Merritt Mayher, a former Tiffany & Co. executive, is the new president and chief executive officer of Shreve, Crump & Lowe, Boston, and of Schwarzchilds Jewelers, Richmond, Va. This is the first time both jewelry retailers have had one president.

Her appointment, effective March 3, was approved in January by the boards of directors of the two jewelry retailers and of Tyringham Investment Ltd., Montreal, Canada, which owns them. Mayher has been vice president of category management for Tiffany & Co., which she joined in December 1991. Previously, she was an executive with Bonwit Teller.

Mayher’s office will be in Boston, but she will travel extensively between the two retail divisions. Both administrative and merchandising operations will remain in their current locations.

Shreve, Crump & Low, which has two stores in Boston, traces its origins to 1791. Schwarzchilds, which is 106 years old, operates three stores in the Richmond area and will open a fourth in September 2003.