Articles and News

Merrick, NY—The Centurion extends its deepest condolences to the families and friends of Paul Perlmutter and Zoe Proferis Bromberg, pictured left.

Perlmutter, who passed away July 16, was a Holocaust survivor born in Romania. He lived in Cuba, Panama, and Canada before settling in the United States in New York. Pre-deceased by his wife, Paula, who died in 2000, he is survived by three children, seven grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. 

Perlmutter was president and CEO of the Swiss Watch Corporation, which owned Alfex watches and was the licensee for Christian Dior Watches. He is credited with advancing the Swiss watch industry in North America.

Perlmutter divested Alfex and retired after closing the company in 2002 to spend time with his family. At that time he also divested his interest in the designer firm John Hardy, which he co-owned with Jim DeMattei; the two sold their half of the firm back to the designer.  

Perlmutter was the true definition of a worldly gentleman with a love for the arts, especially opera, which he shared with those close to him, says Laura Brown, CEO of ViewPoint Showroom in New York. “He had a strong sense of always doing the right thing, no matter what, filled people’s lives with kindness and eagerly shared his passion for knowledge. At the service today his family asked that those of us whose lives had been touched by him, to pay it forward,” she told The Centurion.

To leave an online tribute to Perlmutter, click here.

Jacksonville, FL—At press time last week, The Centurion had just learned of the passing of Zoe Proferis Bromberg, daughter of Clayton and Christy Bromberg of Underwood Jewelers. She was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident July 12 while vacationing in Spain. 

Zoe Bromberg completed her studies in May 2011 at the University of Alabama New College, with a bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies. She was to have participated in the college’s graduation ceremony August 6; it had been postponed due to the tragic tornado in Tuscaloosa earlier this spring. She had planned to pursue her graduate gemologist’s degree at GIA in August.

While at the University of Alabama, she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, Run for Rise, Friends of Hurricane Creek, a mentor and tutor at Hillcrest Middle School, and a regular contributing writer to the Crimson and White as a concert reviewer. In 2008, she traveled to Australia with the International Student Volunteers/Conservation Volunteers Australia, and in 2009 continued her studies abroad in environmental conservation and science in Iceland. She also loved painting, live music, and bird watching.

In addition to her parents, Zoe is survived by her brother, Charles Clayton Bromberg Jr. (Robin); grandparents Frank Hardy Bromberg, Jr. (Lella), Zoe Proferis Cassimus (Marcus), and Myrna Vlahos; her beloved dogs Bear, Dudley, and Dudley II, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

To leave an online tribute for her, click here.