Through months of intermittent Covid-19 captivity, people have sought to stay intellectually engaged. The pandemic has given birth to new learning platforms and led to a democratization of formal gem and jewelry education. While many such initiatives launched this year, Sharon Novak (pictured) and Christian Keesee embarked on their jewelry education path more than a year ago, establishing Beekman New York in January 2019.
The company’s main offering is a carefully curated selection of luxury jewelry from all the major houses, which clients can borrow for a daily fee without membership. Those who do join as members can also consult with Beekman’s personal styling team to determine which pieces best suit their needs.
But what sets the firm apart is its emphasis on learning: The jewels in its collection represent the iconic elements of each luxury house, allowing clients to educate themselves about the pieces’ heritage and craftsmanship. Members additionally have access to master classes on gemology and special events.
“To truly understand and appreciate the value in high jewelry, it’s essential to experience these miniature works of jeweled art personally,” says Novak. “My cofounder and I wanted to emulate a library by curating a collection under one roof where clients could learn to appreciate the artisanship of high jewelry through the age-old art of self-adornment — like borrowing books from a library.”
Getting a taste
The ability to borrow without a long-term commitment is a distinguishing feature of Beekman, and Novak dismisses the idea that this model could discourage potential customers from buying. “On the contrary, we are complementary to the jewelry houses, as we neither sell nor carry current jewelry collections (unless by arrangement with living designers),” she explains. “We are simply providing information and exposure and referring customers for the eventual purchases to the houses. For example, couples getting married will buy a ring regardless, but our service allows them to borrow and wear different types of stone cuts and shapes to get a sense of what they like.”
On the company’s website, visitors can freely learn about the nuances of various periods, gemstones and jewelry houses.
Far-reaching outreach
Although the library initiative only launched officially in February 2020, the Beekman team had already initiated a series of YouTube and iTunes interviews in October 2019 to start the educational process, having spent the previous months building their knowledge bank. They switched their broadcasts to Instagram Live once Covid-19 hit. In the past year, they have created an impressive body of content, with interviews highlighting jewelry from India, Morocco, Zambia, Dubai, Kuwait, Paris, Geneva, England and the United States.
Additionally, the company works to foster dialogue on ethics, sustainability and inclusivity, while sharing tips on how to break into a close-knit industry. In fact, Beekman New York is now taking its wealth of knowledge to public schools in the US by offering complimentary Zoom classes to children from economically and racially diverse backgrounds. “Our goal is to show young children what opportunities are available in the gem and jewelry industry, and a possible path to those jobs,” Novak says. “Our global industry volunteers include participants from Boucheron, Christie’s, and the Cartier Retail Innovation Lab. A recent school in Richmond, California, had over 140 students on the call! The school is 66% Latinx, 15% Black, and the rest mostly Native American and Pacific Islander.”
As for the future, she says, “launching a new business weeks before the pandemic has been tough, but it has pushed us to innovate and connect with a global audience. Based on our experience, we foresee a greater desire among customers to inquire about sustainability and positive impact. Hopefully, our platforms will help educate and inspire them and others in the industry toward a brighter future for all.”
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Image: Beekman New YorkArticle from the Rapaport Magazine - December 2020. To subscribe click here.