LIMON'S HISTORY

Robert Limon, Inc. is a family-owned and operated firm founded in 1950, with roots back to 1920. In 1920, Jacob Limon, Robert's father, opened his own "trade shop," designing and manufacturing the finest handmade jewelry in platinum and gold for retail jewelers in the Washington, DC, and Richmond, VA areas.  

After twenty years of training and experience in his father's shop, Robert Limon, by then a well-qualified platinum and gold craftsman who had completed the gem courses offered by the Gemological Institute of America, and had earned membership and the title "Certified Gemologist" in the prestigious American Gem Society, left his father's firm and opened his own trade shop and gemological laboratory in 1950.

During the next ten years, Mr. Limon developed a clientele of fine retail jewelers while opening his business to the public for gemological services (appraising, gem identification, and grading) only.

During this period, he also devised a unique method of grading diamonds' "make" (quality of cutting) and invented three instruments required to ascertain those grades. He was elected to the board of directors of the American Gem Society from 1959 to 1966 and 1975 to 1981, serving on the Diamond Grading Committee, The Appraisals Committee, and the Organization and Procedures Committee.

In 1960, Mr. Limon moved into the jewelry retail business, buying a Washington store from Ferrucio Pini. Mr. Pini, a superb craftsman in gold and silver, had depended on Mr. Limon for all his customers' custom orders in platinum. At that time, Mr. Pini wished to retire and return to his native Florence, Italy, while assuring his clients continued superior craftsmanship and ethical business practices he had afforded them for forty years.

In 1968, the firm was incorporated and moved to its present location at 7909 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. Here, the firm continues to provide platinum and gold jewelry handmade to the highest standards of materials and craftsmanship and restoration and repairs of fine jewelry. The firm specializes in selling diamonds cut to ideal proportions and finish, colored gems of high quality, high-quality jewelry from other manufacturers, and antique and estate jewelry. We also provide accurate, dependable gemological services.

In 1977, Clifford F. Limon, Jr., Robert's grandson, joined the firm. He undertook several years of training and experience at the bench. He attained the Registered Jeweler title from the American Gem Society and is now the firm's president. Under his direction, the firm maintained the highest standards of craftsmanship, selection of gems and manufactured jewelry for sale, and personal service to its clients. 

In 1953 Robert Limon was honored at a special dinner meeting of the Washington Guild of the American Gem Society, a group of approximately 25 jewelers in the Washington, Annapolis, Baltimore, Richmond, and Hagerstown areas. Mr. Limon was honored for his continuing efforts to help other jewelers become efficient gemologists while maintaining high ethical standards of jewelry business conduct.

In 1975, at the request of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, Robert Limon removed the famous Hope Diamond from its diamond necklace setting. He made and installed concealed locking hinges in two of its four prongs and reset them to facilitate the future risk-free removal of the gem for weighing and scientific study.

Robert Limon was the principal author of the AGS Diamond Grading Standards published in 1966 and adopted by the American Gem Society in 1975.  

Robert Limon was the author of the AGS Standards for Appraisal and Gemological Services adopted by the Society in September 1979.  

In 1972, Robert Limon was the recipient of the Shipley Award, the jewelry industry's most prestigious award, conferred for outstanding service to the American Gem Society, to the science of gemology, and to the public.       

On May 12, 1998, Robert Limon passed on after a long battle with congestive heart failure. In August of the same year, Cliff's brother, Robbie Limon, joined the firm and worked at the bench with Harry Marsoubian, who trained with Robert for 27 years.

We continue to be dedicated to the principals of integrity, customer service, quality, and value.