Belrose Estate Jewelers

It all started in 1967 in New Jersey on the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk. That’s where Joe Schweke’s parents, Rose and Sam Schweke, opened Belrose Galleries, selling a variety of objets d’art, fine jewelry, and antiques. “I grew up in and amongst opulent and rare and beautiful objects at a young age,” Joe shared, speaking from Tucson, Arizona, where he was attending the annual gem, mineral, and fossil showcase.

At just 19 years old, he took over the family business after his father suffered from multiple strokes. Joe had just moved to California but was called back to New Jersey to help his mother care for his father and keep their business afloat. “We were both doing double duty as caregivers and running the business,” he recalled. He had no choice but to take the reins. “So I was thrown into the fire as a kid.” 

He ran their Atlantic City shop for decades, continuing his parents’ legacy. In 2006, he moved to Santa Barbara and a year later opened Bella Rosa Galleries on State Street. In 2010, he closed the original Atlantic City shop. This January, he and his daughter Sarena Schweke moved the shop from State Street to 1268 Coast Village Road and re-branded it as Belrose Estate Jewelers. 

Joe felt that State Street was not the ideal location for their business, and relocating seemed like the logical next step. They’re “looking forward to better serving the community in a more desirable location,” Joe told me. While they soft opened a few weeks ago, they’re having an official ribbon cutting on February 13th. 

Their new Coast Village store is adorned with an impressive fine jewelry collection. Pieces are arranged by gemstone type, creating a breathtaking rainbow of sparkling gems – emeralds, diamonds, rubies, and a notable collection of sapphires. A large photo of Joe’s parents hangs on the back wall – highlighting the pair that started it all some 58 years ago. 

Sarena joined the business around three years ago. Unlike her father, who mostly learned the ropes by doing, Sarena decided to study the craft and attended the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). There, she absorbed invaluable and detailed knowledge: “I can look at a gemstone and know by its inclusions what it is,” she shared. “Whereas he’s been in the business for so long, he knows. But I know the technical and geological reasons behind it.” 

They recognize the inherent challenges of family collaborations, but both deeply value the unique perspectives and mutual support they bring to the business. They not only work well together but also complement each other’s knowledge. “He has his things that he’s good at, and I have my things that I’m good at,” shared Sarena. 

“She’s keeping me in check,” Joe joked about working alongside his daughter. “And she’s also helping me to ride off into the sunset and take a lesser role.” Joe’s been in the fine jewelry business for many decades, so he’s gearing up to have Sarena take over. “I’m about ready to dial it back down and just, you know, work by appointment,” Joe said. However, Sarena doesn’t think her dad will ever retire fully. 

For this family, jewelry transcends mere adornment; it becomes a tangible expression of love and care. “He would always give me jewelry growing up,” Sarena reflected. “Like a ring – and I still have one he gave to me 15 years ago. I want to pass it down to my daughter.” 

Joe remembers when Sarena was just a kid, and he’d bring home jewelry from estate sales for her to sift through and study pieces that piqued her interest. In turn, Joe would describe the jewelry she admired and educate her on the different gems, sizes, and quality. 

Joe wasn’t surprised when she expressed an interest in the business. “Of course, when she was a little kid, she was around it all the time,” he reflected.  Like her father, she developed a love of jewelry from a young age. Joining the business felt right.  “It came surprisingly easily,” Sarena recalled. “And I was surprised because not many things are like that with me.”

Their specialty is estate jewelry, but they also sell modern jewelry as well. They create custom pieces from scratch and reimagine heirlooms into designs people would wear. They place an important emphasis on the buying and selling of natural stones – especially pre-loved ones. “Nothing is as rare and beautiful as something formed in the Earth millions and billions of years ago,” Joe reflected. 

In a world where lab-grown diamonds and gemstones gain increasing popularity, Belrose Estate Jewelers celebrate the enduring value of mined stones. Both Joe and Sarena share a special fondness for estate jewelry. “To me, there’s something special about wearing something that was made over 100 years ago,” said Sarena. 

They believe in the re-selling of vintage jewelry as a sustainable practice. “Because no new mining is required,” Joe reminded. He compared the restoration of jewelry as akin to mending a vintage car – breathing new life into something that may have lost its luster. There’s a certain beauty in resurrecting a stone from the dead, in giving it a second chance. “Love is beautiful, rare, and natural, and so should be the jewelry you wear,” Joe mused.