101-Year-Old Jeweler Shares Her Secrets to Staying Sharp

Getting older is a natural part of life. Many dream of retirement — relaxing on a beach with a drink in hand — but that’s not for everyone. Just ask 101-year-old Ann Angeletti from New Jersey, who still works six days a week and has no plans to slow down.

Ann has been running her jewelry store, Curiosity Jewelers, in Cresskill, New Jersey, since 1964. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Yet even after those five days, her workweek isn’t over. On the sixth day, she drives about 30 minutes to New York City’s Diamond District to keep her business thriving.

“If I retire, I would die. So I cannot stay home,” Ann told ABC 7. For her, work isn’t just a job — it’s a vital part of life that keeps her energized and engaged.

Ann’s strong work ethic began early. As a child in Brooklyn, she left school to help at her family’s grocery store. When her husband went off to fight in World War II, she worked at a Navy Yard and later as a waitress to support herself.

Her life changed in 1964 when she spotted a vacant store for rent. The price was $85 a month, and Ann decided to take a chance. Sixty years later, Curiosity Jewelers is still open, with her daughter and granddaughter now helping her run it.

Ann says her career is what keeps her alive. Her secret to staying active and sharp? Daily self-care. “You must get up, you must shower, you must eat, you must take care of yourself. You must exercise,” she explained.

Her advice is simple: “If you don’t like what you’re doing, then change.”

With around 2,600 centenarians in New Jersey, Ann Angeletti stands out as a shining example of passion, purpose, and longevity.