Location/Region: Annapolis, MD
Industry: Jewelry Retail and manufacturing
Apps implemented: Sales, CRM, Accounting, Project, Calendar, Appointments, Dashboards, Documents, Purchase, Inventory, Manufacturing, Repairs, Planning, Time Off, Email Marketing, SMS Marketing, and Website.
Software Replaced: Jules360, Squarespace, QuickBooks, Revitalize, Jotform, Mailchimp, Basecamp, among others.
Company size: 15
Hosting type: Odoo Online

Every diamond tells a story, every gemstone marks a moment. At Zachary’s Jewelers, these aren’t just pieces of jewelry, they are the milestones of people’s lives: engagements, weddings, anniversaries, and celebrations that families treasure forever. 

Behind the sparkle and craftsmanship, however, lies a complex operation that must keep up with every detail, every client, every unique request. To manage this seamlessly, Zachary’s Jewelers turned to Odoo, with a platform that now connects their entire business, and lets them focus on what really matters: people and their stories.

Founded in 1992 by Steven Samaras and his right hand, Errol Daily, Zachary’s Jewelers began with humble roots in Annapolis, Maryland. From the start, the business was built on relationships and trust, serving the local community with care and commitment. Today, the company has grown into a multi-brand, award-winning independent retail jewelry store specializing in natural diamonds, gemstones, and precious metal pieces.

Like many retail businesses, Zachary’s Jewelers once relied on a patchwork of tools: Jules360 (a jewelry-specific platform), Squarespace for their website, QuickBooks, Revitalize, Jotform, Mailchimp, Basecamp, and more. Each system served a purpose, but none connected seamlessly.

This fragmented setup forced leadership to spend hours pulling data from multiple sources just to prepare for management meetings. Their CFO and COO often had to manually compile numbers to understand client pipelines and performance metrics.

“We were calling it a ‘single source of truth’, and we didn’t have one. Everything was disjointed, and it was hard to communicate internally or get visibility in real time.”

Constance Polamalu
COO at Zachary’s Jewelers

At one point, they even considered combining Shopify with Salesforce. But neither could manage ERP functions the way Zachary’s needed. That’s when Odoo entered the picture.

Why Odoo Became the Answer 

When Constance first heard about Odoo, she realized it could do everything the bigger-name platforms offered, without the high costs or integration headaches. More importantly, Odoo could serve as the “workhorse” behind their business and provide the unified visibility they were searching for.

The team began seriously evaluating tech in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the inability to access systems remotely highlighted the cracks in their setup. By 2021, they chose Odoo, and in August 2022, they fully transitioned.

Today, Zachary’s Jewelers runs a wide suite of Odoo apps, including Sales, CRM, Accounting, Project, Calendar, Appointments, Dashboards, Documents, Purchase, Inventory, Manufacturing, Repairs, Planning, Time Off, Email Marketing, SMS Marketing, and Website.

 One Place for Communication: The Chatter has been transformative. With team members ranging from Gen Z to the founders in their 70s, Chatter provides a simple, accessible hub where everyone can log notes, upload documents, and keep track of updates. Even handwritten notes are photographed and uploaded, making collaboration seamless.

 Managing a Complex Workflow: Zachary’s Jewelers often juggles 200 to 400 jobs in process at any given time. With Odoo Activities, the team ensures nothing slips through the cracks. A strict rule ensures that if an activity is marked complete but the job isn’t finished, a new activity must be scheduled. This keeps accountability and clarity across departments.

 Real-Time Inventory Control: For a business dealing in high-value items, inventory management is critical. Odoo’s Inventory app connects directly with Accounting and Purchase, giving the team real-time visibility into where each piece of jewelry is located. Constance highlighted the ease of pulling updated inventory reports and relocating items quickly thanks to recent Odoo updates.

 Empowering Every Generation: One of the biggest measures of success has been flexibility. The founders and senior employees, many approaching retirement, can now contribute meaningfully without being in-store. Constance herself, who runs another business, can manage operations remotely. This freedom has allowed Zachary’s Jewelers to grow while keeping its seasoned talent engaged.

 The Numbers Behind the Change: While Constance emphasized that Odoo has improved “every task we do,” the most powerful impact is qualitative: better communication, faster workflows, and remote access that keeps leadership active even as they scale back in-store hours. The company has achieved smoother operations and stronger collaboration across all departments.

​The Road Ahead

Zachary’s Jewelers isn’t done exploring Odoo’s potential. They already use the Website app, and one of their most exciting next steps is to run multiple websites through Odoo, each with distinct customer-facing presences. They are also considering acquisitions of other businesses, which they could manage from their existing Odoo dashboard.

Additionally, Constance plans to expand the use of Repairs, optimize how they use Documents, and take advantage of new marketing updates like enhanced email and SMS campaigns.

For Zachary’s Jewelers, Odoo has already delivered the unified system they long sought: a true “single source of truth” for their operations. The company continues to grow while honoring its mission to “bring humanity to retail,” proving that technology and tradition can work hand in hand. Other retailers, whether in jewelry or beyond, can benefit from the same transformation. Odoo offers the flexibility, scalability, and integration that businesses need to stay competitive while keeping their values at the forefront.

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