How Material Good’s Second-Ever Location In Miami Has Evolved The Luxury Retail Landscape

If you’re keen on jewelry and timepieces, chances are you are very familiar with Material Good. A brand founded with a simple mission — that luxury transcends an object — Material Good has completely revolutionized the luxury landscape for jewelry and watch retailers. Firm believers in that style is an expression of self, Material Good opened its second-ever location in Miami in 2023 during perhaps the most expressive week for the Magic City, Art Basel. Ahead, Haute Living sits down with the visionaries behind Material Good — Rob Ronen and Michael Herman, the Co-Founders, and Teresa Panico, the Director of Marketing & Fine Jewelry — to understand how they have created such an intimate relationship with their customer and how the Miami location in the esteemed South of Fifth neighborhood has set a new industry standard.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Material Good

HAUTE LIVING: ​​What inspired Material Good to choose Miami as its second location, and how does it reflect the city’s unique culture and style? Was Miami always a city on your mind?
ROB RONEN & MICHAEL HERMAN: We chose Miami for Material Good’s second location based on demand from our existing client base. We’re seeing that New York to Miami is becoming the new ‘bi-coastal.’ Michael moved to Miami with his family, and fell in love with the area and community. With many of our clients migrating south, it felt natural to follow suit. We had always planned to expand into new markets. The Miami space has been in the works for about three years.

HL: Can you share some insights into Material Good’s luxury approach that has set the brand apart in the retail industry?
RR & MH: The team at Material Good treats each client like a VIP, providing a highly tailored, luxury experience centered around education and personal connection. Whether a client is just browsing the incredible selection, choosing an entry-level purchase, or looking to create a high-value, one-of-a-kind piece, they go above and beyond to ensure that each experience is best in class.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Material Good

HL: How does Material Good foster connections between clients and its staff of experts? What personalized services can customers expect at Material Good?
RR & MH: We opened Material Good in 2015 after spending most of our careers in watch and jewelry sales, respectively. Based on our experience working with salespeople whose only goal was to push product, we came together to create an experiential luxury retail model. Our goal was to bring education, connection, and joy into the customer experience.

The original NYC space and new Miami Beach location both feel more like a luxe living space than a store — and that’s by design, to make clients feel comfortable and inspire authentic discovery. Each is a space where beautiful objects invite personal connection. Customers are invited to peruse the offerings, without any pressure of making a purchase, and enjoy the space itself. With original artwork on the walls from Basquiat and Haring, plush lounge areas, and a full bar, the vibe is clearly, “come in and stay a while.”

Each client is treated like a VIP, receiving the highest level of service, including custom design [no matter the size of the project], sourcing of rare and special stones, and guidance regarding how to curate a well-rounded collection and make sound investments. Going beyond the traditional customer experience, Material Good’s staff of experts seeks to build organic relationships with clients so that they can better understand each individual’s style, preferences, and goals.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Material Good

HL: Can you walk us through the Miami product curation? How does the selection cater to the local community’s preferences and tastes?
TERESA PANICO: Material Good Miami houses an extensive collection of fine jewelry from their in-house collection as well as from sought-after designers including Fernando Jorge, AZLEE, Anita Ko – and exclusive offerings from Nikos Koulis, Dries Criel, and Silvia Furmanovich. The Material Good collection ranges from “Effortless Goods,” which are under $5K to one-of-a-kind high jewelry, created with the most incredible and rare natural diamonds.

As one of the largest purveyors of vintage & pre-owned Audemars Piguet timepieces, Material Good Miami offers an array of very special and rare vintage diamond-set APs. Specific references of note include 5402A series AP, variations of 3700 vintage Pateks, diamond-set vintage Cartier Crash, and a Rolex Daytona Paul Newman, to name a few.

Material Good Miami’s product curation was centered around unique, wearable jewelry designs and legacy timepieces – reflecting the ‘laid-back luxe’ Miami lifestyle. Also available: a selection of rare and highly collectible leather goods from Hermés and Chanel.

HL: How would you describe the design and ambiance of Material Good’s new Miami location? How does it differ from the original SoHo space?
RR & MH: The SoHo and Miami spaces are designed to invite discovery, each equal parts aspirational and welcoming, and hyper-tailored to their respective communities. The original SoHo space, which opened in 2015, is modeled after a chic NYC loft: warm and inviting, with multiple “living spaces,” and a full bar. The Miami location is bathed in natural light with stunning ocean views of Miami Beach. The space features private rooms with sophisticated, colorful design elements and fine art from Jean-Michel Basquiat, Richard Prince, Salvador Dalí and more.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Material Good

HL: Material Good prides itself on sourcing high-quality natural diamonds and special stones. What sets the in-house collection apart, and how do you ensure each piece elicits a unique and positive reaction?
TP: Material Good’s in-house collection is designed and crafted in New York City, with hand-selected, highest-quality stones and materials. Material Good’s gem experts are passionate about sourcing the most unique stones from all over the world and consistently introduce new, bold yet classic designs. Material Good values individuality and seeks to help every client find a piece that’s unique to them. Our mission is to create jewelry that elicits an “Ooh, where’d you get that?!” response. In-house jewelry highlights include rare fancy-colored diamonds and sapphires, exquisitely unique engagement rings, and glittering, embellished diamond designs, highlighting interesting cuts, such as elongated emeralds, antique-style cushion cuts, and step-cut pears. The Material Good team also works with clients to find/source/create their dream piece, no matter the budget.

HL: How do the Pre-Owned and Vintage Vault initiatives at Material Good work?
RR & MH: The Pre-Owned and Vintage Vault houses rare, exceptional timepieces from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe. Each timepiece is chosen for its detail, artistry, and technical ingenuity. Material Good’s team of experts can source virtually anything a client may be looking for. Yoni Ben-Yehuda, Head of Watches, is an expert in the field and works with clients, including Hailey Bieber, Francisco Lindor, and John Legend, to curate their collections. Each client is met with a uniquely luxurious, collaborative, and educational experience.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Material Good

HL: What was your ultimate goal in opening in Miami?
MH: I believed in this community so much — I not only moved my family here but Rob and I decided to build a whole business around this market. We envisioned a space that honors the bright energy of the city and offers the community an ultra-inviting, luxury space, where they can discover beautiful things.