Kari Smith

Kari fell in love with jewelry over 20 years ago and never looked back. She’s a Graduate Gemologist through GIA—which means she’s trained in all the cool science-y stuff like diamond grading, gemstone identification, and pearl evaluation—but her favorite part of the job is connecting with people and sharing that education. Whether she’s helping a client design a one-of-a-kind piece or geeking out over gemstone facts with her team, Kari brings equal parts expertise and enthusiasm.

She also holds a degree in Economics from the University of Illinois and served on the board of the Independent Jewelers Org. (IJO) from 2021–2024, supporting fellow jewelers across the country.

For Kari, owning a small business is about more than just beautiful jewelry—it’s about giving back to the Champaign-Urbana community that has supported the store for so many years. Whether it’s partnering with local businesses and charities for events, donating what they’d charge for watch batteries to a local charity of the month, or celebrating life’s milestones with longtime customers, that community connection means everything. In 2024, Champaign Jewelers was honored to be named Small Business of the Year by the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce.

When she’s not at the store, you’ll find Kari adventuring with her husband Steve, their two awesome kids, and their dog Walker.