced at $3.6 million.

That one-of-a-kind piece that is now available in Provident Jewelry’s Fifth Avenue South location. Complemented by other high-end pieces, Provident, which operates seven locations in Florida, including the Naples store and one in Fort Myers, aims to make in-store shopping an event that can’t be duplicated online.

“Our vision for this store is to build on Provident’s successful bridal and watch business as well as the estate jewelry buying and selling business,” Jarred Kaplan, managing partner for the Naples and Fort Myers stores, says in a statement. “Ultimately, we would like to move into super unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, including colored stones, diamonds and emeralds.”

In further creating an experience-based shopping option, Provident is also expanding its Fifth Avenue store, from 2,800 square feet to 6,000 square feet. The buildout, according to the statement, is designed to give “customers a more exotic and luxurious experience when shopping for jewelry.” Construction, including “exquisite areas for socializing and more private areas for private showings for customers” is expected to begin in April, with completion anticipated by mid-November.