A Hamptons Legend: London Jewelers

The Udell family inside London Jewelers

	Fran and Mayer Udell » Timeline: A look back at London Jewelers

“There were pigeons living inside!” recalls Candy Udell, president of London Jewelers, describing the state of the former Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in East Hampton back in 1995. Though the dilapidated, boarded-up historic building “needed lots of work,” Mark Udell, Candy’s husband and London Jewelers’ CEO, saw the potential of the building to regain its former glory, and for its location on the corner of Main Street and Newtown Lane to become as prestigious as “the corner of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.”

Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.” Though the store was beautifully restored to gleaming white Federal Style perfection, the flashy gold letters that grace the entryway certainly raised a few eyebrows; at the time, the East End was not yet the upscale shopper’s playground it is today. There was Ralph Lauren, of course, but the advent of London Jewelers in the then-quiet area marked the true beginning of the Hamptons’ glamification period. Many longtime residents and weekenders were ambivalent about its presence, so when it came time to officially open for business, the Udells didn’t burst onto the scene with a lot of fanfare and GRAND OPENING pennants. Instead, they tried to foster an atmosphere of trust and friendship within the community.

“When you walk into a room, your reputation precedes you,” says Candy. This has been the company’s philosophy since 1926, when Mark’s grandfather Charles London serviced clocks for clients who lived in the Great Gatsby-era mansions on Long Island’s Gold Coast. “When we opened that first summer, we hosted an intimate cocktail party every weekend in honor of local charities. That’s how the community got to know us. A few people would even come by every Saturday night just to socialize and have a little dinner.”

Celebrating a Legend
Like the East End itself, the parties have become more luxurious and high-profile, from an exclusive dinner at Nick & Toni’s with Patek Philippe to a memorable bash in Bridgehampton for the watchmaker Hublot featuring dinner prepared by Tom Colicchio and a performance by Lionel Richie. Today the East Hampton store is a glamorous social club of sorts, where everyone is welcome and warmly embraced. “We’ve made it a place for people to come and meet before seeing a movie or grabbing a bite to eat,” says Candy. “The store is always buzzing, and the atmosphere is always warm and enthusiastic.”