We Have New Owners!

On October 13th, 2022 we bid a happy retirement to THE Don- our happy, hardworking, loved, and respected Donald Dransfield.

After 32 years our fearless leader finally took a break- but left the store in grateful, capable hands.

Don started his jewelry career in New York, apprenticing for silversmiths before attending SUNY New Paltz where he honed his passion for unique handmade jewelry. He met his wife, Nancy, here in Virginia and made the Richmond area his home. In 1989 Don opened Dransfield Jewelers next door in what he and his first employee call “the hallway,” a shared space with an antique store and an interior designer. When 1308 East Cary opened up he expanded his store into our current location.

Over the years Don has kept the store true to his roots- a passion for the handmade and well constructed, an ability to provide services it seems no one else can, and a strict rule for fairness both with his customers and his employees.

Don is passing the torch on to his store manager/goldsmith Caitie Sellers and her friend/business parter/art curator Maggie Smith. As longtime Richmond natives and friends of the store they are grateful for the opportunity to continue connecting our Dransfield customers to unique, beautiful, high quality pieces of jewelry- plus all the custom, repair, and apppraisal services we’ve always offered.

Stop by the store sometime to say hello and see what new pieces we have on display! Don’t forget to reach out to Don to tell him how much you love him!

Don and his first employee, Marie Chamblin, in his first location in 1988.

Don and a few of his coworkers at his retirement party.