Becoming a professional jeweler and business owner

He welded necklaces and sized rings under the tutelage of resident master jeweler William Smith, to whom Eddie owes many thanks for the lessons learned.

He is also very grateful to Tim, Travis, and Millard Griffin for giving him his first job in the jewelry business.

Eddie took a few classes on setting fancy-shaped stones and using fancy settings. Otherwise, everything else he learned about the business was purely through hands-on experience.

Eddie moved to the Eastern Shore in 1998 and was employed by a local, family-owned jewelry store where he was the manager and jeweler. Eddie met a lot of wonderful people and grew to love the area.

In the year 2000, the owner decided to move their Daphne location to South Baldwin County, so Eddie opened his own store in 2001 on a shoestring budget in Jubilee Pointe Shopping Center.

Changing with the industry and the times

A lot has changed in the jewelry business since then. Eddie and his wife, Hope Wade, now do CAD/CAM design which, unlike hand carving wax, is done by computers. They no longer use the torch that Eddie was so drawn to as a teenager.

As the owner and jeweler, Eddie is the person who performs the repairs on site – nothing is ever sent to another location.

A member of the Jewelers of America for 15 years, Eddie has 24 years of experience as a bench jeweler. He uses the latest equipment, including a laser welder and CAD-CAM technology.

Visit Wade Jewelers for custom jewelry design and repairs to eyeglasses, silver, and costume jewelry. They repair items other stores can’t – or won’t.