IndependentsJul 13, 2022
Sissy’s Log Cabin Cuts Ribbon on Its Sixth StoreIndependentsJul 14, 2022
Seaman Schepps Opens Madison Avenue Boutique
It has a vault of historic pieces.
Seaman Schepps opened its first New York City boutique in 1921, operating a location there for most of the next 100 years. After closing its Park Avenue store in 2020, the company has now opened this Madison Avenue storefront. (Image courtesy of Kris Tamburello)
New York—Seaman Schepps is fêting 118 years in business with a new store.
The New York City-headquartered brand has outposts on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach and in Nantucket’s historic town center.
For most of the last century it has maintained one New York City boutique, with its longest-standing retail space at 485 Park Avenue closing after 61 years in 2020.
Now, its Big Apple brick-and-mortar experience is back, with a bi-level space at 824 Madison Avenue, on the corner of 69th Street and Madison Avenue.
Favored over the years by such style luminaries as Marlene Dietrich and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the brand’s Madison Avenue storefront will sell signatures like turbo shell earrings and mousetrap bracelets, plus new designs that continue to integrate unusual materials like wood, alongside gold, coral, and gemstones.
The new space will lean into the brand’s history, housing a vault of historic pieces and 5,000 original sketches often with the name of the intended client, such as the Duchess of Windsor and American publisher Blanche Knopf.
Pieces created for American heiress Doris Duke will be on display for the first time in 15 years, including a grape cluster brooch made of both pale and brightly-colored sapphires with a diamond pavé leaf and smaller engraved emerald leaves.
Visitors can also see necklaces made for American opera singer Marguerite Wenner-Gren, spouse of industrialist Axel Wenner-Gren. Crafted in the 1940s, the necklaces feature stones from the eponymous founder’s private bead collection gathered over decades, as well as pearls and gold spheres.
In celebration of the new store, the brand will host historic vault viewings for guests to see the privately-owned archival collection, including works that were the focal point of the Somerset House (U.K.) Schepps Centennial Exhibition, as well as pieces loaned to the Museum of Arts and Design.
Seaman Schepps’ current owner, Anthony Hopenhajm, acquired the brand in 1992.
He envisioned the new boutique as an homage to Parisian salons of the early 20th century, where writers and artists gathered to socialize and discuss topics of the day.
To bring his vision to life, interior designer Penny Drue Baird, who is based between Paris and New York, created French-inspired interiors.
The New York City-headquartered brand has outposts on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach and in Nantucket’s historic town center.
For most of the last century it has maintained one New York City boutique, with its longest-standing retail space at 485 Park Avenue closing after 61 years in 2020.
Now, its Big Apple brick-and-mortar experience is back, with a bi-level space at 824 Madison Avenue, on the corner of 69th Street and Madison Avenue.
Favored over the years by such style luminaries as Marlene Dietrich and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, the brand’s Madison Avenue storefront will sell signatures like turbo shell earrings and mousetrap bracelets, plus new designs that continue to integrate unusual materials like wood, alongside gold, coral, and gemstones.
The new space will lean into the brand’s history, housing a vault of historic pieces and 5,000 original sketches often with the name of the intended client, such as the Duchess of Windsor and American publisher Blanche Knopf.
Pieces created for American heiress Doris Duke will be on display for the first time in 15 years, including a grape cluster brooch made of both pale and brightly-colored sapphires with a diamond pavé leaf and smaller engraved emerald leaves.
Visitors can also see necklaces made for American opera singer Marguerite Wenner-Gren, spouse of industrialist Axel Wenner-Gren. Crafted in the 1940s, the necklaces feature stones from the eponymous founder’s private bead collection gathered over decades, as well as pearls and gold spheres.
In celebration of the new store, the brand will host historic vault viewings for guests to see the privately-owned archival collection, including works that were the focal point of the Somerset House (U.K.) Schepps Centennial Exhibition, as well as pieces loaned to the Museum of Arts and Design.
Seaman Schepps’ current owner, Anthony Hopenhajm, acquired the brand in 1992.
He envisioned the new boutique as an homage to Parisian salons of the early 20th century, where writers and artists gathered to socialize and discuss topics of the day.
To bring his vision to life, interior designer Penny Drue Baird, who is based between Paris and New York, created French-inspired interiors.
Seaman Schepps owner Anthony Hopenhajm in front of the spiral staircase at the new Madison Avenue boutique (Image courtesy of Kris Tamburello)
Blue and beige are the store’s new colors. (Image courtesy of Kris Tamburello)
Jewels on display in walnut vitrines
The spiral staircase leads to a lower level that houses the Seaman Schepps historical archive, including original jewelry sketches.
It also houses a space for intimate private events and jewelry showings.
The store’s color palette is a blue and beige combination that acts as a palette cleanser to the colorful Seaman Schepps jewelry.
A spiral staircase connecting the store’s levels is hand-painted in a faux steel and warm walnut finish. The lower level houses the historic vault and a private event space.
An Italian Rococo mirror circa the 1850s that hung in the brand’s previous Park Avenue store is a décor center piece, as is a Baccarat steel and crystal chandelier and a walnut vitrine also from the former location.
From the exterior, 50 feet of window displays allow for seasonal changes. They feature original watercolor backdrops by artist Diana Heimann and a selection of jewels among natural materials like wood, stone, and shells.
But Hopenhajm’s Parisian interior inspiration doesn’t supplant the new store’s New York identity, he explained.
“Seaman Schepps jewels are the proud product of New York. The brand is an amalgam of New York style—bold and irreverent—utilizing unexpected materials, including wood mixed with gold, baroque pearls, and diamonds—a real high-low mix—with all pieces proudly produced in our New York City workshop,” he said.
“I couldn’t be happier to be a part of Madison Avenue’s resurgence and celebrate the energy and enthusiasm of the city at our new location, where we will unveil never-before-seen drawings by Schepps along with pieces from the family’s private collection and ephemera from the original store.”
Seaman Schepps founded his namesake company in 1904. A born-and-bred New Yorker, he began his brand on the West Coast, bouncing between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In 1921, he returned to New York for good, opening the city’s first Seaman Schepps boutique.
The Madison Avenue store opened quietly in June.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Independents
The Latest
SurveysJun 05, 2026
Consumers to Cut Back on Spending Amid Rising Prices, Survey Shows When conducting its May consumer confidence survey, The Conference Board asked extra questions about consumers’ budgeting strategies.
CollectionsJun 05, 2026
Rebel Jewelry’s Charm Symbolizes Perseverance for Pride MonthThe “Tunnel” charm, our Piece of the Week, celebrates Pride Month with its design inspired by hope and the light at the end of the tunnel.
SourcingJun 05, 2026
State of Diamonds: The Way Forward for Natural DiamondsThe jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
AuctionsJun 04, 2026
Treasures from Maurice Tempelsman’s ‘Marvelous’ Life Head to AuctionUp for auction at Sotheby’s, the collection of Tempelsman’s personal effects includes a Cartier Tank watch Jackie O. gifted him.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJun 04, 2026
Buddha Mama to Spend the Summer in AspenThe Miami-based fine jewelry brand will host its first summer residency in the Colorado mountain town from June 5 to Aug. 23.
MajorsJun 04, 2026
AGS Honors Late Peter Yantzer, Holds Time Capsule CeremonyThe organization also announced its international board of directors for the 2026-2027 term.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
MajorsJun 04, 2026
Neiman Marcus’ Downtown Dallas Store to Close in SeptemberSaks Global confirmed the closure this week, spelling the end for a store that’s been part of downtown Dallas for more than 100 years.
ColumnistsJun 03, 2026
Peter Smith: When Top Talent Leaves and What It Says About YouSmith discusses how managers should handle a top performer's exit, warning that a poor response could have a lasting impact.
GradingJun 03, 2026
GIA’s Tracr Investment Is First Step Toward Industry-Owned PlatformThe Gemological Institute of America is now a 30 percent stakeholder in Tracr, the De Beers-backed blockchain for diamonds.
WatchesJun 03, 2026
The 1916 Company Taking Pre-Owned Rolexes on the Road, AgainThe retailer is bringing Rolex Certified Pre-Owned watches to five U.S. cities in 2026 for collectors to see, try on, and purchase.
TrendsJun 03, 2026
State of Design: Only the Innovative Will SurviveThe price of gold has risen, affecting the number of pieces designers make, the materials they use, and how they position themselves.
FinancialsJun 02, 2026
Signet Jewelers’ Q1 Sales Up 2% As It Focuses on ‘Core Four’ The jewelry retailer is zeroing in on Zales, Jared, Kay Jewelers, and Blue Nile as it looks to create unique brand identities for each.
SourcingJun 02, 2026
Leader Appointed for Botswana’s Diamonds for Development Fund Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, a development economist, will head the fund created to help Botswana diversify its economy.
WatchesJun 02, 2026
Watch Industry Veteran James Marks Joins Sotheby’sSotheby’s has appointed the former Phillips executive as its global head of private sales and retail in its watches division.
AuctionsJun 02, 2026
Sotheby’s to Auction 10-Carat Blue Diamond, 1960s Harry Winston Necklace A private collection of five Paraíba tourmalines also will be up for sale at Sotheby’s High Jewelry auction in New York, scheduled for June 16.
IndependentsJun 02, 2026
State of Retail: 6 Things Retailers Should Know About Consumers TodayFrom Gen Z’s view of luxury to “doom spending,” these are the six consumer trends to note this year.
Events & AwardsJun 01, 2026
Design Atelier Brands Have a Big Night at Emotional Couture Design AwardsThe show started by honoring Mildred Marcano, ended with a tearful Beth Anne Bonanno, and recognized a dozen-plus designers in between.
SourcingJun 01, 2026
RapNet Rebranding as Rapaport TradeThe revamped online diamond marketplace will feature pricing intelligence and data-driven tools for more efficient buying and selling.
SourcingJun 01, 2026
Gemfields’ Higher-Quality Emerald Auction Achieves $26.8MThe miner said demand for higher-quality emeralds is stable, but there is notable caution in the market.
CollectionsMay 29, 2026
Cultus Artem’s Necklace Is the Oasis in Las Vegas’ DesertThe “River of Heaven” necklace, our Piece of the Week debuting at Couture, combines 26 salt and pepper diamonds spaced by Tahitian pearls.
IndependentsMay 29, 2026
Meet the 2026 Retailer Hall of Fame InducteesThis year’s inductees include second-, third-, and fourth-generation jewelers.
Events & AwardsMay 28, 2026
JCK Announces Jesse Itzler as 2026 Keynote SpeakerThe author, speaker, and entrepreneur will give his presentation, “Spiritual Billionaire,” on Saturday morning.
Events & AwardsMay 28, 2026
JCK Rocks To Ride With NellyThree-time Grammy award-winning artist Nelly is set to perform at the annual event at Tao Beach on Sunday night.
MajorsMay 28, 2026
Signet Jewelers to Buy The Clear Cut Signet will integrate the online-only, natural diamond-focused jeweler into Blue Nile, which it wants to position as a higher-end retailer.
CollectionsMay 28, 2026
Meet The 17 Newcomers to Couture’s Design AtelierThese up-and-coming jewelry brands are bringing their distinct aesthetic and unique point-of-view to the Design Atelier for the first time.
