The Smarter Way to Acquire Luxury Jewelry  

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A Note from Bush Helzberg, Founder & CEO 

I grew up around a family retail jewelry business and always thought someday I would work in the business. My father was the 3rd generation to run the family jewelry business which was started by my great-grandfather in 1915.

Shortly after graduating from the University of Michigan, I started serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, West Africa. In 1995, while I was in the Peace Corps, the family jewelry business was acquired by Berkshire Hathaway.

After the Peace Corps, I went to graduate school completing a law degree at Stanford University and an MBA at Columbia University. I began my career as an investment banker on Wall Street and then got into the investment management business which I spent 15 years in prior to starting Best & Co.

Despite not being in the jewelry business before starting Best & Co., over the years many friends asked for help or advice when they were making an important jewelry purchase. I always enjoyed helping them think through and then buy or create their desired piece of jewelry. I got great satisfaction from helping friends acquire a higher quality piece of jewelry than they otherwise would have without my help.

Although the retail jewelry industry has changed dramatically as a result of the internet, the luxury segment has seen very little change. Traditional luxury jewelry retailers have maintained very high margins and continue to spend lavishly on pricey retail locations and expensive marketing programs. Acquiring luxury jewelry still typically involves going into a store, wading through 100s if not 1000s of pieces that are not appealing, and being told prices that are hard to fathom.

I knew there was a better way and I wanted to share it. Given my passion for jewelry, industry knowledge, and the opportunity to create significant value for clients, the time was right to return to my heritage. Best & Co. was founded to offer a better way to acquire luxury jewelry.