By Avery Ayers

Introduction

When it comes to selecting jewelry, I’m very specific because I love to style jewelry. In Eau Claire, there are various local jewelry brands, but two brands that have constantly gravitated too. Hello Adorn and Token Jewelry, are constantly coming out with new products for each season and are locally made. Although I have bought from both brands, I like Token Jewelry more. This is because of the quality of the jewelry, customer service, and mainly their unique pieces of jewelry that not a lot of brands make. In this article, I will explore the specific attributes that explain why Token Jewelry is better.

Background 

Token Jewelry’s story began with Sarah Willger & her passion for unique pieces of jewelry. She launched her business years ago by originally starting an Etsy shop where she would make custom jewelry for people. She would also do trunk shows and private events to connect with customers and get her business more well-known rather than only online. In 2017 she bought an old antiques store located in downtown Eau Claire and gave it a huge renovation – designing an aesthetic exterior, complementing the EC River right off the building.

         “I purchased my first set of benchtools, wire and a bench

block in 2005, wanting to create my own pair of earrings 

after falling in love with a strand of Labradorite gemstones.” – Sarah Willger (Founder of Token Jewelry).

After Jess and Adam Gardner realized that life is too short to not do something you’re passionate about, they left their corporate jobs to pursue a smaller dream. Jess originally started making jewelry in her own house and the back of their small clothing store, and after Adam had more time on his hands, he also switched to full-time jewelry making. After buying their first store in downtown Eau Claire, their small business became something not so small anymore. Today, they have 40+ staff working hard to make Hello Adorn a successful dream, and I would say they are succeeding. I see their brand in stores (like other boutiques) throughout Wisconsin all the time.

“Our small dream came to life as we built a brand doing something we enjoyed, with the people we loved, in a setting that inspired us.”

– Jess & Adam Gardner (Creators of Hello Adorn).

Personal Opinion & Experience

Even before stepping inside Token Jewelry, I assure you that you’ll be drawn in by the aesthetic and inviting exterior. I can also say that every time I’ve gone into Token, I was immediately greeted by friendly employees who made sure they understood what I was looking for. One experience that really highlighted Token Jewelry’s commitment to customer service happened while I was browsing in their store. A girl around my age came in with a broken necklace charm, she explained that it had caught onto something and broke. Without hesitation, the staff at Token offered to fix it or replace it, at no cost to the customer. The staff was genuine in understanding and kindness. It was clear they really value the quality of their jewelry, which made a lasting impression on me. 

“I like Token better because the quality in my opinion is better,”

– Madison Paul (Grade 10).

Token Jewelry is a great jewelry brand to get staples/basics from, but also statement pieces. Token loves to design pieces that incorporate stones, and have unique designs. I’ve never experienced any tarnishing even with frequent wear and every time I wear a piece from Token, I get a lot of compliments from others. This combination of unique design, lasting quality, and customer service makes Token Jewelry the brand that I prefer over other local jewelry brands in Eau Claire and even over Hello Adorn.

“I like Token because their store is so bright and cheerful, and it is nice to go inside and I like their jewelry because it has stones mixed in with the gold and silver and I like a little color!” – Jessica Fisher (my mom).

In an article by Volume One about how Token Jewelry came to be and how it’s going. In the article it mentions how much Token has grown over the years “Regarding growth, Willger said most of it has come from expanding wholesale partnerships, as her jewelry can be found in more than 200 retail shops across the United States.” This shows how much her company has grown and how much people are willing to pay the price for the quality and uniqueness of the product.

Conclusion 

Overall, while both Token Jewelry and Hello Adorn are amazing jewelry businesses, my personal preference is that I like Token Jewelry more. The brand’s unique products really stand out to me, as well as their great customer service and overall aesthetics.