Christmas day was rapidly approaching, and my husband and I were seniors in high school. Warm candlelight bathed the stucco walls as the waiter jotted down our orders. When he emerged sometime later carrying my side salad on his tray, a whispered hush fell over the staff of the Italian bistro as they nervously peered out from the doorway of the kitchen. I studied the crystal bowl as our waiter placed it in front of me, which was filled with romaine lettuce, Greek olives, feta cheese, and stubby carrots. But there was something odd about the unsliced whole tomato poking up in the very center and the slight smile that etched the corner of his mustache.
When I lifted the tomato, I discovered a red bow attached to a small wrapped box. My fingers trembled as I unwrapped the shiny gold foil. According to Marilyn Monroe, diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but emeralds make my heart sing — and once I opened that box, sing it did. As others around the room applauded and the staff returned to their kitchen duties, proud of themselves for helping to pull off my Christmas surprise, I accepted the ring from my high school sweetheart as a promise that I would marry him after graduation.
Nearly three decades had passed since that night, and I had just settled into my seat at a friend’s table when I gasped. Although the golden prongs were in place, and the tiny diamonds still sparkled, the emerald in the center of my ring was missing. With tears cascading over my cheeks, I feverishly searched for the stone before I called to break the news to my husband.
“Have you been in a wreck?” he asked as I sobbed. “No. My emerald that you gave me when we were in high school — I’ve lost it,” I replied.
The next morning, we took the ring to Billy Lowery at Lowery Jewelers. When we picked it up two weeks later, and my husband slipped it back on my finger, gratitude overwhelmed me. I was ecstatic to discover that the emerald Lowery replaced it with was a near-perfect match to the original, and the cost of replacing the stone was less than I imagined.
When Lowery graduated from high school, he became a sales associate for Rone Jewelers, but after 25 years and four different owners, he needed a change. He opened his own business and continued doing what he loved. In 2009, when his wife, Sharon, retired after 30 years of teaching with the Franklin City Special School District, she joined him in the family business.
“We have an intense passion to give the best customer service and make everyone feel like family,” said Lowery. “We get to know our customers on a personal level, offer good discounts, and give a genuine value on every purchase. When folks think of a jewelry store, they may think ‘too expensive,’ but you’ll find we have something for every budget. You’ll be treated the same if you spend $10 or $10,000. It is so easy to shop for your gift giving as we have the right product, price, and free gift wrapping for every purchase.”
Recently voted Bedford’s Best Jewelry Store by readers of the Bedford County Post due to the “upscale shop and down-home charm,” Lowery said, “The old cliche — if you find a job you love, you will never ‘work’ a day in your life — rings true for us. I have a passion for being a people pleaser. Every diamond or piece of jewelry sold is a celebration of some life event, whether a birthday, engagement, anniversary, or ‘just because.’ A gift of jewelry is a keepsake that can be passed on from generation to generation. Hearing our guest tell me how much they love their gift gives me joy!”
Lowery Jewelers is conveniently located beside Main Street Marketplace and Emmy’s Restaurant (formerly known as Urban Plantation). Sir Winston, the Lowery’s Cavalier King Charles spaniel, serves as their most dedicated employee as he greets their guests and is often the topic of many conversations.
“Many visitors to our shop ask where he is before conducting business. He brings calmness and is an icebreaker to our guests. He is recognized on our billboards as part of our family.”
On Nov. 4, Lowery Jewelers celebrated its 25th anniversary, along with Lowery’s 50th anniversary in the jewelry business. GN
