Benold's Jewelers

"What women wear in Austin is different jewelry than what you'd see women wear in Houston or Dallas, where jewelry tends to be little more dressy and formal," Doolittle said.

There are also classic styles from which customers never grow weary, he said. The wide selection of inventory has helped Doolittle to increase business in each of the past five years.

"That tells us we're doing something right," he said.

Many of Benold's employees have worked for the jeweler since before its 1997 move from near the Burnet Road/North Loop Boulevard intersection. Some even have such longtime clients that employees can handpick and gift-wrap jewelry for a special occasion without either spouse viewing the item before the purchase, he said.

"They just come pick it up," Doolittle said. "It's that kind of trust that we love, and it's what keeps us here."

Those longtime employees also help connect the gap to a younger clientele base that often shops online before coming into the store to make their purchase.

"We're starting to get grandchildren coming in to get bridal jewelry whose grandparents came in here in the 1940s and '50s," he said.

Benold's Jewelers, 2900 W. Anderson Lane, Ste. F, 512-452-6491, www.benolds.com, Twitter: @BenoldsJewelers, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., closed Sun.