The History of Greenleaf & Crosby

Florida's Oldest Jeweler

In 1868, Damon Greenleaf and J.H. Crosby Jr. established Greenleaf & Crosby in Jacksonville, one of the most important southern ports in the aftermath of the Civil War. Similar to the offerings of eastern jewelry establishments of an earlier period, Greenleaf & Crosby's merchandise was specific to the regions and tastes of its founders: exceptional jewelry, Florida-inspired fine china and even tropical birds.

As tourism began to take off in the state, Greenleaf  & Crosby boutiques sprang up near the luxury hotels Henry Flagler built along the coast. The Company opened stores in The Alcazar, Saint Augustine, in 1887; in The Royal Poinciana Hotel, Palm Beach, in 1895; and in The Breaker's Palm Beach, as well as The Royal Palm Hotel in downtown Miami, both around the turn of the century.

By the 1920s, Greenleaf & Crosby had become the foremost jeweler both to Florida residents and to the entrepreneurs who were making these southern communities famous as resorts. At that point, the firm became known for introducing some of the most iconic European jewelry brands to its American clientele, including most notably Van Cleef & Arpels and Patek Philippe.

A New Chapter on Worth Avenue

In 1933, Greenleaf & Crosby opened its current store on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, which has been the flagship location ever since.

The store still features its original Deco Moderne granite facade trimmed with silvery-white Monel, a rare nickel alloy resistant to the corrosiveness of salt air and patented by an early Palm Beach customer.

Greenleaf & Crosby remains family-owned, just as it has for over an hundred and fifty years. Today, the Company is owned by Win and Natalie Betteridge who are proud to continue Greenleaf & Crosby's legacy of customer service in Palm Beach and beyond.

Win and Natalie were part of the management team at Betteridge in Greenwich, Connecticut for over a decade. They acquired Greenleaf & Crosby in 2021.

Known for its jewelry- from extraordinary estate pieces to classic gemstones and contemporary designer jewels- the Company is frequented by many of the world's great collectors. Just a few short blocks from the Atlantic Ocean and nestled at the center of one of the most prestigious shopping avenues, Greenleaf & Crosby is not to be missed.