Meet the Independent Toronto Jeweller That Has Served the Community for 46 Years
Humbertown Jewellers founder Ferit Tecimer has provided generations of Toronto families with precious heirloom pieces.
By Alyssa Hirose
For 46 years, Humbertown Jewellers has been a trusted fixture in the Toronto community, serving generations of clients with brilliant diamonds, meticulously curated gemstones, and luxury Swiss timepieces. Now well into a major renovation, the family-run jeweller is reimagining its space to create an even better experience for the wider community. Yet despite the opulence of its windowfront wares today, the company’s beginnings were far more modest.
“I will always remember the first one-carat ring I sold in the beginning days,” founder Ferit Tecimer says. Born and raised in Turkey, Tecimer is a third-generation jeweller. Armed with the skills he learned from his father and grandfather, he moved his young family to Ontario in 1978 and opened his first Canadian jewellery store in 1980. The pieces he sold then were not quite the bespoke high jewellery for which the store is known today, but every purchase was still a reason to celebrate.
For Tecimer, luxury isn’t about being flashy; it’s about understated, timeless elegance. “There’s a confidence that comes from an appreciation for excellence in design, craftsmanship, and exceptional quality,” he says. The company’s signature pieces begin with loose stones evaluated and selected by Humbertown’s GIA- and FGA-credentialed gemologists, whose years of training and expertise inform each one-of-a-kind design developed in collaboration with clients.
Ferit Tecimer
“We are dedicated to listening to what clients want and making appropriate design proposals to capture the essence of their taste in both a meaningful and functional way.”
“We are dedicated to listening to what clients want and making appropriate design proposals to capture the essence of their taste in both a meaningful and functional way,” Tecimer says. He and his team stay attuned to jewellery trends while prioritizing designs with lasting appeal. Their pieces are intentionally crafted to be worn again and again, offering a lifetime—or more—of style.
Tecimer has always been cognizant of the investment involved in purchasing high-quality jewellery. “We are not selling necessities. Our clients do not need us; they can live without the products we are selling,” he says. Instead, Tecimer and his team focus on forming meaningful relationships with their customers, fostering genuine friendships, and ensuring that a once-in-a-lifetime purchase doesn’t mean a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Humbertown.
“Clients will swing by just to have a cup of coffee and catch up,” says Dan Tecimer, Ferit’s son. As the fourth generation of Tecimers in the jewellery business, Dan remembers spending his teenage years running errands for the store, including making last-minute special deliveries directly to customers’ doors. For Ferit, welcoming his children into the business has been his proudest career milestone.
That’s not to say there haven’t been other momentous accomplishments over the past 46 years. The addition of Swiss timepieces was a significant one. Humbertown’s in-house watchmakers are trained to service and repair each Swiss watch brand the store carries according to its standards. The store is also undergoing its fifth renovation, which will triple its square footage. More recently, the company has expanded its fine-jewellery offerings, making classic ready-to-wear designs such as tennis bracelets, diamond earrings, pendant necklaces, and eternity rings available to clients.
Like the jewellers themselves, many Humbertown clients represent the next generation. Children and grandchildren of longtime customers often bring in heirloom jewellery to be repaired or reworked into new, personalized pieces rich with history and meaning.
“We’re proud to be part of the lives of generations
of families we have served over the years,” says Tecimer.
To explore Humbertown Jewellers’ luxury timepieces, fine jewellery, and specialized services, visit the company’s website.
Humbertown Jewellers
270 The Kingsway, Toronto
416 234 1600
humbertownjewellers.com