Brainstorms

Here’s Why Jewelers Should Stop and Smell the Tomatoes

Noticing even mundane beauty like a humming shop area has mental health benefits, say academics.

Published

9 months ago

April 27, 2025

INSTORE Staff Instore May 2025 Issue

Here’s Why Jewelers Should Stop and Smell the Tomatoes

PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO

Beauty is traditionally thought of as the aesthetics of objects, but it can apply to experiences as well. Appreciating that can greatly enhance cognitive health and well-being, say Stanford Business School marketing professors Jennifer Aaker and Szu-chi Huang. Such “beautiful moments,” like hearing a bird song, feeling the sun’s warmth, or even just observing a work area that is running smoothly, happen throughout our day. The trick is noticing them. Aaker and Huang cite the case of award-winning chef Michael Mina. “For him, a beautiful moment is in the kitchen when he goes in and he sees perfectly cut tomatoes,” says Huang, who advises journaling to keep track of such times. “These beautiful moments jumpstart ripple effects in our neural network, awakening us to richer sensory experiences and creating positive, enduring memories,” she says.

Honoring a Legacy: How Smith & Son Jewelers Exceeded Every Goal With Wilkerson

When Andrew Smith decided to close the Springfield, Massachusetts location of Smith & Son Jewelers, the decision came down to family. His father was retiring after 72 years in the business, and Andrew wanted to spend more time with his children and soon-to-arrive grandchildren. For this fourth-generation jeweler whose great-grandfather founded the company in 1918, closing the 107-year-old Springfield location required the right partner. Smith chose Wilkerson, and the experience exceeded expectations from start to finish. "Everything they told me was 100% true," Smith says. "The ease and use of all their tools was wonderful." The consultants' knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Smith and his father set their own financial goal, but Wilkerson proposed three more ambitious targets. "We thought we would never make it," Smith explains. "We were dead wrong. We hit our first goal, second goal and third goal. It was amazing." Smith's recommendation is emphatic: "I would never be able to do what they did by myself."