The roots of The Highlands Gem Shop stretch as far as Miami, Florida, and Fresno, California. In 1942, a marriage between Archie Jellen, from Fresno, and Hazel Griffin, of Miami, set in motion a series of events.

While on their honeymoon, Archie and Hazel discovered the wonder of Highlands and decided that Highlands was where they would spend much of their lives.

As a former hand-cutter of precision optics for military binoculars, Archie adapted his skill and started cutting the rubies and sapphires native to Macon County, North Carolina .

Hazel's ever-present love of rocks and Archie's lapidary prowess soon led to selling gems and minerals out of their home. After building a following they decided to take the plunge and open a business property. In 1952, Jellen's Gem Cutting & Mineral Shop was born, adjacent to its current location.

In 1956, the Jellen's purchased the current business location, the vacant Jackson County Bank building. Business has been ongoing in this location non-stop ever since.

Fast forwarding to the present, the Gem Shop is now owned and operated by Matthew Schroeders, the Jellen's grandson. Matthew received his Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration from the University of Florida, Gainesville. He obtained a Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America, headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and New York, New York

In 1969

Matthew was born in the small Highlands Hospital and raised in the jewelry business. In 1999, Matthew married Laura Knerr, and began a union that would carry The Gem Shop into the 21rst century. Matthew and Laura have two children, both girls- Jordan, born in 2003 and Sydney, born in 2006. With the fourth generation firmly in place, the Schroeders look forward to many more years serving their expanding clientele from their longstanding location in beautiful Highlands, North Carolina.

The Highlands Gem Shop also has a sister store, Jon Paul Jewelers, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Jon Paul was established in 1969, at its original and still current location. Jon Paul is owned and operated by Jon Paul Schroeders, father of Matthew.