Catherine Cason admits that the idea to create her online store Gem Breakfast came “out of left field.” It was her own Asscher-cut diamond engagement ring that provided the impetus.
“I became totally obsessed with diamonds and jewelry. ‘What does VVS mean?’ ‘How does cut make a difference?’ I had so many questions,” she recalls.
Burned out from her job in merchandising, she decided to take courses at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). But this self-described “digital native” knew she didn’t want to go the traditional jewelry store route. In fact, Gem Breakfast, based in San Francisco, California, began as an online pop-up.
“I had already amassed a big following on Instagram,” says Cason. “I wanted to give people cool stones and show them the design journey from start to finish.”
She networked with a wholesaler and 10 independent designers who would each create a ring. “While the rings would be available for six weeks, eight sold within four weeks.”
For Cason, the sales were proof positive that she had found her new career: “If I can sell jewelry this way, then that’s what I should be doing.”
Accessible and inclusive
From the start, she created a brand positioning that addressed voids in the market. Too often, jewelry stores communicate in a “highfalutin” way, she asserts. “I understand that they’re selling something very expensive. But the growth of social media shows that we have to talk to the customers directly in a way that feels much more authentic — and fun.”
As a younger millennial herself, she takes issue with the “jewelry industry narrative” that millennials aren’t interested in buying diamonds or jewelry.
“[The industry] can believe that if they want, but I don’t feel that resistance,” she says. “Millennials are looking for something unique, and they want to feel good about where the products are sourced and made. I don’t think the big retail stores have adapted their way of speaking to that demographic.”
While engagement represents a significant part of her sales, Cason voices frustration with companies that position all jewelry as bridal. “You go on their homepages and see heterosexual couples with a picnic basket spread out on a blanket. I’m married, and I get the image they want to convey. But I wanted something more accessible that would also appeal to the woman buying jewelry for herself.”
In an effort to make her site more inclusive and approachable to women self-purchasers, Cason limits the use of the word “engagement.”
“I’m really proud of the women who feel comfortable buying from me,” she says.
Designers who stand out
Cason selects designers with a “fabulous, edgy aesthetic.” She acknowledges that her perspective might be influenced by the indie fragrance companies she worked with at beauty retailer Sephora. “I look for out-of-the-box, high-quality jewelry from independent designers making very cool designs. Prior to working in jewelry, I was familiar with Tiffany & Co., Blue Nile and James Allen. But their designs are stale. Who wants a ring that everyone else has?”
She believes “every designer has to stand out on their own,” emphasizing that she avoids any “overlapping aesthetic” among the “meticulously curated” designs. But she and the designers must share a similar design sensibility, she stresses, along with another essential criterion: Their values must be in sync, with responsible sourcing being a key component.
Some of her more popular designers include Army of Rokosz, Maggi Simpkins, Canadian brand Attic Gold, Hidden Space Jewelry — designed by a former architect in Los Angeles — and Mason Grace Jewelry, chosen for its vintage aesthetic.
“Ninety-five percent of our assortment is exclusive. I don’t buy off line sheets,” says Cason. “And the designers like working for us because we allow them a little more freedom.”
‘A good time for a digital presence’
Like many businesses, Gem Breakfast has been affected by the coronavirus. “We were doing gangbusters before COVID-19,” Cason says. “We’ve slowed down but are still doing quite well. We definitely haven’t fallen off the face of the earth.”
Cason can no longer schedule in-person consultations for custom design, which has impacted those sales. “But I’ve been online since the beginning. This could be an experiment to see what 100% online business might look like for me.”
She wonders whether the shutdown will speed up the transition to online shopping overall. For her own business, she acknowledges, it is too early to tell. “This is a good time for anyone with a digital presence. I’m lucky that my business has low overhead. We’ll see what happens and adapt to it.”
Images: Gem BreakfastArticle from the Rapaport Magazine - June 2020. To subscribe click here.