Back in 1974, when Julie Walton’s grandmother decided to open a jewelry story in Franklin, Tennessee, she couldn’t apply for a loan on her own and had to ask a man to cosign her bank papers. Her perseverance and love of antique and estate jewelry turned Walton’s Jewelry into a success.
Third-generation jeweler Walton inherited her ancestor’s passion for pre-1940s baubles, and with her team of 10 she offers a wide selection of vintage jewels. She’s enthusiastic about engagement rings and sees a strong demand for Art Deco pieces, in particular from young couples. “Younger people right now that are getting engaged love that one-of-a-kind, really unique aspect to anything in their lives, especially engagement rings and Art Deco rings,” Walton shares in this new episode of the Jewelry Connoisseur podcast.
Another popular era the engagement-ring specialist mentions is Edwardian jewelry, which is attractive to clients looking for a “very feminine style.” Rings from that period appeal to lovers of floral motifs and light and airy jewelry whereas Art Deco aficionados tend to favor bold lines.
Even before Covid-19 pushed businesses to embrace digital channels, Walton’s Jewelry was active on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest through an appealing, thoughtful curation. Walton has some useful tips on how best to showcase jewelry online, including clever lighting and enticing photo backgrounds. She also encourages anyone posting jewelry on social channels to “share something on your social that you love and a little bit about it, and you’ll be amazed at the comments and conversations that start with customers.”
The jeweler has been relying on video calls to introduce its products to potential clients, which have proved helpful to see how the rings sit on the finger, for instance. She sees Zoom and FaceTime calls, chats though the company’s website, and e-mailing videos and photos as means of communication that are here to stay.
“Even post-pandemic, when things hopefully go back to somewhat normal eventually, I still think we’ll see a very strong emphasis on people shopping online and having that one-on-one customer experience, even though they’re not coming in person,” she says.
To listen to the Jewelry Connoisseur Podcast, click below.
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