Introduction 2025-12-28
100 Years of Legacy & Luxury: An Introduction
Hello, my name is Doug Meadows. I’m the founder, visionary, and—what we like to call—the hero maker here at David Douglas Diamonds.
As I’m writing this, we’re at the very end of December 2025, tucked right between Christmas and New Year’s. And we’re standing on the edge of something meaningful. In just a few days, we’ll begin celebrating 100 years of a family of jewelers—a legacy that officially began in 1926.
Before we dive into all the stories, I wanted to take a moment to share my heart behind this journey.
Recently, I came across a quote by John Adams that stopped me in my tracks. He said:
“You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you make good use of it.”
That thought hit home as I reflected on our own family history. I will never fully know what it cost my grandfather—or my dad and uncles—to build the foundation of this jewelry business. And now, as we move into a fourth generation with my son Joseph, he may never fully know what the generations before him endured to create what we have today.
I hope we make good use of it.
That’s part of why this matters.
From Trade Shop to Retail Store
My grandfather, and later my dad and uncle, ran what is known as a trade shop—essentially a wholesale jewelry repair business. Retail jewelers would send work to them: setting diamonds, sizing rings, soldering chains, repairing pieces so they could care for their own customers.
I see myself as a third-generation jeweler, but a first-generation retailer. And that distinction matters, because the industry—and our role in it—has changed dramatically over the years.
Why Tell These Stories?
My intention with this project is simple:
to share stories—weekly when possible, or at least regularly throughout 2026—as we commemorate & celebrate this 100-year milestone.
I’m not trying to cram everything into one piece of writing. I’m hoping instead to whet your appetite. Maybe you’ll tune in occasionally. Maybe weekly. Or maybe this simply becomes something future generations stumble across one day.
At the end of the day, the jewelry business is a funny thing. What we really sell is cold metal and hard rocks. But somehow, those cold metals and hard rocks become vessels for meaning. They help people celebrate, commemorate, and remember life’s most important moments.
That’s the privilege of our industry—we get to be part of people’s stories, from the beginning… sometimes even to the end.
Who Is This Really For?
A friend once asked me, “Doug, who’s really going to care about a 100-year jewelry legacy?”
He joked that if the hardware store down the street celebrated 100 years, he probably wouldn’t care much at all.
And honestly, I get that.
What changed my perspective was a Delta flight I took earlier this year. Delta is celebrating their 100-year anniversary in 2025, and their storytelling was incredibly compelling. Now, I don’t have Delta’s budget—but I do have stories. And heart. And history.
If nothing else, this journey is for me. For our family. And for those who come after us.
An Invitation
I’d love for you to come along—if you’d like. I don’t know exactly where this journey will take us. I just hope it’s educational, meaningful, maybe even a little entertaining.
I’m looking forward to sharing stories—about my grandfather, my dad and uncle, my brothers, Detroit, craftsmanship, faith, family, and legacy. And yes, I’m hoping to eventually talk Joseph into stepping in front of the camera too.
For now, I’ll close here—before I start rambling again.
Thank you for being here.
I look forward to sharing more as we officially step into 100 years in 2026.
— Doug
100 Years of Legacy & Luxury: An Introduction
Hello, my name is Doug Meadows. I’m the founder, visionary, and—what we like to call—the hero maker here at David Douglas Diamonds.
As I’m writing this, we’re at the very end of December 2025, tucked right between Christmas and New Year’s. And we’re standing on the edge of something meaningful. In just a few days, we’ll begin celebrating 100 years of a family of jewelers—a legacy that officially began in 1926.
Before we dive into all the stories, I wanted to take a moment to share my heart behind this journey.
Recently, I came across a quote by John Adams that stopped me in my tracks. He said:
“You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you make good use of it.”
That thought hit home as I reflected on our own family history. I will never fully know what it cost my grandfather—or my dad and uncles—to build the foundation of this jewelry business. And now, as we move into a fourth generation with my son Joseph, he may never fully know what the generations before him endured to create what we have today.
I hope we make good use of it.
That’s part of why this matters.
From Trade Shop to Retail Store
My grandfather, and later my dad and uncle, ran what is known as a trade shop—essentially a wholesale jewelry repair business. Retail jewelers would send work to them: setting diamonds, sizing rings, soldering chains, repairing pieces so they could care for their own customers.
I see myself as a third-generation jeweler, but a first-generation retailer. And that distinction matters, because the industry—and our role in it—has changed dramatically over the years.
Why Tell These Stories?
My intention with this project is simple:
to share stories—weekly when possible, or at least regularly throughout 2026—as we commemorate & celebrate this 100-year milestone.
I’m not trying to cram everything into one piece of writing. I’m hoping instead to whet your appetite. Maybe you’ll tune in occasionally. Maybe weekly. Or maybe this simply becomes something future generations stumble across one day.
At the end of the day, the jewelry business is a funny thing. What we really sell is cold metal and hard rocks. But somehow, those cold metals and hard rocks become vessels for meaning. They help people celebrate, commemorate, and remember life’s most important moments.
That’s the privilege of our industry—we get to be part of people’s stories, from the beginning… sometimes even to the end.
Who Is This Really For?
A friend once asked me, “Doug, who’s really going to care about a 100-year jewelry legacy?”
He joked that if the hardware store down the street celebrated 100 years, he probably wouldn’t care much at all.
And honestly, I get that.
What changed my perspective was a Delta flight I took earlier this year. Delta is celebrating their 100-year anniversary in 2025, and their storytelling was incredibly compelling. Now, I don’t have Delta’s budget—but I do have stories. And heart. And history.
If nothing else, this journey is for me. For our family. And for those who come after us.
An Invitation
I’d love for you to come along—if you’d like. I don’t know exactly where this journey will take us. I just hope it’s educational, meaningful, maybe even a little entertaining.
I’m looking forward to sharing stories—about my grandfather, my dad and uncle, my brothers, Detroit, craftsmanship, faith, family, and legacy. And yes, I’m hoping to eventually talk Joseph into stepping in front of the camera too.
For now, I’ll close here—before I start rambling again.
Thank you for being here.
I look forward to sharing more as we officially step into 100 years in 2026.
— Doug