Hi, my name is Laura Beaumont, the “Mom” in the mother-daughter duo that is Beaumont Jewelry Collective. My daughter, Chloe, continues to be my inspiration in so many ways. I have had the privilege of occupying a front row seat on her journey into the jewelry trade. I could not have predicted that I would go from being her biggest cheerleader to her business partner!
I have always loved creating with Chloe. When she was barely two years old, we started creating things together. She loved art of all kinds, and she loved wearing jewelry with her cute outfits, hats and fancy socks that were always adorably coordinated. She shares my love (or should I say obsession?) of flowers and flower fields in particular. We both love color and sparkle, and have a weakness for beautiful things.
We both took art classes over many years while we lived in London, and large scale abstract painting became my chosen path. I embraced it whole heartedly and continue to paint to this day, as it is the best method I have found to let go and be free. Painting brings me so much joy and I love sharing my work so that others can be surrounded by beauty, too.
In 2023, my life took an unexpected turn and I found myself facing the end of a 30 year marriage. I needed new surroundings and some distance, so I moved across the country from Connecticut to Seattle. I have always loved the PNW. It was as far as I could go without leaving the country. Chloe was there, and it seemed like a beautiful place to wait while my life was deconstructing.
One night I had an epiphany that dramatically changed my course again. It was 1 am and I woke up with a clear vision of what I was supposed to do next. I would go to Carlsbad, California and get my Graduate Gemology degree from GIA in person. I was in too much emotional pain to create anything, but I desperately needed a distraction. I actually felt excited to have a goal that involved diamonds and gemstones and a wide open future.
I quickly applied and secured an Air B&B near the campus. A few weeks later, I was on my way to California. Getting to handle sparkly diamonds and beautiful gemstones every day was intense but also so much fun. I had amazing instructors and the structure of a schedule to keep me getting up and going every day. It was a lifeline during a very difficult time. The sunshine and flower fields next door were an added dose of medicine for my soul.
I had hopes of designing my own jewelry and selling it but I did not yet have a plan. As fate would have it, Chloe joined me for a quick visit in Las Vegas while I was there attending the JCK jewelry show. I was getting my first taste of what the jewelry industry was all about at one of the largest trade shows in the world. My mind was blown. I was feeling very excited about the possibilities when Chloe floated the idea of starting a business together.
In an instant, I could see a different future unfolding. One full of learning, entrepreneurship, collaboration, creativity and wonder. Working with my daughter and bringing her dream to life alongside mine was more than I could have asked for. It all started to make sense. I realized at that moment that my life was shifting from a necessary ending to a new beginning.
So much has happened in such a short time. I graduated with my GG, met my new granddaughter(!), and headed back to Seattle to pack up and move once again. We decided to try something different, a high desert location in a state that was business friendly and completely new to me. We loved Reno, Nevada for many reasons, but high on the list was the proximity to Lake Tahoe and the slopes of Mt. Rose where we took up skiing again. So many pieces of my old self were coming back to me. I loved exploring the Sierras and the year I spent there was a time of profound healing and personal development.
As the reality of our new business adventure began taking shape, Chloe started to really miss her jewelry community in the PNW. She wanted to go back. I was not expecting another move so fast, and I was loving my new home in south Reno where I was getting too comfortable hiding out and enjoying being completely invisible. It was what I needed for a season, but was not a good long term solution to rebuilding my life. I knew I could live happily back in the PNW if we found the right set up. Seattle was too expensive and crowded so we flew up to investigate Vancouver, Washington. It was a similar no income tax state so I was open to the idea.
There was only one problem. Portland, Oregon sat right across the river. I had visited Portland many times over my life since I was a small child. I had extended family there and thought it was the most beautiful place and city I had ever visited. I wanted to live there since my teen years, but was not allowed to attend college in Portland like I had hoped to. My journey led me in the opposite direction and I never had the chance to live there. But now I did.
The only question was, could I swallow the extra expenses (income tax and higher property taxes) so that I could actually revive my long dead dream of living in Portland? It took all of one night in Vancouver and a half a day’s drive around to realize I was on the wrong side of the river. I thought I wanted a quiet, sleepy, suburban existence, but I was wrong. What I wanted was Portland. We spent the next couple of days exploring all over the city. Parts of the city I had never seen before suddenly became possibilities and my mind was blown wide open all over again. The love affair was alive and well.
Chloe moved up to an apartment two months later. I had a house to sell and no idea what would happen. One month after she left, I got an offer and took it. I flew back to Portland to see a house I had been stalking online and I immediately knew it was for me. I was able to close on my Reno house and purchase my Portland house the next day. The stars were aligning and it felt like it was meant to be. I could barely contain my excitement.
I can honestly say that the past year has been one of the best of my life. We launched BJC in November of 2025 and are determined to keep building this business we believe in. We both absolutely love living in Portland and cannot get enough of it. There is still so much to explore. The coast beckons us often, and the mountains surrounding us take us to another world just minutes from my front door. To say I feel blessed is an understatement.
Chloe and I are learning how to work together and thankfully we bring many different gifts to the table. We are a great team. We are both designing and finding that creative spark once again. It feels surreal. We are navigating how to get jewelry made and have found some great partners to work with. The process can be slow but is very rewarding when the final piece is in your hands.
Our curated collective of purpose driven jewelry also continues our family legacy of generosity and giving back. We would not have materials to work with if it wasn’t for the hard working people that extract these elements from the ground. There are so many links to the supply chain that are vital to making it all work. Once you learn about it, you realize nothing happens in isolation. We are all interconnected and dependent on one another to bring this beauty into the world. It is an honor to support our designers and share their work with you. I am learning so much from them.
As I reflect back on where life has taken me so far, I know I could not have written the story I am now living out. What a wild chapter it has been. I am in awe of what is possible when you choose to believe in yourself. There is always another bend in the road if you are brave enough to keep going. I have so much to celebrate and look forward to. Starting something new and finding myself in the process has been a gift I didn’t know I needed, but one I will treasure forever. I hope this encourages someone out there to keep dreaming and to make the changes necessary to live a life that brings you joy. The only thing you have to lose is the version of yourself that didn’t think you could do it.
I am so grateful for the opportunity to expand Beaumont Jewelry Collective into something that truly makes a difference in a world so often focused on consumption. If we are going to be consumers, we might as well do it consciously. We all have a choice when it comes to where and how we spend our money. We hope you love our jewelry as much as we do, and know that you have chosen something you can be proud of. Every purchase you make with BJC becomes a part of our purpose driven mission. To leave the world a better place than we found it.
Your support is helping me rebuild my life in my 50’s and believe that it still matters. And for this, I am incredibly grateful. Thank you!
XOXO,
Laura Beaumont