Legacy Meets Modernity: How Croghan’s Jewel Box Captures Every Generation from Boomers to Gen Z
For nearly 120 years, the scent of jasmine and the salt air of the harbor have mingled with the excitement of discovery at Croghan’s Jewel Box. A steadfast pillar of the retail landscape in Charleston, South Carolina, this is not merely a store; it is a repository of local history and family memories. For over a century, residents and tourists alike have flocked to this family-owned institution to mark life’s most significant milestones.
However, this past June marked a significant milestone for the store itself. Croghan’s Jewel Box, the city’s oldest family-owned jewelry business, executed a monumental transition, relocating from its long-time home to a breathtaking new flagship location. The move to 155 King Street—a sprawling 6,000-square-foot, two-story sanctuary of luxury—represents more than just a change of address. Located just a few blocks south of its original footprint, the new space signifies a bold step into the future, ensuring that this historic brand remains relevant for the next century of shoppers.
A Historic Leap: From Hidden Gem to King Street Icon
The transition from the previous location to the new flagship was driven by a desire to clarify the store’s identity while preserving its soul. For decades, Croghan’s operated out of a reframed single house dating back to the 1790s. While the building dripped with historic charm and architectural character, it presented unique challenges for modern retail.
“We were in this 1790s reframed single house in Charleston, very historic, but sometimes you’d look in the window and maybe think we were an antique store,” explains Rhett Ramsay Outten, the third-generation co-owner who steers the business alongside her sister, Mariana Ramsay Hay.
In an interview with JCK, Outten described the former layout as a “massive treasure hunt.” The narrow, fragmented spaces meant that customers often had to search to find exactly what they were looking for. While this had a certain whimsical appeal, it could be confusing for new visitors. “Now you look in our windows and there’s no confusion about what we are: It’s clearly a jewelry store,” Outten asserts. The new facade at 155 King Street commands attention, offering transparency and a welcoming grandeur that invites passersby to step inside and explore the treasures within.
The Family Legacy: Four Generations of Excellence
To understand the heart of Croghan’s Jewel Box, one must look at its lineage. The business was founded by William Joseph Croghan, a master jeweler and hand engraver whose commitment to craftsmanship set the standard for the generations that followed. Today, the store is witnessing a vibrant passing of the torch.
“My sister and I are so lucky—her three children are in the business,” Outten says, highlighting the deep family involvement that characterizes the brand. The fourth generation is already making its mark, infusing the business with fresh energy and modern perspectives. “Her youngest, Michael, just turned 29. And my youngest daughter just turned 28.”
This integration of the younger generation is not just sentimental; it is strategic. By having family members who belong to the millennial and Gen Z cohorts working on the floor and in the back office, Croghan’s possesses an innate understanding of what younger consumers desire. This internal demographic diversity allows the retailer to bridge the gap between traditional luxury and modern trends effortlessly.
The Secret Sauce: Bridging the Generational Gap
In an industry often obsessed with targeting specific niches, Croghan’s Jewel Box has mastered the art of universal appeal. Their strategy is not to pivot away from their loyal older clientele but to create a continuum of style that links grandmothers to granddaughters.
Curating for the Granddaughter, Selling to the Grandmother
“Our superpower is generational jewelry,” Outten reveals. This philosophy influences every purchasing decision the store makes. When the buying team selects a piece, they are looking for versatility and timelessness that transcends age.
“While we may be selling to the 60- or 70-year-old, we just know she wants this to be a piece her 13-year-old granddaughter is going to love,” says Outten. “It’s bridging the generations.”
This approach turns a simple purchase into a potential heirloom. A customer isn’t just buying a necklace for herself; she is buying a future memory for her descendants. To support this multigenerational dialogue, Croghan’s has aggressively expanded its digital footprint. “We’re on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook. There’s a rumor we may do a Substack,” Outten notes with a smile. Surprisingly, one of their strongest platforms is Pinterest. “We’re huge on Pinterest—we sell on it, actually.”
Digital Fluency: Meeting Gen Z Where They Scroll
Outten and Hay understand that for Gen Z, the shopping experience often begins long before they set foot on King Street. It starts on a screen. “We are constantly pushing the edge in how we can have a presence that goes to Gen Z,” Outten admits.
However, digital engagement is only the handshake; the in-store experience is the embrace. “It goes a step further. They have to be comfortable in our store,” Outten emphasizes. The intimidation factor of a high-end jewelry store can be a significant barrier for young shoppers. Croghan’s combats this by ensuring their inventory is accessible. “When they go to our website and search for jewelry under $500, something like 500 items come up.”
The store’s visual merchandising reflects this inclusivity. “We’re very conscious of having aspirational items. We might put a gold bangle next to a gold-filled charm bracelet filled with antique charms—that relates to everyone,” Outten explains. “You can’t be everything to everybody, but it is extremely important that children, at 13, feel comfortable.”
Emotional Intelligence in Sales: Storytelling Over Transactions
One of the key differentiators for Croghan’s is their ability to attach deep meaning to luxury goods. In a world of fast fashion, they sell permanence and emotion. Outten shares a poignant example of this philosophy in action involving a mother-of-the-bride.
“The other day, this woman came in. She had just bought her mother-of-the-bride dress,” Outten recalls. The customer was drawn to a pair of exquisite dangle diamond earrings featuring four movable flowers. They were significant investment pieces—beautiful and expensive. As the woman tried them on, holding a photo of her dress against the mirror, she casually mentioned that she had four daughters.
For Outten, this was the spark of a story. “I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if these were your wedding earrings and when each daughter is ready, we can make put a French wire on them, drop them on a diamond stud if they want them to be a jacket?’”
The suggestion transformed the earrings from a mere accessory into a legacy. “She bought them so fast because that brought meaning to it,” Outten says. It illustrates how Croghan’s sells not just the carat weight, but the future history of the piece.
The Entry-Level Experience: Creating Future Collectors
Croghan’s has developed a masterful strategy for nurturing young customers, recognizing that the teenager buying a charm today is the engagement ring client of tomorrow.
The “Gateway Drug” Strategy: Under $500 Finds
Outten jokingly refers to their affordable range as “the gateway drug.” This carefully curated selection includes high-quality but accessible items that allow young people to own a piece of the Croghan’s magic without breaking the bank.
A prime example of this is the creative output of the next generation. “My niece is 33 and she has a wonderful costume line of jewelry that is very colloquial and speaks to a lot of her favorite things in our town,” Outten says. This line, known to locals as the “Goldbug Collection,” features whimsical designs like the gilded palmetto bug, elevating a local critter to a fashion statement. “She’s got something new all the time. She does these wonderful heart-shaped earrings with CZ.”
Beyond costume pieces, the store stocks an array of classic staples. “Under $500, we have all kinds of pearl studs and gold-filled bangles,” Outten adds. These items serve as perfect entry points for high school and college students.
From Prom Dates to Proposals
The strategy of accessibility pays long-term dividends, particularly with young men. “We have these boys come in to buy their girlfriends presents,” Outten observes. The process is designed to be painless and successful. Often, the young men have pre-selected items on the website and simply come in to collect them.
Crucially, this interaction demystifies the jewelry store environment. “They come in to pick them up, and they’re comfortable,” says Outten. This initial comfort builds trust. “They end up spending $500 next time and eventually it’s an engagement ring.” By the time these young men are ready to propose, Croghan’s isn’t just a store; it’s a trusted partner in their relationship’s journey.
Current Trends: The Art of the Stack and Vintage Revival
Understanding what Gen Z wants to wear is just as important as how they buy it. According to Outten, the current aesthetic is defined by abundance and curation.
The Stacking Sensation
Minimalism has given way to the “stack.” “Gen Z—they all want a stack,” Outten notes. “They want to stack their bracelets, stack their rings, their necklaces. They are stacking it all.”
However, this isn’t about chunky, overwhelming pieces. The preference is for delicacy and volume. “They lean toward smaller jewelry. They would rather wear five little bracelets rather than one big bracelet,” she explains. This trend allows for high personalization, as shoppers can mix and match textures, metals, and stones to create a look that is uniquely theirs.
The Estate Jewelry Renaissance
Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, Croghan’s is betting big on the allure of the unique. The homogenization of mass-market jewelry has driven young consumers toward vintage and estate pieces—items that no one else has.
“We have several salespeople in that age range, which is so helpful,” Outten says. “We’re constantly encouraging them to give their opinion when we’re buying.”
The hunt for inventory is constant. “We’re also constantly searching for one-of-a-kind things. We love estate jewelry—even the gold-filled lockets and charms and things made really well in the Victorian era,” Outten shares. These pieces offer history and quality at an attainable price point. “They can be cleaned up and look really good even when they’re not solid gold.”
This aligns perfectly with the “petite” trend. “The petite look is serving us well and serving them well,” Outten concludes. “Tiny little huggies with a tiny row of diamonds. They’re not wearing just one earring, they’re wearing a lot.”
In their new home on King Street, Croghan’s Jewel Box has managed to do what few heritage brands can: they have evolved without losing their essence. By honoring their past while enthusiastically embracing the digital habits and aesthetic preferences of the future, they have ensured that the “Jewel Box” remains open for generations to come.
