Opening its doors in downtown Billings. Mont. in 1990, Goldsmith Gallery Jewelers is the fruit of company president Scott Wickham’s years of labor in the industry. What started as ten custom, handcrafted jewelry pieces has transformed into a 7,500 square foot store, packed with luxury and designer names, as well as classic diamond staples and an impressive engagement selection, in a range of price points to suit many shoppers.

Goldsmith Gallery offers custom design services and repairs, and a local treasure customers may not see often elsewhere: Yogo sapphires. From the Little Belt Mountains of Montana, this rich blue gem makes for gorgeous jewelry—and is said to be the only North American stone found in Britain’s collection of Crown Jewels!

Below, Scott Wickham shares with JCK the history of his store, what sets Goldsmith Gallery apart, and a very special memory from the Luxury show.

Give us a brief history of your store (and how you personally got into the industry)?

I started working at my uncle’s jewelry repair business when I was a teenager. After high school I studied at GIA and then at a very young age was asked to teach jewelry arts on the road for GIA. I decided to open my own store when I was 25 years old. I started as a small custom design jewelry store in downtown Billings, Montana, and kept expanding and picking up additional jewelry lines until I was able to purchase a piece of land and build my own free-standing store 15 years ago. It was a lot of hard work and dedication that got me to this point and I continue to have a lot of pride in what I do. I enjoy seeking out knowledge and making new connections in the industry, and working on continued growth for my business.

In your opinion, what helps your store stand out from others in your area (or online?) 

I have the largest store in the state of Montana, and we draw business from a four-state area with customers coming from as far as 250 miles to buy the jewelry brands they cannot find in their areas. I also am known for the support my business gives to the community by donating money and jewelry to many local fundraisers, and I feel like we offer the best selection and customer service in our area.

What is your relationship with your customers like? Do you have a memory or recent example of how you helped a special shopper mark an occasion? 

We have developed very close relationships with our clients—many of them are like family to us. They allow us to share in their most special moments of their lives, and we thank them every year by having our customer appreciation annual open house where we cater food, serve them wonderful beverages, and give away prizes throughout the evening at our store. This is the time for us to say thank you for their continued business and to get to know them more on a personal level. Recently we created a custom Yogo sapphire (a locally mined gemstone) and diamond pendant that was designed by our team with the husband. He surprised her at one of our events in front of many good customers and friends. Needless to say, the timing was perfect, and the tears were pouring.

What’s your favorite part about attending the Luxury show? 

Attending the Luxury Show allows me to meet up with fellow jewelers and vendors that have become my friends over the years and to see the new trends of our industry. It is a show where you can find anything you are looking for to improve your inventory or your business tactics. It is fun and exciting but also informative and a great time to do your inventory shopping for the upcoming holiday season each year.

What’s the most memorable moment or most amazing discovery you made at Luxury? 

The most memorable moment was when my wife Kelly and I were going through the show 6-7 years ago, and we stopped to gaze at Norman Silverman–big, beautiful diamond jewelry that we love to sell. Kelly was looking of course at a larger oval diamond ring, and she had obviously fallen in love with it. Long story short, I came back later to talk with the team and I told them I had a very special anniversary coming up and would love to buy the ring for Kelly. I thought that they would just ship it back home and I would take possession there, but they actually came up with a beautiful ring box and I was able to give her the ring that night at dinner. We will never forget the special attention that the team gave us at Norman Silverman that day.

Learn more about Goldsmith Gallery Jewelers at goldsmithgalleryjewelers.com