A gem of a store Third-generation business specializes in pre-1940s jewelry

Few gifts are more personal and passionate than jewelry, and Walton’s Antique and Estate Jewelry, located in Franklin, Tenn., has been swathed in glamour and nostalgia for over 45 years.

When the late Melba Horner Walton launched her business in the 1970s, she couldn’t have known her success would ignite a passion for the industry in her son, Mike, and decades later, in granddaughters Julie and Katie. Both Julie and Mike are Gemological Institute of America-certified gemologists.

“The business continues to grow and gets better with every generation. My mother began by opening a shop that just sold jewelry. When I came on board, it grew from just selling jewelry, to also offering repairs as well