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About Us
The Beginning
It all began five generations ago with Richard Wilson. Before the War Between the States, Richard was a schoolteacher in Douglasville, Ga. After joining the Confederate States Army in 1861, he served in the First Atlanta Regiment. Captured at the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tenn., at the very beginning of 1863, Capt. Richard Wilson was held as a prisoner of war on Johnson’s Island in Sandusky, Ohio. At the end of the war, Richard made his way back to the South with a new skill: clock making. He put his new skills to work on the weekends, operating from the corner of a dry goods store on the Square in Marietta, Ga., (the location is now home to the Cobb County Courthouse). Richard would take clocks and watches in for service on one Saturday (often known as Market Day in the 19th century) and deliver the finished products on a subsequent Saturday. By 1868, he had successfully transitioned to small business owner in the jewelry industry.
In 1914, Richard’s two grandsons, Joe “J.D.” Dorsett Wilson and Homer Wilson, inherited the business and expanded the operation, naming it “Wilson Bros. Jewelers.” For a time, the two brothers operated two storefronts. One space fronted the Square and offered a variety of jewelry, watches, clocks, and even eyeglasses, while the other store was located on what was then known as Depot Street, facing the busy railroad tracks. J.D. had secured an exclusive contract with the N.C. and St. L (North Carolina-St. Louis) Railroad to time all the engineers' watches, spending most of his time at the Depot Street store. Homer, known for his charm and flair, engaged customers at the larger Square-fronting store.
By 1950, it was time for J.D.’s two sons, Joe Mack Wilson and James Wilson, to take the reins of the family business. They operated two storefronts for a time, Wilson Bros. Jewelers and Friendly Jewelers, both located on Church Street just off the main Square. Joe Mack worked part-time in the family jewelry store while attending the Georgia Institute of Technology in the early 1940s, and the family remains Georgia Tech fans to this day! After enlisting in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Joe Mack returned to the Marietta Square, using his separation pay to invest in new display cases and equipment for Wilson Bros. Jewelers at 77 Church St. He and James became community fixtures, with Joe Mack even serving in the Georgia House of Representatives in 1960. By 1970, day-to-day operations had shifted to his son, Stephen H. “Beau” Wilson.
Beau started working in the family business in 1962, was running it by 1970, and in 1983 bought the business from his father, Joe Mack. During renovations to the block of buildings on Church Street that housed Wilson Bros. Jewelers, Beau moved the store to the neighboring space at 73 Church St., where it remains today. Together with his wife, Janis Ledford Wilson, they have operated this fifth-generation jewelry store since the 1980s. Their daughters, Stephanie Janis Wilson and Ashlie Wilson Pendley, often assist in the family business, while their grandson Beau Wilson Pendley is usually on site several days a week, greeting customers.
Today, Wilson Bros. Jewelers proudly continues its long-standing tradition under the ownership of Zaman, whose journey in the jewelry industry began at an early age. He worked in his father’s jewelry business before pursuing formal training in jewelry repair and design at a school in Miami, where he earned his diploma. He also received certifications from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Zaman joined Wilson Bros. Jewelers at just 19 years old, dedicating himself to mastering the art of fine jewelry and building lasting relationships with customers. Through years of hard work and passion, he became the owner in 2019, continuing the legacy of this historic Marietta Square jewelry store into a new generation. Alongside him, his wife Swetha plays a vital role in managing the business, ensuring a welcoming experience and smooth day-to-day operations.
At the heart of the store is not just fine jewelry, but a warm and inviting atmosphere. Customers are often greeted by Bear, our beloved mini Pomeranian, who has become a familiar and friendly face to all who walk through our doors. We specialize in custom jewelry design, expert jewelry repair, fine timepieces, and timeless pieces that celebrate life’s most meaningful moments. Our commitment remains the same—to provide exceptional quality, trusted service, and a personal experience for every customer who visits Wilson Brothers Jewelry in Marietta.