Motors and Minerals: The Surprising Synergies Behind Palm Beach Gems by Nicole 

Sometimes I receive direct messages on Instagram that stop me in my tracks. The most recent example of this is a notification I received from Eric Leiner, who was telling me about the unique combination of luxury cars and fine jewellery that makes his family business in West Palm Beach, Florida, so special. Although I have encountered high-end vehicles on the jewellery scene before, I have never seen a high-end garage and a boutique located together under one roof! Palm Beach Gems by Nicole is a ‘unicorn’ that blends family values, a passion for mineral exploration and total creative freedom when designing coloured gemstone jewellery. Let me tell you more… 

Sometimes, when individuals demonstrate incredible passion for a subject matter, they simply can’t contain all that positive energy. I got that sense when Eric Leiner told me his story over Instagram and then on a Zoom call. It was impossible not to get swept up in his quite remarkable tale and feel excited by the route he has taken with his family to bring his passion for gemstones to life. 

First, let’s go back to the beginning. Eric spent most of his career in the gold refining business, so while he participated in the jewellery trade, it was far from his main area of expertise. As the landscape of American manufacturing changed over time, Eric travelled abroad to Mexico, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, India, and China to secure business. On his travels, he occasionally purchased coloured gemstone jewels for his wife, Michele, but this untapped passion for gems never took root… that is until an inspiring visit with his family. 

An Inspiring Moment 

People often talk about a ‘spark’ that encourages a person to change direction or discover something new about themselves. Perhaps it is destiny? For Eric, his eureka moment happened on a Tanzanian safari holiday two years ago, where he was staying at the Four Seasons Hotel on the Serengeti. His wife Michele stepped inside the hotel’s jewellery store and emerged full of excitement about a specific deep blue gemstone she’d seen inside. “Michele told me it was called tanzanite, which I had never heard of,” Eric explains. “I bought a pendant for my wife, but something clicked within me. When we got back to the United States, I started to dig into tanzanite and found a supplier in India who was cutting and faceting rough material; I decided to reach out via Instagram.” 

Although they had never met in person, Eric put his faith in this online supplier and later received a beautiful “rock in the mail,” as he describes it! He quickly saw the potential for purchasing loose gemstones and setting them into bespoke jewellery creations with the support of trusted jewellers in New York.

Cars and jewellery? Why not!

But here’s where things get even more interesting. Eric showed his son, Rocky, the ring he had made from his first gemstone purchase. Roughly three years prior, Rocky had founded ‘Rocky’s Ultimate Garage’ – an exotic car dealership and customisation business – to fulfil his lifelong obsession with luxury cars. Together, Eric and Rocky built the company from the ground up, including developing a concept, curating a premises, and bringing something new to the Palm Beach market during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

When Rocky saw the tanzanite ring his father had commissioned, he felt confident that it was something his customers would want to buy. After all, people who appreciate luxury motor vehicles have a similar passion for craftsmanship, materials, quality, and finishing as jewellery lovers. There was only one small catch… who was going to run this jewellery brand within a motor business? 

Feminine touch

Fortunately, Rocky’s wife, Nicole, was also ready for a new challenge and a fresh start. She was working as a financial analyst, chained to a computer, and leapt at the chance to do something more creative and fulfilling. This is where Palm Beach Gems by Nicole got its name. What started as a single case of jewellery soon morphed into a more extensive boutique, housed within Rocky’s Ultimate Garage. Now, it’s not unusual to see gentlemen browsing impressive vehicles while their partners admire luxury jewels, all under the same roof. 

Creative Freedom 

Although they had a strong idea, this early version of Palm Beach Gems by Nicole was missing something crucial: an inventory. Eric and Nicole knew they needed a strong, visionary designer to bring their ideas to life, but also someone who could help to shape the creative identity of the brand. “Eric found me on Instagram,” shares Robin Callahan, a multi-award-winning designer who now creates unique, custom-made statement jewels for Palm Beach Gems. “He sent me a message, asked if we could talk, and we just hit it off. I get to be as creative as I want without limitation, which elevates what I can do.” 

Clearly, a meeting of minds took place, ensuring that Eric, Nicole and Robin are all on the same page when it comes to bespoke coloured gemstone pieces. They also research third-party brands to work with, including purchasing special jewels by the likes of SICIS, Carrera y Carrera, and Suzy Landa to sell in the boutique. All this has contributed to a strong identity, rooted in a real appreciation for vibrant colours, like lagoon tourmalines, rainbow sapphires, and, of course, tanzanites. 

Something I especially like about Palm Beach Gems by Nicole as a brand is its focus on more unusual stones and materials, like sphene, spinels, garnets, faceted pearls, coloured rhodium, cuprian tourmaline, imperial topaz, black diamonds, fantasy-cut gems, and even phenakite. Rather than choosing outlandish diamonds or inaccessible gemstones, the business has a more joyful approach to picking stones, often based on mood, colour, or simply feeling that magnetic attraction that I have felt myself from time to time. Palm Beach is an area rich in jewellery businesses, often at the very highest end of the market, so Palm Beach Gems by Nicole is attracting a different, more underserved clientele. 

The Sunshine State

Aesthetically, Palm Beach Gems by Nicole offers statement, eye-catching jewels that are inspired by the sights of Palm Beach, such as ocean waves, dolphins, turtles, flamingos, and beautiful blue skies. During my visit to the boutique, I was presented with creations with names like ‘Lagoon Dynasty’ and shown pieces from the ‘Wave’  collection and the ‘Stream’ collection, which is inspired by the Gulf Stream current in the Atlantic. All have a sunny disposition that make me think of holidays and warmth… something that is a boost for the soul during long European winters in Paris or London! On Instagram, you can see how pieces are rooted in the Palm Beach lifestyle, too, such as Imperial Bloom set with tanzanites, pink sapphires and diamonds that evoke boldness, effortless glamour and an innate confidence.

A Bright Future

During my visit to Palm Beach Gems by Nicole, I felt uplifted by the incredible amount of excitement that Eric, Nicole and Robin have for the future. To them, there is no limit to what they can achieve, and I really admire this commitment to manifesting one’s destiny. Right now, Eric is focused on sourcing gemstones, especially Mahenge spinels, garnets, sapphires, Oregon sunstones, and one-of-a-kind fancy cuts, so there will be plenty of special minerals for Robin to indulge in, while Nicole caters for clients, events and building strong relationships in the community. 

I welcome you to visit Palm Beach Gems by Nicole at Rocky’s Ultimate Garage personally: it’s the kind of authentic origin story that really makes me smile and I am sure you will enjoy discovering the jewelled world of this family too.