The Family Jewels

I’m not sure if diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but I am sure that they are fun to look at.

You can find plenty of beautiful diamonds, sapphires and gemstones at Plante Jewelers in Swansea. It’s a family owned and operated business started by the current owner Pierre’s grandfather in 1905. Today, Pierre runs the store with his wife, Nancy, their son, Marcel, and their family friend, Pam Gauthier.

Diamonds are a big focus here – like in any jewelry store – but at Plante they do something different. Pierre does what he calls “Diamond Insights,” where he allows people to hold the loose diamonds to try to make the process of choosing the right one interactive and less scary. “It takes away some of the pressure and helps people understand what they’re looking at,” Nancy says.

It’s not all diamonds, however. Nancy is proud to promote local artists – which isn’t something you find in every jewelry store. Plante features work from five Massachusetts and Rhode Island artists, such as Rhody native Amie Louise Plante (no relation) who designs gorgeous and versatile earthy pieces, and Tom Kruskal of Masschusetts who makes gold and silver contemporary jewelry by hand.

My personal favorite piece in the store was an enamel sea turtle necklace, which apparently is a customer favorite. It’ll be going on my wish list – which is an option at Plante.

Plante will be getting in new jewelry for the fall, so I recommend heading there and checking it out. They’ll also be having a Gem Week to celebrate their 110th anniversary, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Plante Jeweleres
207 Swansea Mall Drive, Swansea
508-673-0561
www.plantejewelers.com