Thanks to technology, our business is now beyond borders as well. We ship to our customers in all 50 states. Thorpe’s is happy to take your orders by phone, fax, e-mail….and face-to-face across the counter, too!

And that’s our roots, of course. We will always value making it personal…making it “special” for you.  We still use the venerable old clock my great-grandfather brought over from England a century ago as our logo and symbol of long-lasting quality.   It doesn’t need to mean anything to you….just know that its longevity means something to US.

So….when you’re looking for good service and value in jewelry and gifts, look again at the hometown jeweler with the worldwide standards.  We think you’ll like what you see!

Back in 1900, long before there were shopping malls and big jewelry store chains, our store was founded on some simple principles.  No wordsmithed mission statement or fancy slogan for us.  Here are a few things we believe in.  Call them the Top 10 Reasons to Shop at Thorpe’s if you like.

#10 – We hate pushy salespeople and bet you do, too.

For that reason, we have never, ever paid a member of our staff on commission. We think it forces salespeople to think about themselves rather than you.  We want you to buy from us because you like us and our products, not because someone influenced you so they could make their commission.  Seriously, have you ever said, “Let’s go out and get sold something today?”  We think not.

#9 – We know “Pretty” when we see it and we don’t sell “Ugly”

There is more to our jewelry than its gemological properties and those 4 Cs you’ve probably heard about.  You may also have heard that 36-24-36 are perfect proportions, too, but did that ever guarantee pretty?  This is especially true for diamonds.  Just because the numbers work, that doesn’t make it a Pretty diamond.

We’ve been doing this since 1900 and we select every diamond and gemstone ourselves…AFTER seeing it, not online.  The moral of the story is, “If you don’t know diamonds as well as we do, you need to know Thorpe’s.”

#8 – We believe in a simple principle:  We don’t all look alike, so why should our jewelry?

More importantly, we understand that NO woman wants to see the identical piece of jewelry on her friend…or any other woman, for that matter.  We recognize that everyone is unique and feel that jewelry should be as singular as the individual themselves, not cranked-out in quantities and sold in mass merchandised stores. 

We’ve had consultants call us out on this, because the “rules” are re-order fast sellers and move merchandise.  But if we do follow that 80/20 rule, doesn’t that mean 80% of the women are eventually going to be wearing the same thing?  

Think of Thorpe’s for one-of-a-kind and custom jewelry designs……….

#7 – Bigger is NOT always Better

Just as we’ve seen that the bigger the government gets, the slower its reaction time, the same goes for the action time of larger businesses and chain stores.  Our smaller, family owned business is built to react to customer needs and take care of you NOW. 

Remember, too, whether you’re shopping here or elsewhere that it’s the small businesses like ours that have been the backbone of America for decades.  The American dream started here….not in a big box store at a mall.

#6 – We believe that a REAL jewelry store should have goldsmiths on the premises and not send your precious jewelry out of the store for repairs.

It has become very apparent to us that most large jewelry chains send their customer’s things out of their stores to a trade shop for repairs.  So-called custom work is done off the premises, too.  At OUR store, we have our own Master Jewelers on staff with decades of experience. Oh, and that trade shop is on our own premises.

Having our own goldsmiths on site also means we can take care of you more quickly, too.  Set a diamond and size that engagement ring so you can have it the same day?  We can’t count how many times we’ve made that happen.  We want to be the exception, not the rule.

#5 – We believe that it’s our job to remember so you don’t have to.

To that end, we’ve always invested in record-keeping for you. 

Need to know what pattern you registered as a bride back in 1967?  We still have that record…and for 1957, ‘47 or ‘37, for that matter. 

Need to know what you spent on those diamond earrings in 1990 so we can figure the cost of a trade-up?  We have it. 

Need a quick update on an old appraisal for your insurance?  Bet we’ve got that record, too!

#4 – Nobody wants to shop with an uneducated poorly-trained clerk.

In a business as varied as ours, knowledge is important and especially in jewelry and gemology.  We were one of the earliest members of the American Gem Society when it formed in the 1930s and our 2^nd generation, Wilson T. Clark, was in their first graduating class of Registered Jewelers.  Since that time, we have had more AGS titleholders than any store in the 3 state area and currently have 2 Certified Gemologist Appraisers on staff. 

#3 – We believe in giving back to the community and to those less fortunate than us.

Throughout our long history, we have donated uncountable dollars…and also our time, talents and resources to support our community, and the world community, too.  Our projects in Africa have been a special point of pride.

In fact, we even have jewelry that gives back.  Our Sarah’s Hope jewelry funds microloans to women in need both in the U.S.A. and around the world, so every purchase helps you and someone else, too! 

#2 – We are committed to selling ONLY conflict-free diamonds.

Long before the term “blood diamonds” became movie jargon, we were committed to safe and certifiable sources for conflict-free diamonds.  Our association with Southern African Diamonds, in particular, assures you (and us) that the Kimberley Process is in place and being practiced, and that all our diamonds are untainted.

#1 – We take our business seriously but not ourselves.

For all the serious subject matter and the strength of our beliefs, you’d think this was a rather solemn place to work…but the opposite is true!   We invite you to visit our Facebook page and get acquainted with our fun and friendly staff.  These are the people taking care of you at Thorpe’s, whether it’s in the store, online or on the phone.  We’re here to serve you…just as we have since we started once upon a time in 1900.