A Hidden Gem in Boston

Last Thursday night, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a tour – with some other Boston Brunchers – of the The Jewelers Building in the Diamond District. Our host for the evening was Erin Callanan from Callanan and Klein, and our trusty tour guide was Kim (remember when she taught me how to Zumba?).

Kim, inside her and her father's jewelry store.

The Jewelers Building is located at 333 Washington Street in Boston, and I have to admit – before Renee told me about the event, I never even knew this building existed. And before I had an engagement ring put on my finger, I probably wouldn’t have cared. Let’s just say Renee’s email about this fun Brunchers event couldn’t have come at a better time for me.

Due to the lovely Red Sox/regular Boston traffic, I was an hour late for the event, so I missed the food (which was provided by Scholar's Bistro) and the beginning of the tour. Thankfully, Erin found me when I arrived and I blended in with the other Brunchers quickly and smoothly.

We learned a lot of things about jewelry and the historic building we were standing in that evening. To give you a little background on the building’s history, I took this excerpt from The Jewelers Building’s website:

"Built in 1922, the historic 'Jewelers Building,' has been the heart and soul of Boston’s jewelry industry. Nestled in the heart of downtown crossing, this beautiful art-deco building is home to over 125 jewelers and expert craftsmen: manufacturers, wholesalers, importers, retailers, designers, watchmakers, pearl stringers and goldsmiths have worked side by side for 88 years producing the finest jewelry of incredible value. The Jewelers Building continues to exist as the greatest source for diamonds and jewelry in the city of Boston and beyond."

Over the course of one hour and 15 minutes, us bloggers gawked over rooms upon rooms of shiny, unique jewelry (ever heard of moonstones?). 

Besides the gorgeous, handcrafted jewelry, the biggest thing I took away from this evening was the deep-rooted family connections the employees in The Jewelers Building have. Shop co-owners and the competition down the hallway are likely to be related somehow, or at least are lifelong friends. Most of the stories we heard involved children who grew up working in their parents jewelry stores right there in that building (i.e. Kim), and then eventually working alongside their parents full-time, opening up their own shop down the hallway or taking over the family business altogether.

Elise and her mother, owners of Pearly & Girly.

All in all, it was a great evening with a very informative and inspiring tour of this historic Boston building. I highly recommend visiting The Jewelers Building if you're ever in need of a customized, handcrafted and/or unique piece of jewelry - or, if you just want to browse.

Had you ever heard of The Jewelers Building before, or was I living under a rock?

I was able to attend this event free of charge, but, as always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own. 

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