Delicate, beachy jewelry from Where Watermelons Grow in Marshfield

May 18, 2023

MARSHFIELD − Sarah Jean Gammon is a timeless sort of woman.

Her face is makeup free and her feet are bare as she walks through the hallways of her 120-year-old Ocean Bluff home, and her blond hair trails down her back. She looks classic yet modern, and her beachy outfit is adorned only by dainty jewelry she has designed herself.

"It's timeless jewelry," Gammon said of the pieces. "I hear from people that the quality is nicer than they expected and it will last forever because it's simple and timeless."

Gammon is the owner of Where Watermelons Grow, a jewelry brand she started 10 years ago and has since taken full time. Using mostly metals, pearls and small beads, the pieces are fashionable without being trendy and show her obvious affinity for life on the beach.

She runs the business out of her home and designs every necklace, bracelet and pair of earrings herself.

"It's a big reflection of growing up on the water. I surf, I grew up on the beach, I use a lot of shells and natural elements," she said. "It's very delicate, it's something that doesn't take away from someone's natural beauty. It just enhances it."

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The signature collection of Where Watermelons Grow showcases the company's most popular longstanding items, headlined by the Blue Point Peal earrings that crawl up the ear. They're small and neutral, and Gammon says they include her favorite material to work with: freshwater pearls.

"No pearl is the same," she said. "They're all very unique and that makes it interesting. A lot of the wrapping metals or other design elements can get repetitive or boring, but the pearls are always fun and unexpected."

She has a bridal collection that heavily features pearls, as well a line of birthstone pieces, personalized jewelry, beaded wraps and metal cuffs. She follows trends within reason − she's started to offer more gold as the metal comes into fashion, for instance − but largely sticks to her own style.

"I want to be able to offer exactly what someone is looking for while staying true to my style and my brand," she said.

The strategy seems to be working. When Gammon first started making her most popular pair of earrings, she sold about 12 pairs a month. Now, she easily eclipses the 100 mark for that item as customers from around the country find the business. She has several part-time employees, including a jewelry maker, a marketing expert and a salesperson who helps with local shows or markets.

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Gammon's skills in crafting jewelry originally came from a metalsmithing class she took in high school, and she's expanded her knowledge through tutorials on YouTube. Her most valuable teacher, however, has been time.

"You just have to practice. Over the years, I've perfected the skills that I learned," Gammon, a mother of two, said. "I can't draw or sing, but to make and create was always something I loved to do. ... It's a lot of really early mornings, naptimes, late nights. It's odd hours and no free time, but it's important to really love what you do. And I do."

Gannon's pieces can be found online and in local stores, including all three Levitate locations and Beautiful Horizons in Weymouth. In addition to her usual work, Where Watermelons Grow has started offering newly popular permanent jewelry at pop-ups and for private events.

Uniquely Local is a series of stories by Mary Whitfill highlighting the South Shore's farmers, bakers and makers.

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