Jewelry

Custom Jewelry With a Hip-Hop Following - New York Times

In the evening, it’s busy, with patrons moving around each other to look at pieces in glass cases or on the walls. “We speak four languages,” William said. “English, Spanish, Cantonese and Mandarin.”

“We spent $20,000 our first time here,” said Alonsa Gutierrez, a Cuban immigrant holding a brick of $20s in her hand. Today, she and her three friends would be spending about $7,000. They picked over a pile of gold objects — earrings, necklaces, and bracelets — as if it were popcorn.

Marcus Pierre, 23, of the Bronx, was getting his girlfriend’s initials engraved in his ring. An elfin 21-year-old model with dreadlocks named Thomas Castro was buying a ring, encrusted with diamonds and in the shape of two panthers, for his mother.

Before he left, Mr. Castro showed Eva a video on his phone of a Kohl’s commercial he had starred in. She watched it like a proud mother.

In a way, Popular Jewelry is a home away from home for Mr. Castro and other regular customers.

But “I can’t come too much,” Mr. Castro said. “Every time I come, I spend cheese.”