History | Rocket Jewelry Packaging & Displays

Rocket is an experienced family business celebrating 100 years in 2017. We bring four generations of experience to servicing the Retail Jewelry Display and Packaging Industry.

1917

Jerome Shiffman comes to the US from Russia to pursue the great American Dream! He begins business by handcrafting from blocks of glass individual watch crystals.

1930

Watch crystal making becomes mechanized and the company name, Standard Un-Breakable Watch Crystal, is born and begins Compression Molding.

1940

ROCKET's founder discovers a use for leftover plastic scrap material and begins the production of packaging for watches as well as watch crystals. The company name Standard Novelty Box is now joined with Standard Un-Breakable Watch Crystal and injection molding takes the place of compression molding for crystals and packaging.

1941

ROCKET, like many other companies put aside peacetime retail production to support the war effort. Military contracts now had ROCKET making instrument panel gauge covers for B17 Flying Fortresses, B24 Liberators and B25 Mitchell Bombers as well as the P47 Thunderbolts and the P51 Mustang (the Cadillac of the sky) fighters.

1945

ROCKET went on to make lenses for the sight on the M1 Rocket Launcher, better known as the Bazooka...and that is how we got our current company name!

1956

ROCKET Box is born! Standard Novelty Box becomes ROCKET Jewelry Box, and moves to its present location in the Bronx in 1956.

1960

An expansion of the business introduces textile covered metal boxes in the product offerings. Jerome and his brother, Joseph (Yaysiff) build their own covering machines. Michael Kaplan son-in-law of Jerome Shiffman joins the company in 1964 after an honorable discharge as a Major in the US Army.

1970

Jewelry and watch packaging continues to grow and expand as major focus of the business and watch crystal producing is phased out.

1980

Founder Jerome Shiffman passes away and Michael Kaplan assumes the leadership of ROCKET. ROCKET commences production of packaging and displays in Thailand.

1990

Two additional family members join the business. Son-Andrew Kaplan, and son-in-law, Ola Ahlmen are now in executive roles and moving the company forward with Michael Kaplan. Production grows into a triple approach, and now includes China as an option.

1999

ROCKET opens their west coast service and distribution center making ROCKET Bi-Coastal. By 2001 ROCKET purchases RedBox further expanding our product offerings and services.

2010

ROCKET's China operation expands to include a full service office in Shenzhen China.

2017

ROCKET celebrates 100 years!

2019

Our Vietnam production and quality control facility is up and running.

2021

Massillon Ohio’s newest resident has moved in! Our Distribution & Service Center is now centrally located in the heart of the Midwest.

Our foundation was built on being one of the most successful packaging companies in the jewelry industry.

Today, Rocket remains highly successful in design, execution and delivery your packaging and display needs.

COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY

Rocket cares about the wellness of not only our own community, but the wider diamond and jewelry community as a whole.

ABOUT ROCKET

COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY