They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but at Satterfield and Dempsey Jewelers diamonds are for everyone. Co-owner Sam Satterfield talks about the business and the joy he experiences in the diamond industry. However, it was an unexpected path that led him here.

Originally from West Virginia, Sam’s time in the Air Force led him to Georgia. “I joined the Air Force in 1984,”he says. “I spent four years at Robins Air Force base in the Fifth Communications Group.”

When his time with the Air Force came to an end, Sam decided to stay in Georgia. A natural people person, he became a car salesman for Nissan. However, Sam admits, “I didn’t really care for the car business.”

After a year selling cars, Sam learned of a seasonal opportunity with Strauther-Harris Jewelers. They were looking for extra help during their busy Christmas season, and Sam was eager to try it out.

“Prior to this job,” Sam says, “Honestly I didn’t know anything about jewelry. I didn’t know emerald was green, I didn’t even own a watch.” While he might have been an unlikely candidate for the job, his work ethic and ability to connect with customers served him well.

Sam’s performance was exceptional that Christmas season, and it became the turning point in his career. “I stayed on and eventually became Assistant Manager in 1990,” he recounts. “I began taking my Gemological Institute of America courses for diamonds to become a Gemologist. That’s on-going, I still take courses to freshen up.”

Sam stayed on with Strauther-Harris as they moved to the Galleria Mall and became manager when Van Dempsey left the company. A few years later, however, he was growing his family and struggled with the long mall hours. Having two small children at home, he decided to transition away from Strauther-Harris Jewelers.

“I reached out to Van and we decided to open up Satterfield and Dempsey Jewelers in 2000,” Sam says. Originally, their store was adjacent to the Galleria Mall before moving to its current location on Houston Lake Road.

Although it was an unexpected career path, Sam’s love for the diamond industry grew with each passing year. His natural-born talent for sales combined with his passion for helping others in what became a successful drive in his business dealings. Not surprisingly, Satterfield and Dempsey Jewelers has become a staple in Middle Georgia.

“We are a full jewelry retail store,” Sam says proudly. “We have children’s jewelry that starts at $50,and we have sterling silver and that type of price range. I specialize in diamond engagement rings, wedding sets, and solitaires–that’s our bread and butter so to speak.”

When starting Satterfield and Dempsey Jewelers, Sam desired for the store to cater to people of all calibers. His overreaching goal was to create an environment that welcomes people of all markets, and he has done just that. Whether you are looking for an everyday piece of jewelry or the ring with which to propose a lifetime with your partner, Satterfield and Dempsey Jewelers is here for your every need.

“Everybody has a budget,” Sam says. They keep this in mind when stocking a variety of engagement rings to appeal to everyone. “We try to keep a good selection of everything so that regardless of what your budget is we can take care of it.”

Sam also performs appraisals for insurance purposes. He enjoys offering this service to help people understand the value of their possessions.

When asked where their diamonds come from, Sam shares that they purchase their product at jewelry shows and through traveling vendors. “The jewelry show does come to Atlanta twice a year, and there’s always a big show in Las Vegas once a year,” he says. “We have numerous vendors that come to us. They’ll have diamonds, jewelry and all kinds of bracelets that we go through and choose what we want.”

Sam prides himself on selecting jewelry that is unique to the market. “We try to keep a wide variety of things that are going to be different,” he says. “You’re not going to see it on everybody’s hand or wrist.”

Having served Middle Georgia since the 1990s, Sam has developed strong relationships within the community. “We have folks that are bringing their children in to buy their engagement rings and we had sold their mom and dad their engagement rings 20 years ago,” he says proudly.

“Pretty much every time I go to a grocery store or church I’ll see people who are customers,” Sam says. “They will literally take their ring off their finger and say, ‘I’m missing a diamond off this ring, and can you take it with you?’”

Sam describes the joy it brings him to be trusted with people’s jewelry in this way. For him ,this level of trust is more valuable than any precious stone. It is what drives him to continue serving others with honesty, integrity, and respect.

The jewelry business is special as it allows Sam and his team to take part in other people’s celebrations. Whether for an engagement, anniversary, or birthday, they help make people’s special day sparkle.

“We’re in the feel-good business,” Sam states. “Everything that we sell is a luxury. It’s not required for people getting married to have a wedding band; they want to purchase something to make themselves feel good.”

As such, Sam delights in steering customers to the diamond ring, bracelet, or earrings they love the most. His joy in the business has inspired his daughter, Olivia, to work alongside of him as Store Manager at Satterfield and Dempsey Jewelers. “It’s very rewarding getting to see her and work with her every day,” Sam says sweetly.

As times continue to evolve, Satterfield and Dempsey work to keep up with consumer needs. “In today’s world you have to do all the social media, and the staff that we have now all participate and do a lot of posting and advertising which has helped tremendously,” Sam says.

They are prepared to continue serving the community with the same dedication they opened their doors with over 20 years ago. Whether you know exactly what you are looking for or need some serious guidance, Satterfield and Dempsey is there to help you navigate your way to the perfect piece. And by the time you leave the store, you will shine as brightly as a diamond.