The Love of Beautiful Objects

By Craig Kaminer

When I was younger, richer, and always trying to prove something, I would buy my wife jewelry for every special occasion...birthday, holidays, birth of our kids, or just because. Truth is, I love jewelry design, and from the time I lived in Florence, Italy, and window shopped daily on the Ponte Vecchio, or searched for engagement rings (before the internet and before my wife was ready to say yes), I was not shy to walk into jewelry stores, ask questions, become educated, and eventually buy something I really loved. I must be doing something right because my wife still loves everything I have ever bought her and wears it regularly.

Perhaps one of my favorites is a stunning pair of earrings hand-made by Michael Good I found at Elleard Heffern Fine Jewelers in Clayton. Pictured on page 31 on the lower right, they are finely made of yellow gold, sculpted into two loops of varying thickness, and hang perfectly because of their balance and lightweight construction. The designer used a technique whereby sheet metal is formed directly with a hammer on a snake-like stake. A flat sheet of metal is shaped by stretching its edges and compressing the center so that the surface develops two curves at right angles to each other. The pattern of the sheet plays a major role in the final form that will be achieved. However, many different forms can be made from the same pattern. In some ways, they remind me of a cross between a Calder mobile and a Bernar Venet sculpture.

But this story isn’t about me or what I bought, it’s about Elleard Heffern, which has been in business since 1913, and its current patriarch, Kit Heffern, who is celebrating his 50th anniversary at the store which bears his family’s name. Despite my opinion on longevity in the publisher’s letter, Elleard Heffern (the store) is the perfect example of focusing on their knitting, loving what they do, not getting sidetracked by the competition, and foregoing meteoric growth for deep relationships with designers, manufacturers, gem cutters, employees, and principally clients and their heirs.

Today, the discreet, private, gallery-like showroom is on the first floor of the Hanley Corporate Tower (101 S. Hanley Rd.) in Clayton where generations of notable St. Louisans have shopped for jewels that are passed down to future generations. Designed by famed architect Ted Christner in 1990 and updated in 2003 by Sasha Malinich, the jewelry studio is intimate, private, and a beautifully designed masterpiece that perfectly complements the showcases, the clientele, and the designers who have been working closely with a Heffern family member for 109 years. If that’s not longevity, I don’t know what is.

The jewelry business seems to be divided into three camps: fancy stores in high-visibility locations, studios in office buildings that cater less to foot traffic and more to by-appointment meetings with clients and word-of-mouth referrals, and internet retailers. Since Elleard Heffern moved to Clayton in 1972, it has been out of the retail limelight, protecting its clients’ anonymity, and maintaining a private experience similar to what you may find in New York or jewelry centers of Europe. Who wants to bump into a friend or neighbor when you’re shopping for a special surprise or a gift to yourself?

While earlier Hefferns were also in the jewelry business dating back to the 1890s, the predecessor to Elleard Heffern was named Heffern-Neuhoff and opened in 1913 in a downtown office building at 819 Locust St., which was originally called the St. Nicholas Hotel. The building was designed by Adler & Sullivan Architects and later altered by famed Eames & Young Architects in 1905 and renamed the Victoria Building. In those days, they billed themselves as “purveyors of extraordinary gems and knowledgeable jewelers.” The store also sold fine silverware and watches. As trusting relationships developed between staff and clients, Heffern began catering to St. Louis’ most prominent citizens. Kit says, “They started the business with no real money to speak of, but my father had many wealthy friends from his years attending St. Louis Country Day School. Twelve of his high school friends invested in Heffern and told him to ‘pay us back when you can.’ It took almost 20 years, but he paid them all back and eventually owned the business.”

In 1929, Sam Heffern recruited Adie Giesow, a Washington University-trained designer, who was the preeminent jewelry designer in St. Louis. Giesow was best known for winning a De Beers award for diamond design and designing hundreds of works of art that are still in the possession of many St. Louis’ prominent families. Giesow remained with the company for 60 years working with three generations of Hefferns. Kit said reminiscently, “She was here 10 years longer than I have been here; and I hope to beat her record.”

In 1955, Kit’s father, Elleard Heffern, changed the name of the store to Elleard Heffern from Heffern-Neuhoff and moved it from a street-level space into a third-floor suite with private salons. He was the only employee at the time and his wife did the bookkeeping. Elleard was an impressive force, graduating from Princeton in 1936 and then training to be a registered jeweler with the American Gem Society (AGS). “In fact, he was a founding member of the AGS in the 1930s, and we were the first AGS-certified store and he was the first certified gemologist in St. Louis,” says Kit.

The original store remained downtown in the Victoria Building for 59 years until the 1972 move to Clayton. Their first location in Clayton was in the Sevens Building at 7777 Bonhomme Ave. Heffern moved to its present location in 1990. The business evolved into more private, one-on-one sales transactions and the introduction of original items by international designers to customers and now focuses on gold and platinum jewelry, gems, and diamonds.

Over the years there have been a number of standout employees who stayed with the company most of their careers and helped make it what it is today. Keith Shaw, who started in 1963, announced on his 65th birthday he would retire on his 70th. And he did. Shaw was with the company for 40 years (until 2003), was very active in the community, and was known for moving heaven and earth for his clients. He would travel to see them in other cities, open the store any time day or night, and very early on became involved with some of St. Louis’ standout arts organizations including Opera Theatre and Craft Alliance. Kit recalls, “Keith came in one day and said that we had to advertise in the Opera Theatre’s program. We have been doing so every year since. And, Keith could sell jewelry like nobody else. He had clients in the middle of Arkansas and he would drive to their homes and offices, bring great pieces with him, and sell all of them. He was one of a kind.”

Kit said, “I always liked business and when I was young, I don’t know that I ever thought I’d be in the jewelry business per se. I loved economics and things of that sort. And then after I graduated as an electrical engineer from Tufts University, I worked at McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) for about a year. Then I joined my father’s company. And I liked it. I mean, what’s not to like? But jewelry wasn’t on my radar screen as a kid. People don’t realize that designing fine jewelry is much more complicated than you think. Something has to be designed and then made; gemstones have to be selected…particularly gemstones that are very rare.”

To build on the success of the business, Kit focused on attracting the top jewelry designers in the world to work exclusively with Elleard Heffern. For example, Eric Seibert was a post-World War II designer from New York who made exceptionally beautiful jewelry and sold it to top retailers and patrons around the world. Even Andy Warhol. “We did very well with Seibert’s bracelets. After he died, his widow, Carol, took over the company. Several years later, Carol and her business partner, Ralph, weren’t getting along and they stopped making the jewelry. But, I kept calling her saying ‘why don’t you sell me the designs if you’re not making them; they have no value to you.’” Eventually, Carol agreed and Elleard Heffern purchased all of the molds and exclusive rights to this rare and exquisite jewelry which remains popular to this day.

Another high-profile designer Elleard Heffern has featured for 30 years is German designer Peter Schmid, owner of Atelier Zobel. “Schmid lives in the small medieval town of Konstanz, Germany, and he has such a unique style and sensibility that people love. He has a worldwide following and customers love the pieces. We do a show once a year when he comes to America. And it’s not something you see anywhere else in St. Louis,” Kit notes.

But Kit points out that the business has changed. “It used to be that everyone had a favorite family jeweler and that’s where they shopped. Now there is competition everywhere and people window shop 24/7 online. People travel more now and often buy jewelry to remember their trip. But we benefit from this too as we are down the street from The Ritz-Carlton and many out-of-town guests come to see us when they are in St. Louis. And, of course, one of the biggest changes is that brands are more important than ever and it’s not uncommon for someone to look for a piece by a specific designer.”

So as the world of fine jewelry continues to evolve, so too has Elleard Heffern. Kit’s son, Webster, 38, is now involved in the business. He first started working behind the scenes and has now moved into sales and marketing. Like his father, grandfather, and great grandfather, Webster has excelled in school and is now working on his Ph.D. in microbiology. But he loves the jewelry and fashion business and plans to join the family business. He is acutely aware of the storied history of Elleard Heffern, and is eager to not only maintain it but also attract the next generation of fashion-forward lovers of beautiful objects with the intent that they become lifelong customers. With his quick wit, creativity, and fashion sensibilities, Webster plans to lead Elleard Heffern someday, with a sense of style, vision, and opinions all his own.

After talking with Kit and Webster, I realized that owning a retail jewelry business is a labor of love. “We travel to the most exclusive jewelry shows in the world as well as purchase from individuals or estates, buy merchandise that we love and know our clients will too, and have a unique relationship with the designers themselves. And, the designers visit us annually, meet with our customers, and build friendships that go beyond retail transactions. We think every piece of jewelry has a story, and it's only through these kinds of relationships that the story is passed from one generation to the next. As I think back on my 50 years here, I can tell you all of the families I have worked with, what they bought from us, and who in their family owns it now.” But Kit slyly reminds me that he won’t share that information because his customers want it that way.