Meet Rachel Schubert of Pepper Fine

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Schubert.

Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always had an affinity for business development and a pure love for jewelry. In fact, I began my first underground jewelry business in 7th grade, selling my handmade accessories to other grade school kids in between classes.

After pursuing other interests and careers, I found myself back as a jewelry entrepreneur and began my own [legitimate] jewelry business called Pepper Grace, where I sold my own handmade jewelry creations. Once Pepper Grace took off, I knew I wanted to take the next step and learn more about precious stones and metals, as well as immerse myself in the world of fine jewelry design.

I started working at a fine jewelry establishment called Scottsdale Fine Jewelers and in addition to meeting my new mentors, Jill and Scott Lefcourt (the owners of SFJ), they invited me to collaborate in the creation of Pepper Fine – our own brand of conflict free, affordable fine jewelry.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business and venturing into unknown territory brings many struggles, but if I get to produce beautiful pieces everyday and see others love and wear my designs, I welcome any struggles that may come my way!

In terms of cost of production, it would cost less if we were outsourcing our work to be manufactured abroad, but the fact that we ensure all products to be made here in our shop in the USA, we must work extra hard to keep our cost low, so the customer doesn’t have to pay more than they should have to.

We also strive to be a relevant brand that stays current in design and attitude and try to reach our customer base (and future potential customers) through organic social media efforts.

Pepper Fine – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Pepper Fine is a unique collaboration between Pepper Grace jewelry designs and Scottsdale Fine Jewelers. Our intention is to create delicate, gorgeous and easy to wear fine jewelry at a price that the working, fashionable woman can afford.

Made from ethically sourced metals and fine gemstones, all Pepper Fine jewelry is handmade by a small team of goldsmiths, designers and gemologists. What’s available is all we will have produced, so you know you’re buying something one of a kind. The jewelry is made from vintage pieces that have been torn apart and re-purposed.

Why do we use re-purposed materials and why is this so important to Pepper Fine as a brand and a business?
1) It is important to be a part of the solution, not the problem and the recycling and reusing of materials not only makes sense to keep cost low, but it allows us to stay sustainable and maintain a small carbon footprint.

2) Unethical gold and diamond mining practices are still very real and when a jeweler purchases new materials to create a piece of jewelry, they become part of the problem. By using pre-owned materials to create new, beautiful jewelry, we can ensure that we are not contributing to practices that violate human rights.

Is there something we can do as a city to improve the outlook for businesses like yours?
Phoenix is a great place to start any business, because it’s full of opportunity. However, anybody who wants to start a business needs the desire and motivation no matter what city they live in.

Pricing:

• All Pepper Fine jewelry is all under $1000

Contact Info:

• Address: 9301 E. Shea Blvd. #113 Scottsdale, AZ 85260
• Website: pepperfine.com
• Phone: 480-767-6810
• Email: vip@pepperfine.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pepperfinejewelry/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pepperfinejewelry

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.