GradingAug 22, 2025
Former Head of GIA India Promoted to Oversee Global Operations Sriram “Ram” Natarajan is now GIA’s senior vice president of laboratory operations and is based out of the lab’s headquarters in Carlsbad.
IndependentsMay 10, 2016
Wick & Greene to Become Spicer Greene Jewelers
The same family, however, will remain at the helm of the North Carolina jeweler that’s been in business since 1926.
The logo for Spicer Greene Jewelers incorporates the iconic clock that stands outside the jeweler’s store. The clock is a 1920s Seth Thomas street clock that the family restored and placed in front of the store when it moved to its current location on Patton Avenue in the late 1980s.
Asheville, N.C.--It’s time for a change for the 90-year-old North Carolina jeweler known for its iconic street clock.
In August, Asheville’s Wick & Greene Jewelers will begin doing business as Spicer Greene Jewelers. The rebranding will follow a massive renovation slated to begin in late June and funded in part by the store-closing sale currently taking place.
One of the store’s owners, Eva-Michelle Spicer, said Monday that as part of the reconstruction, they are making almost all of their building’s 8,000 square feet into selling space, with a focus on modernizing the process to appeal to millennials.
This will mean a CAD bar as well as having areas where customers can touch, feel and try on the jewelry without assistance, a move designed to make the store seem less intimidating and more inviting, she said.
“Think your grandparent’s jeweler meets Genius Bar,” Spicer said, referring to the feature within Apple stores.
“It’s just time,” she added. “You’ve got to change with the times.”
While Spicer Greene will be the name known by consumers beginning in August, all legal, LLC and contact information (except for employees’ email addresses and the company website, which will relaunch as SpicerGreene.com at that time) will remain the same. The company’s legal entity still will be Wick and Greene Jewelers LLC and its tax ID will not change.
In addition, the store will have the same phone number and be located at the same address, 121 Patton Ave. in downtown Asheville.
Wick & Greene’s rebranding represents the fifth name change for the jeweler, which E.O. Wick opened as E.O. Wick Jewelers in 1926.
Spicer said her grandfather, Paul Greene, started working for Wick in 1942. He then joined the Navy but returned to the store in 1948 after World War II ended, working under the G.I. Bill.
The store then underwent two more name changes before becoming Wick & Greene Jewelers in 1953.
Spicer’s father Michael joined the family business in 1975.
Now, it is Eva-Michelle and her husband, Elliott Spicer, at the helm. He is a third-generation jeweler from Canada; the pair met while earning their graduate gemologist diplomas at the Gemological Institute of America, she said.
Questions on the changes can be directed to Eva-Michelle Spicer at evamichelle@wickandgreene.com.
More on Independents
The Latest
CollectionsAug 22, 2025
Piece of the Week: Retrouvaí’s ‘Diamond Vein Bond’ CollarThe one-of-a-kind collar represents the beauty of imperfection and the strength to rebuild.
MajorsAug 22, 2025
Kendra Scott Returns as CEO of Her Jewelry EmpireThree C-suite executives, including former CEO Tom Nolan, have resigned as part of what the company describes as a “transition.”
Brought to you by
Rallying Call for the Jewelry Industry on Tariffs and Other Key IssuesJewelers of America is leading the charge to protect the industry amidst rising economic threats.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Claire’s Finds Buyer, Could Save up to 950 StoresThe retailer, which recently filed Chapter 11, inked a deal to sell its North American business and intellectual property.
Weekly QuizAug 22, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Target Names New CEO as Sales Continue to Lag Target CEO Brian Cornell will step down in February and be replaced by the company’s chief operating officer, Michael Fiddelke.
Policies & IssuesAug 21, 2025
JA, IDMA Talk Tariffs With Execs in DC The group met with the president's senior trade advisor earlier this week to express the industry’s concerns about the effects of tariffs.
Brought to you by
Taking the Moment Head On: How Rio Grande Champions the Present & Future of Fine JewelryAs a leading global jewelry supplier, Rio Grande is rapidly expanding and developing new solutions to meet the needs of jewelers worldwide.
MajorsAug 21, 2025
Tiffany & Co. Pops Up at 2025 US OpenThe pop-up will display this year's Tiffany & Co. Singles Championship trophies along with a diamond-encrusted tennis racket and ball.
CrimeAug 20, 2025
Another CA Jewelry Store Rammed With Car, RobbedThe latest incident happened Monday at a store in Oakland, California, continuing a pattern JSA first warned about last month.
WatchesAug 20, 2025
Oris Launches Watch Benefiting NYC Harbor Oyster RestorationThe new aqua green New York Harbor Limited Edition II is the watchmaker’s second collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2025
Take the Jewelers for Children ‘Trinity of Purpose’ ChallengeParticipants who attend any three Rings of Strength events will be awarded a special medal.
SourcingAug 19, 2025
Dubai’s Jemora Group Buys Diamond Miner LucapaThe investment company, founded by Dev Shetty, has acquired the struggling miner and its assets, including the Lulo mine in Angola.
ColumnistsAug 19, 2025
Peter Smith: The Arrival Fallacy and Jewelry RetailSmith shares wisdom he gleaned from a podcast he was listening to one morning while being walked by his dog, a Malshi named Sophie.
CrimeAug 19, 2025
Customs Seizes 7,300 Pairs of Fake ‘Alhambra’ EarringsThe counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels jewels would have been worth more than $30 million if genuine.
MajorsAug 19, 2025
MJSA Apprenticeship Program Is Nationally RecognizedThe MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program received the Registered Apprenticeship Program designation by the U.S. Department of Labor.
WatchesAug 19, 2025
Casio America Names New Timepiece Division ManagerCasio executive and watch enthusiast Masaki Obu is the new general manager of its U.S. timepiece division.
MajorsAug 18, 2025
Verragio’s Michael Barabash, a ‘Kind Soul,’ Dies at 58Barabash, Verragio’s client relations representative, was a vital member of the team and is remembered as being warm and full of life.
CollectionsAug 18, 2025
John Hardy’s New ‘Dot’ Collection Is on PointOriginally introduced in 1992, the “Dot” collection is back with a capsule featuring five archival designs and three new creations.
Events & AwardsAug 18, 2025
IJO Announces 2025 Vendor of the YearAllison-Kaufman has received the honor for the fourth year in a row.
FinancialsAug 15, 2025
In Q2 Results, Pandora Talks Tariffs, Q4 Plans The company had a solid second quarter, with sales of non-charm jewelry outpacing sales of pieces in its core collections.
EditorsAug 15, 2025
Piece of the Week: Etho Maria’s Showgirl-Approved Ruby Drop Earrings Taylor Swift dons the vibrant pair in new promotional imagery for her upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” set to release in October.
WatchesAug 15, 2025
Audemars Piguet Acquires Majority Stake in ManufacturerIts investment in micromechanics expert Inhotec will preserve skills essential to the watchmaking industry as a whole, said the company.
MajorsAug 15, 2025
Rio Grande Names New Marketing DirectorNicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.
CollectionsAug 14, 2025
In Midst of ‘Sardine Girl Summer,’ Pippa Small Looks to ‘Flounder Fall’Her new “Ocean” collection was inspired by Myanmar’s traditional articulated fish jewelry, with depictions of flounder, catfish, and more.
MajorsAug 14, 2025
Casio America Names New CEOLongtime Casio executive Yusuke Suzuki is the new president and CEO of Casio’s U.S. subsidiary.
SourcingAug 14, 2025
West Coast Orgs to Host Trading Event, Mixer in LAThe full-day sourcing and networking event, slated for Aug. 18, will be followed by the fifth annual Mega Mixer Summer Soirée.
