Congress Jewelers Sanibel Fine Jewelry Store

By: Gillian Birch

Jewelry is traditionally bought or given to mark a special event such as a birthday, engagement, marriage, or anniversary. Why not mark your visit to Fort Myers, Florida with a contemporary piece of jewelry as a reminder of your wonderful vacation? Congress Jewelers on Sanibel Island and their Sealife by Congress collection is just the place to find the perfect piece.

Designer and signature island-inspired fine jewelry paired with personalized service and quality workmanship at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel, Florida.
Photo credit Nita Ettinger

Family History of Sanibel’s Congress Jewelers 

Scot Congress is a third generation jeweler who credits his enduring success to the pride he takes in producing high quality jewelry along with a personalized service. His father Larry Congress was a jeweler in Peoria, Illinois before the family relocated to Southwest Florida in 1981. He and his son Scot ran a Bike and Boat Rental business for a time, but it quickly became evident that Sanibel Island needed a quality jeweler. 

Jewelry store filled with designer and signature island-inspired fine jewelry paired with personalized service and quality workmanship at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel, Florida.
Photo courtesy Congress Jewelers

Larry’s wife Dee was a keen sheller and she asked Larry to recreate an olive shell in gold as a pendant. The rest is history. The business is now run by Scot and his wife Melissa. As well as designing and creating jewelry, the in-house jeweler also offers repairs, whether it’s a modern piece or a precious heirloom. 

Discover Your Birthshell at Congress Jewelers

Shell pendants and ring. Designer and signature island-inspired fine jewelry paired with personalized service and quality workmanship at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel, Florida.
Photo courtesy Congress Jewelers

Most people know their birthstone, but Congress Jewelers has gone one better. They have created a range of beautiful rings and pendants that incorporate specific polished shells–one for each month of the year. These include the Auger shell for January birthdays, followed by tulip, olive, conch, lions paw and other beautiful seashells. 

Birthshell pendants and earrings in sterling silver and gold. Designer and signature island-inspired fine jewelry paired with personalized service and quality workmanship at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel, Florida.
Photo courtesy Congress Jewelers

Find out which is your Birthshell by visiting the store or contacting them online. It’s a beautiful way to give a personal birthday gift, especially for someone who has an affinity for nature and the sea.

Sealife by Congress Sanibel Inspired Jewelry Collection

Inspired by the natural beauty of Sanibel and Southwest Florida, Scot and Melissa Congress have created a signature line of jewelry that is handcrafted by local artisans on the island. Some of the original pieces from the Sealife by Congress collection include a beautiful 14k gold sand dollar pendant necklace that comes in various sizes. The textured finish, five pointed star and natural indentations exactly capture the sand dollars that are regularly washed up on Sanibel beaches. Finding a sand dollar is meant to bring good luck, so having your own gold sand dollar pendant must surely be a charm! 

Sand dollar necklace, earrings, rings and pendants. Designer and signature island-inspired fine jewelry paired with personalized service and quality workmanship at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel, Florida.
Photo courtesy Congress Jewelers

More informal and beachy is the sterling silver Sanibel Sandals pendant – a fun and delicate pendant that will look good with any casual beachwear. 

What’s more, these items are surprisingly affordable. Other pieces in this bespoke Sealife by Congress jewelry collection include a yellow gold polished olive shell pendant, a Sanibel Island map pendant, and silver sand dollar earrings. Pieces that are more expensive include diamonds and gemstones.

Congress Jewelers is located in Periwinkle Place shopping plaza on Sanibel and is open daily. 

Designer and signature island-inspired fine jewelry paired with personalized service and quality workmanship at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel, Florida. Must Do Visitor Guides
Photo courtesy Congress Jewelers

Written by: Gillian Birch | Author Website

Gillian Birch is a freelance travel writer and, whenever possible between trips, she enjoys life in Florida. As the wife of a Master Mariner, she has traveled extensively and lived in some exotic locations all over the world, including the Far East and the Republic of Panama. Describing herself as having "endless itchy feet and an insatiable wanderlust", she continues to explore Florida and further afield, writing about her experiences with wonderful clarity and attention to detail. With a diploma in Journalism from the BCJ, she has published several travel books and ebooks, all available on Amazon under her name. Formerly the Florida Editor for BellaOnline from 2011-13, Gillian is an active member of the International Travel Writers' Alliance and the Gulf Coast Writers' Association, and an enthusiastic guest blogger for Must Do Visitor Guides. Learn more about her writing as YourTravelGirl at: www.gillianbirch.com and follow her blog around the world at https://gillianbirch.wordpress.com/