Celebrating Love for
Four Generations

Adler’s Diamonds, initiated in 2021, is owned and operated by Danielle Adler Estes and Jessica Adler Gerring. The sisters were raised at the heels of jewelers, as their father, grandfather, and great-grandmother were the three generations to own Adler’s Jewelers.

This box came to America with Larry Adler in 1957. He received it after WWII when he was incarcerated in a Serbian prison camp for being Jewish. He saved other inmates lives by sneaking them extra food, and they built this box for him after the camp was liberated. It is signed by all of those inmates on the inside.

The Adler’s had three children, including Larry Adler in 1910. Throughout this time, Larry’s mother continued the watchmaking trade. When Larry began to show an interest, she taught him the basics and sent him to receive professional training. By age 13, he had graduated from watchmaking school and was building watches, wall clocks and grandfather clocks from scratch. When Larry’s mother retired, Larry opened his own storefront in Budapest. The business thrived for many years, until the beginning of World War II.

Many Jews in Hungary were able to survive the first few years of the war, but after the German occupation of Hungary in 1944, Jews were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp. Every single member of the Adler family, with the exception of Larry and one of his nephews, was killed by firing squad or sent to Auschwitz, where they ultimately perished. After surviving a concentration camp named Dachau he then ended up in a Serbian work camp. Despite the deplorable conditions and horrific mistreatment of the prisoners, Larry was one of the fortunate few Jews to survive the war.

Adler’s Jewelers regained some of its former success after the war. However, then end of WWII did not mark the end of the civil unrest in Hungary. The country remained extremely dangerous, and though Larry and Elizabeth longed to stay in their homeland, the beginning of the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 forced their hand. Deciding that it was no longer safe to raise their young children in Budapest, the Adler’s began the risky and difficult trek as political refugees.

Through a sponsor family, Larry was able to find a gentleman who would rent him enough space for a watchmaking bench. The gentleman, Mr. Blau, spoke English and Hungarian, and helped Larry write out cards that said, “I am Larry Adler, I fix watch” with a phone number to speak with Mr. Blau. This is how Adler’s Jewelers in Saint Louis began!

Thomas carried on the tradition by teaching the trade to his daughters, Danielle and Jessica the fourth generation. Danielle worked alongside him for over 20 years at the final Adler’s Jeweler’s location in Brentwood until its doors closed in 2021. Her vision for the future of the Adler Family is what fueled the creative whirlwind forming the modern wave of Adler’s Diamonds.