[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  MARKING 100TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF H. HORWITZ CO., CHICAGO'S OLDEST 
                          FAMILY-OWNED JEWELER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ney). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
one of Chicago's finest and most longstanding family-owned businesses, 
the H. Horwitz Company, jewelers since 1899. 1999 marks the 100th year 
anniversary of H. Horwitz Company, Chicago's oldest family-owned 
jeweler. Founder Hyman Horwitz emigrated to the United States from 
Russia in 1895, equipped with a jeweler's training and desire to start 
his own business. At first, his one-room loop shop handled only jewelry 
repairs. But it soon blossomed into a thriving boutique that in 
addition to gems, provided gainful employment for a passel of Horwitz's 
Russian Jewish brothers and sisters. Scooping Service Merchandise by 
decades, he sold his diamonds alongside luggage, radios and cameras 
from the 1930s through the 1960s through his jewels values catalog. 
Horwitz and his son Donald, who ran the shop until 1998, experimented 
from the start with cutting edge jewelry designs. Theirs was one of the 
first companies to produce the pearl mystery clasp, a setting in which 
a necklace or bracelet clasp is drilled into two pearls, allowing them 
to screw together. The all around channel setting, now a common setting 
for diamond rings, was another pioneering step forward in jewelry 
design for the company.
  This spirit of innovation also characterized Hyman Horwitz's 
humanitarian interest. In addition to supporting several Chicago 
charitable organizations, such as the Shrine Foundation and Chicago's 
Scholarship Fund, Horwitz created a custom braille watch to give to the 
blind of Chicago. This watch was made to size with the bracelet band 
and engraved with the name on the back. Of the luminaries who have 
shopped at H. Horwitz, least surprising is the one famous for his 
diamond fetish, Liberace. Other patrons have included former Illinois 
Governor Otto Kerner, Henry Youngman, Archbishop Samuel Cardinal 
Stritch, Chicago's Goldblatt family and insurance magnate and 
philanthropist W. Clement Stone.
  Now run by Donald's wife Phyllis and son Craig, H. Horwitz and 
Company continues to offer fine jewelry at a discount. The company also 
imports all of its diamonds and precious gems directly from diamond 
cutters.
  Mr. Speaker, 100 years is a long time, especially is it a long time 
to own and operate a business in one of the Nation's finest cities, 
Chicago, the windy city, city of the big shoulders, the city of 
neighborhoods. Yes, Chicago, the home of Horwitz jewelers. Yes, Ms. 
Phyllis Horwitz, we salute you and your family for an outstanding 
century of providing services to Chicagoans and all of those who have 
come to know of your service, professionalism and contributions to 
humanity. We say congratulations. We wish you well as you continue down 
the road to success. You are makers of history and we are pleased that 
you are a part of our community and that you prepare and distribute 
some of the finest jewelry in the world.

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