Colonial Jewelers is a fourth-generation, family-owned jewelry store! Our inventory has seen a lot of changes over the decades, and the services we offer have evolved but our commitment to quality and value has not changed. Today we sell fine jewelry and watches, specialize in engagement rings and wedding bands, and offer jewelry and watch repairs. We also do as much as possible in-house, with our trained gemologists, very experienced master jeweler, and our custom design department, Custom by Colonial! Colonial Jewelers remains a staple of the Frederick community, with a commitment to quality, fair pricing, and the golden rule that has been passed down through generations. We are proud to be the oldest business in Downtown Frederick.
A conversation with Sarah Hurwitz, Owner
Tell us your business or organization origin story!
Founded by Ben Hurwitz, a clockmaker who immigrated from Russia in 1920, the store began in Westminster as Colombia Jewelers. By 1948, Ben’s son, Will, and daughter-in-law, Marilyn, eventually opened a second location in Frederick. After a lot of success in the new location, the Frederick store moved to 9 West Patrick Street and later to its current location at 1 South Market Street. In 1973, Will and Marilyn’s son Jeff joined the business, eventually leading Colonial Jewelers as president until 2023, when he and his wife Patty passed the baton to their daughter, Sarah Hurwitz Robey, who took over as the fourth-generation president on the 75th anniversary of Colonial Jewelers. Patty and Jeff still help at the store regularly, and Sarah’s husband, Chris, is the CAD Designer for Custom by Colonial!
What do you like most about being a business or organization located in Frederick County?
The best part about being a business in Frederick is the constant support and sense of community from our customers, community residents, and neighboring small businesses. The community always comes together in good times and bad to lift each other up. There is celebration and support for every new business that opens, an outpouring of love when one closes, and there is no competition – we all want to see each other succeed, and that’s why we are always recommending other small businesses in town to our own customers. People in this community really value supporting locally owned businesses which we love!
What makes your business or organization unique?
As Sarah says, “A multigenerational family business is rare, and we’re lucky to continue this legacy of service and values.” It’s a very big accomplishment to be a fourth-generation family business! We have stayed in Downtown Frederick through the good and bad times and are proud to be the oldest business here and Frederick’s most trusted jeweler.
What do you want your business or organization to be known for, or what do you wish people knew about your business or organization?
We want everyone to feel welcome in our store. While “fine jewelry” sounds intimidating, we truly have something for everyone, and we would love to help you find the perfect piece of jewelry for your budget and lifestyle.
Share some of your community involvement efforts!
We give back to the community in various ways: donations, drives, sponsorships, etc. Patty and Jeff Hurwitz founded the Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund in 1999 after Patty’s diagnosis with breast cancer. To date the fund has raised over $3.5 million which all stays right here in our local community to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Our most prominent in-store way of giving back is through our Em(Brace)let Program. We have a variety of beautiful bracelets that support different local charities in Frederick. Each bracelet is $30, and 100% of the proceeds go to the charity. All bracelets are available to purchase year-round, in-store, or online.
What do you do best?
We specialize in helping people express their love through timeless gifts of jewelry. We also are here to help take care of those gifts through our state of the art in house service department. We have the most friendly and knowledgeable team who will help with all of your jewelry needs.
We specialize in engagement rings and wedding bands – but no matter what you come in for, you will always get the Colonial experience!
Is there anything else exciting about your business that you want the Chamber membership to know about?
If you didn’t know, we also offer permanent bracelets! This is a very fun, unique experience – perfect for a treat for yourself or a group activity. We offer a variety of plain chains as well as birthstone chains! You can always come in or make an appointment online.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.