How many of us have something lying around in our jewelry boxes that we would never wear but can’t bear parting with because of its sentimental value? It may be a gaudy diamond cocktail ring worn by your flashy Aunt Maude or maybe great-grandma’s mixed stone brooch that hasn’t seen the light of day since Queen Victoria sat on England’s throne.

Don’t let a potentially great piece of jewelry lay around in your dresser drawer; instead let Randall and Kimberly May of R&K Jewelers in Maryville breathe new life into that old family heirloom.

 With an R&K Jewelers’ redesign, your keepsakes can become fashionable, meaningful additions to your jewelry collection. The end result is a valued memento you’ll be proud to wear.

 R&K Jewelers starts by accessing the piece, weighing the gold and then helping you choose a new design.

 “Customers can choose from our inventory of wax patterns or we can create a totally new custom piece for them,” said Kimberly.

 Randall is an award winning jeweler with more than 30 years experience. He became interested in the craft as a teenager when his parents began operating a wholesale jewelry business.

 “One day I went to work with my dad,” said Randall. “He and one of his clients, a jeweler, created earrings for a customer with a pair of matching diamonds. It took them about 30 to 35 minutes and I thought, ‘I want to do that.’”

 Randall later apprenticed in Huntsville and then continued to hone his skills on his own. He traveled around the country doing jewelry shows. During a stop in Maryville he was impressed with the beauty of the foothills and said to himself, “I’m going to live here one day.”

 In November 2004, R&K Jewelers opened in the Foothills Mall in Maryville. The business moved to their new location on Lamar Alexander Parkway in March 2006.

 Although Kimberly didn’t originally start in jewelry sales, she has a real flair for design, a talent she seems to come by naturally. She helps customers decide what appeals to them. Randall then takes that design and creates a piece of jewelry specifically for that customer.

 One unique thing R&K Jewelers can do is incorporate a loved one’s fingerprint into a design. Randall took off his wedding ring to show me Kimberly’s fingerprint pressed into the back. He also wears a bracelet with each one of his children’s names on an individual link. This would be a terrific way to commemorate both children and grandchildren.

 R&K Jewelers also restrings pearls, replaces watch batteries and repairs broken jewelry. Everything is done in-house and doesn’t leave the store. They can even replace mirrors in sterling silver dresser sets (the kind with the hand mirror, comb and brush that used to set on your grandmother’s dressing table.) They can also do one hour ring resizing while you wait.

 

And if you are looking to buy a unique piece of jewelry that is already made, you’ll find a nice selection at R&K Jewelers. They even carry a nice selection of estate jewelry. 

 Visit R&K Jewelers, where you’ll be delighted to find “not so ordinary jewelry.” They are located at 1421 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN. Phone: 865-984-1390 Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m