8. Albert Weiss Jewelers, 15 West 37th Street
Albert Weiss began his career in the 1930s as an apprentice at Coro Jewelry, one of the country’s largest costume jewelry manufacturers. Weiss developed his skill as a jewelry designer and in 1942 founded his own business on Fifth Avenue. Weiss specialized in handcrafted pieces that featured smoky rhinestones, called “black diamonds,” in intricate settings. His advertising slogan was “Why do you want diamonds when there is Albert Weiss!”
Weiss turned the company over to his son Michael in 1969. Financial difficulties forced Albert Weiss to close in 1971. Its ad remains in the Garment District though obscured by Marriott’s Fairfield Inn and Suites.
