Eichhorn Jewelry Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Eileen Eichhorn vividly recalls her first day on the job at Eichhorn Jewelry, located in the heart of downtown Decatur, as their logo proudly declares. “It was day one of Eichhorn Jewelry, August 5, 1965. I was 14 years old and began working for my dad, John Eichhorn, when the store originally opened. I got paid $20 a week,” she noted.
At the time, John was a certified master watch maker and had worked for local jeweler, Ferris Bower, for 17 years before he decided to branch out on his own. He moved about a block and a half south on Second Street to the current location and purchased the jewelry store operated by Jesse Sutton from 1940-1965. Prior to Sutton’s work, the site was known as Keller Jewelry Store operated by Raymond C. Keller from 1928-1940.
Eileen, the current president and owner, works with two of her sisters, Kate Dyer and Laura Ditto, and nephew, Matt Dyer, who have kept the family business growing and thriving as it now celebrates its 60th year in operation.
“Many businesses, jewelry or not, seldom last 60 years like we have. There have been enlargements and restorations to the building throughout the years, but I feel we have continued to thrive because of our strong emphasis on personal service. Repeat customers and referrals have been a key to success. Our reputation is built on the trust of our customers,” Eileen said.
Eichhorn Jewelry has a full lab, a library, offices, and a mail room. “We ship all over the United States every day,” Eileen noted. Adding, “there is much more to Eichhorn Jewelry than selling rings, bracelets, necklaces, and watches. We got a little creative around 2000 and moved into estate jewelry sales.” The website and social media for Eichhorn Jewelry is handled by longtime employee Katie Gent, which features numerous estate items, and it’s not uncommon for people to be leveraging online over one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry.
At the storefront, chains are the bestselling item, as customers may have broken one, need a new length, or want a new style. Eichhorn Jewelry staff regularly resize rings as customers ask to modify their keepsakes as they lose or gain weight. Uniquely, they also perform ear piercing, something that many stores no longer offer. Eichhorn Jewelry also performs exotic jewelry work, which Eileen describes as work “not many other jewelry shops do because it’s challenging and specialized. One example of this work would be laser engraving a custom design or inscription. This can be time consuming and tedious because one slipup and the piece could be ruined. So, each job needs to be handled with the upmost care and precision.”
Eichhorn Jewelry also sells and buys gold and silver bullion. An incredible investment, a person could buy one ounce of gold in 1965 for $35. That same gold today can cost $3,400 per ounce.
A specialist in her field, Eileen is regularly asked by courts of law to perform appraisals in bankruptcy cases, especially at the federal level. This requires special training, and she has been honored as a certified senior member of appraisers with the National Association of Jewelry Appraisers.
As Eichhorn Jewelry celebrates six decades of dedication, craftsmanship, and unparalleled personal service this August, its commitment to excellence remains steadfast. Rooted deeply in family tradition and community trust, Eichhorn Jewelry continues to be a cherished landmark in downtown Decatur, serving generations past, present, and undoubtedly, future.
Eichhorn Jewelry is located at 130 N 2nd Street in Decatur, IN. You can reach them by phone by calling (260) 724-2621 or visiting their website at eichhornjewelry.com .
This article was originally written by Joe Spaulding of The Decatur Daily Democrat and co-edited for length and clarity by Spaulding and The Waynedale News staff.
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