b'THE STATE OF RETAIL DIAMONDSJEWELRYCOLORED DESIGN STONESBIG G E S TThe Vault Nantucket, tucked in a historic street on the charminga personal connection between my clients and their jewelry. island and catering to well-heeled vacationers, is all about the in-per- Design isnt Jetters first career. She got her start in finance, a fieldC C E S Sson element, so much so that the seasonal jewelry store (open Maythat didnt match her creative, artistic sensibilities. While in Italy, sheU Eto September annually) didnt even have ecommerce until 2020 whenbegan working for a jeweler in exchange for Italian lessons. S Sstay-at-home orders took hold.I realized I found my passion, she says. She pursued her gradu-To further enhance the IRL experience, The Vault Nantucketate gemology diploma at the Gemological Institute of America and opened a permanent, year-round spot in the Chestnut Hill area oflaunched her eponymous jewelry collection in 2008. Boston in 2021.Spending her summers on Nantucket Island, she noticed a dearth We offer highly curated fine jewelry from the best-in-class designers,of interesting jewelry. My friends would always ask where they could says Jetter, such as Fernando Jorge and Vram. Our atmosphere isbuy my jewelry, which was very different from anything else they luxurious, yet fun and inviting, and never with any pretense. were seeing on-island. I decided there was an opportunity to bring What sets The Vault apart from other retailers is Jetters customcontemporary fine jewelry brands to the area and the response has design ability. I can guide clients to find the perfect addition to theirbeen incredible. Five years later, I havent looked back. jewelry wardrobe with a real knowledge of materials, design and pric- Now, she focuses on connections with clients fostered by jewelry. ing, she explains. I am also always available in-house to do customMany of our clients are self-purchasers, which, as a female entre-design work and repurposing, which my clients really enjoy and addspreneur surrounded by an amazing group of powerful women, I love.TIN Y G O D SOPEN SINCE:November 2020DESIGNERS:Aisha Baker, Ananya, Anita Ko, Bea Bongiasca, Harwell Godfrey, Nikos Koulis, Retrouvai, Sauer, Silvia FurmanovichO pened in late 2020, Tiny Gods emotional genesis was much earlier, when founder Mary Margaret Beaver found herself in her first post-graduate job at an advertising firm in New York. The firm, J. Walter Thompson, was the ad agency of record for De Beers and Beaver was assigned to the A Diamond Is Forever account.This was a grad school of sorts for a yet-to-be-imagined passion and career in the jewelry industry, she says.This pinnacle of diamond marketing was Beavers jewelry foun- Mary Margaret Beaver at her jewelry store, Tiny Gods, in Charlotte, North Carolinadation. She made her way to Charlotte, eventually working at a local jewelry and tabletop store in various roles. Ultimately, though, my own unique vision for what I wanted todynamic retail spacecolorful, carefully curated and ever-evolving. create would need to be something new and all my own, she says.In its short life span, the store has become a hub of designer trunk Tiny Gods is now home to many designers who arent easy to findshows and events supporting other small businesses in the area. in North Carolina, like Anita Ko, Nikos Koulis, and Harwell God- The store has allowed Beaver to cultivate the relationships she frey. Beaver says there is no substitute for interacting with designs inloves with the new and established designers she sources, and with person, rather than on a website.her clientele. Jewelry can mean so much to its wearer. It is an honor Clients often dont know what will speak to them in person orto play a role in helping clients discover their own vessels of personal what they may discover when they step into Tiny Gods. Being ableexpression that are most often also a symbol of love and significance. to see, look, feel, touch, and try on these wearable pieces of art is soA new and unique voice in Charlotte retail, Beaver says taking the important. Jewelry often isnt a quick click purchase. I want clientsrisk of opening Tiny Gods adheres to her general philosophy, which to have the opportunity to experience the evolving curation I amis: Dont be afraid to be different. creating in an environment that feels dynamic and welcoming. The greatest risks are often the decisions that will have the big-Co-located with an art gallery, Beaver describes Tiny Gods as agest impact on growth.62 STATE OF THE MAJORS 2022'