In 1908 William Cross opened his jewelry making shop in Portland, Maine. William was a master jeweler having perfected his skills with Greenleaf & Crosby in Jacksonville, Florida. As his small business grew, he surrounded himself with the best and brightest young men he could find and taught them the secrets of designing and making jewelry of exceptional quality. By 1925 Cross Jewelers had grown to employ 19 craftsmen and was Northern New Englands preeminent manufacturer of fine jewelry and custom diamond engagement rings. When Willaim passed away in 1931, his son, Linwood Cross, took over the day-to-day management of Cross jewelry design and manufacturing concern. During World War II Linwood transitioned Cross from manufacturing whole sale, to selling directly to the public with the stores craftsmen working individually with retail customers, a model of operation still retained today. In 1976 Linwood Cross retired after 45 years of running the store. His grandson, Ralph Pride, acquired and continued operating the family business into the present. With the arrival of the internet and national exposure, Cross has developed a nationwide following focused on four major categories: Diamonds & Diamond Styles, Blue Sapphires, Maine Tourmaline, and Jewelry Inspired by the Coast of Maine.