Written by Barbie Brady
Photographs by JL Cederblom
When you think of shopping in Beverly Hills you think of luxury. Some of the world’s most prestigious brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Dior, Cartier and Gucci have flagship locations on those famous streets. But in another, very real sense, Beverly Hills functions like a small town. Amongst the designer shops lives many family-owned businesses that have thrived there for years. One of the best kept secrets is a Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills, a high-end Jewelry store specializing in quality antique, vintage and estate pieces that are truly unique. We had the pleasure to sit down with Peter Sedghi, President and CEO, to learn how they stay competitive, what they have to offer, and to pick up some tricks of the trade.
Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills is very much a family affair. On any given day you will find Sedghi, his uncle, his mother, and a few ex-girlfriends harmoniously working away. He was introduced to the world of antique jewelry through his uncle, who for many years, had a store in Beverly Hills and also one downtown. About 6 months into working with him, Sedghi really found his calling and developed a lifetime passion for fine gems and quality craftsmanship. He took that passion and eventually branched out on his own, building a thriving business based on unique items, repeat business and mostly word of mouth advertising.
When Sedghi first opened his store, it was originally called House of Taylor Jewelry, named for a partnership he had launched with the legendary film icon, Elizabeth Taylor and super model, Kathy Ireland. He was a longtime friend of Taylor’s manager and had sold many pieces to her over the years. When Taylor and Ireland decided to launch their own jewelry lines, they hired Sedghi as a consultant. When he told Taylor of his plan to open his own store, she asked him to partner with her and the rest, as they say, was history. After roughly 5 years of her line being in the market, Sedghi bought the license and became the exclusive location for her collection. Elizabeth Taylor was long known for her love of fine jewelry and her exquisite taste. It seemed a natural fit for her to design and create her own line of jewelry. Her image and some of her designs still grace the walls of Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills today.
And of course, the color purple still persists. Elizabeth Taylor famously had violet eyes. The very rare, genetic mutation was one of her trademarks. She was incredibly specific about using the exact right shade of purple and Sedghi remembers going back and forth about that detail for months. But the beautiful purple color remains as a special aspect to the store. Tiffany has blue, Cartier, red, and Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills, the lightest shade of lavender to match a film star’s eyes.
Sadly, when Elizabeth Taylor passed away in 2011, that partnership went with her. Sedghi says that her original designs sold very well but once she had died, they skyrocketed in value. While he still has a very few pieces, he had wished he held onto more. Not only as an investment but also out of nostalgia. She had an inventive mind for and eye for design. One of her trademarks is setting diamonds with the pointed end facing out. A detail you can still find in a few of the pieces that Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills continues to produce today.
Sedghi’s friendly demeaner and casual charm make it easy to recognize why he’s so great with customers. When asked what helps keep the store going, Sedghi said, “Personal relationships. We’re honest people. We’re fair people. Our customers are our friends.”In an environment where most jewelry stores specialize in one type of jewelry, watches, engagement rings, charms, Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills specializes in quality antiques and that includes all categories. You can buy an antique Van Cleef & Arpels set of earrings, a Tiffany Engagement ring, a Cartier necklace, or a Rolex watch. All with the certainty that they are genuine articles, and many old enough to be unique and hard to find elsewhere. That ability to buy and sell beautiful, timeless jewels is what gives them an edge. On any given day the store is different, ever changing.
If you are looking for a specialty item or something truly one of a kind, Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills can create exactly what you want for a fraction of what it might cost elsewhere. They have designers and jewelers on staff in-store to create whatever you can imagine. A good many of their current customers are celebrities and musicians who frequently come in with requests that Sedghi is only too happy to fulfill. An added bonus is they know they will get the best quality gemstones and attention to detail that custom items deserve. It doesn’t hurt that Sedghi is, himself, a drummer and has always loved music and the world of entertainment. He speaks their language and can easily relate.
"You have to enjoy and love what you do or why do it."
Sedghi told us that items currently on trend include stacking bracelets, rings, and necklaces. In essence, more is more. What’s fallen out of fashion is larger, statement necklaces. Due to COVID19 and the absence of events, weddings and red carpets, there isn’t much demand for a piece like the stunning, million-dollar Boucheron 60ct emerald necklace from the 1940’s with 100ct’s of diamonds that makes you wish you invented the internet itself in order to simply own it. Perhaps Grimes or Mrs. Gates is in the market?
Everything about the artistry in jewelry excites Sedghi. His favorite gem currently is the blue sapphire. But had we asked him last month it might have been Burma ruby’s. When you are surrounded by such elegant and stunning pieces it’s hard to favor just one. We asked Sedghi what was his most memorable sale? Since being in business for over 20 years now, that was a hard question to answer. However, he did recently sell a 120ct blue sapphire with 120ct’s of diamonds to Van Cleef & Arpels for their own museum. How special, to be able to procure and return to a designer a piece that was so fine that it belonged in a museum.
The one gemstone that Sedghi has yet to sell is the incredibly rare, red diamond. He told us that he had one on loan from another jeweler once to show to a client, but the client selected another stone instead. Nearly every other gemstone imaginable has come through his hands. He has traveled the world to bring his clients specialty items and has gone as far as London and China to close the deal. In a normal year, Sedghi participates in buying and selling, in at least 8 to 10 jewel shows. He also procures pieces from auctions, estate sales and private sellers with whom he has lasting relationships. This year, of course, was different. With the pandemic both inventory and revenue were harder to acquire.
We asked Sedghi what types of jewels make the best investments. “Diamonds. It’s a commodity, and values go up and down. But anywhere you go in the world, it’s money. As long as the gems are GIA certified, they don’t even have to possess a designer signature, they truly hold their value.” With a sparkle in his eyes, he pulled out a 33ct diamond ring. Absolutely flawless. If you were traveling anywhere in the world you could carry a suitcase full of cash or slip that one stone on your finger and your wealth would remain.
2020 has been a difficult year for nearly all of the economy, including Beverly Hills. At least 3 jewelry stores in the area have shuttered after 15, 20 or even 30 years of being in business. However, Luxury Jewels of Beverly Hills will continue to make a go of it. Sedghi said it’s been an interesting year indeed, but he has faith that customers will return. “You have to enjoy and love what you do or why do it.” He can’t imagine doing anything else. -