MUSE COUTURE CONVOS: Beck
Welcome to "Muse COUTURE Convos," where we journey into the world of exceptional fine jewelry with the talented designers showcasing their fabulous collections at the annual COUTURE Show in Las Vegas. In this exciting series, we explore the inspirations, craftsmanship, and stories behind some of the most stunning collections in the industry. Join us as we chat with these visionary artists, unveiling the passion and creativity that drive their work. Whether you're a seasoned collector or a jewelry enthusiast, our conversations promise to inspire and enchant, bringing you closer to the heart of jewelry.
NYC's Rebecca Zeijdel-Paz (a.k.a. Beck) brings the sunny, laid-back charm of Curaçao to your jewelry box. Trained in Italy and alumnus of Carolina Herrera, she crafts not just pieces, but personal stories in shimmering gold and gems, each piece a chapter of warmth and elegant Caribbean ease.
Tell us what you’re focusing on or debuting at COUTURE this year.
I always like to have some sort of thread to motivate me with each design. This collection is called KAS NA LAMAN, which, where I'm from, means "beach house." It's the idea of retreating to that place that was the most remote and dropping everything. It’s about the start of summer and kind of being bored. It’s all of the things that we used to do when we were little. We're making these necklaces with really chunky, ginormous beads, and we're playing with a lot of different colored stones. We're creating these earrings that kind of mimic the shape of a fishtail. I think it's going to be just a really lighthearted and fun collection as we prepare for summer.
Which piece from the collection you’re showing at COUTURE best captures your essence as a designer?
I love the pebbles. That's something I've been really gravitating toward. But there's this really clever piece-a pendant- where one side is a wax stamp of waves and the other side, you twist it, and it's a custom wax stamp of your initials. All the pieces are stars, though. They're all special.
If you had to describe what prepping for COUTURE feels like, how would you describe it?
COUTURE is really good for me because it forces you to create a collection -- new things and new developments. You could very easily just create little random things throughout the year. To me, it's a place where we can show the pieces and see our peers; my fellow designers from Muse!
Now, onto some general jewelry questions! If you could only work with one gemstone for the rest of your career, which would it be and why?
I love the rarity of emeralds. I love how they can be all different greens. You can have such a range. But I also love diamonds. They really do elevate something from within. I don't know if it's something that's been ingrained in us or if it's the alchemy of it, but I really have been enjoying working with diamonds. And also love blue topaz, which is not the sexiest of stones, but it looks like an ocean!
If you had to choose a historical era in which you would design jewelry, which one would it be?
The times when there were big patrons, and it was all about craftsmanship. I love that period where Belperron studied underneath Boivin. These two women were so ahead of their time, and they got it. They stuck together. There is something really beautiful about these two women working at that time. But then also, oh my goodness, how cool to create during Egyptian times! I was reading the other day about how the reason why we have crowns is that jewelers were thought to have had this connection to stones, and they were trying to elevate royalty to open their crown chakra. Back then, the position of the jeweler was an incredible role to have. It was actually very much like being a healer through working with the properties of stones.
Where is your favorite place to design?
Back home in Curaçao. This is like my touchstone. I spend a lot of time on the coast of Italy, especially right after COUTURE. So a lot of ideas come there as well. But [my favorite place to design is] always by the ocean. And I know it sounds really cliche, but it is the truth.
What is one thing you hope people will remember about your jewelry 100 years from now?
I think about this often because I always think about the person who's going to inherit the jewelry. It's so funny or weird to me that these pieces will live on much after I'm gone. The idea of creating something that will just continue living long after [us] and be in scenarios that we can’t even dream about and be worn by people who haven't been born yet... I hope that no matter what goes on 100 years from now, that feeling of the sanctity of beauty and the right that people have to beauty is there, and when they wear my pieces, they feel this. It has nothing to do with what the jewelry will look like by then, but it's more about the energy that has been passed down.
