About Cross Jewelers

We’re a shop of a dozen people tucked up in the corner of the country in the coastal city of Portland, Maine.

We design and create much of our jewelry, but we also work with a select group of specialty shops around the country and around the world; with artisans and jewelers who make extraordinary pieces. This flexibility allows us to offer a wide range of unique and inspiring jewelry.

A Taste of New England

Many of the pieces we create have at least a touch, taste, or hint of New England, especially the coast. Whether traveling to one of Maine’s 3,166 islands or combing a sandy beach as the tide retreats, inspiration can be found anywhere.

Love of a Good Story

We believe in sharing stories. Gems have stories, and the jewelry designs themselves often have their own unique stories. When we discover something that intrigues, we share.

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Your Trust & What You Can Expect

We share our newest and best creations with our 15,000 email friends. Typically we send one to three emails each week. Our emails often feature a collection, other times we may share a single piece of jewelry that we may only have one of. Join at the bottom of this page.

Privacy is important to us; therefore, we will not sell, rent, or give your name or address to anyone.

Our History Starting in 1908

In 1908 William Cross opened his jewelry making shop in Portland, Maine. William was a master jeweler having perfected his skills with Greenleaf & Crosby in Jacksonville, Florida. As his small business grew, he surrounded himself with the best and brightest young men he could find and taught them the secrets of designing and making jewelry of exceptional quality. By 1925 Cross Jewelers had grown to employ 19 craftsmen and was Northern New England’s preeminent manufacturer of fine jewelry and custom diamond engagement rings.

When William passed away in 1931, his son, Linwood Cross, took over the day-to-day management of Cross’ jewelry design and manufacturing concern. During World War II Linwood transitioned Cross from manufacturing wholesale, to selling directly to the public with the store’s craftsmen working individually with retail customers, a model of operation still retained today.

In 1976 Linwood Cross retired after 45 years of running the store. His grandson, Ralph Pride, acquired and continued operating the family business into the present. With the arrival of the internet and national exposure, Cross has developed a nationwide following focused on four major categories: Diamonds & Diamond Styles, Blue Sapphires, Maine Tourmaline, and Jewelry Inspired by the Coast of Maine.