As spring begins and all eyes return to the American pastime of baseball, the launch of the Rachel Balkovec line at Borsheims is a way for the Omaha, Neb.–based company to honor empowered women, International Women’s Day, and the way jewelry unites people.
Balkovec is Borsheim’s newest brand ambassador, highlighting how women can break boundaries by blending their unique strengths with their dreams and goals. Originally from Omaha, Balkovec is the manager of the New York Yankees’ minor league team, the Tampa Tarpons, making her the first woman hired as a manager in affiliated professional baseball.
Launched in stores and online on International Women’s Day on March 8, the Rachel Balkovec collection features a custom series of bar necklaces engraved with messages on the front—these include the phrases Take Risks and Not Done Yet—along with Balkovec’s signature on the back. Prices range from $50 to $380.
These messages are personal to Balkovec, who says the messages on the necklaces are themes in her own life as well as a way to send a message to women everywhere to be heard.
“These necklaces are a reminder of who you are and where you are going in the future,” Balkovec says. “This partnership is a natural connection for me and is a great way for me to send a message and for other people to literally wear that message around their neck as a reminder.”
Borsheims believes firmly in women, whether it is the company’s CEO Karen Goracke, its sales team members, its clients, or its choice of Balkovec as brand ambassador, says Andy Brabec, director of marketing and e-commerce for the independent jewelry chain.
“When we approached Rachel Balkovec to be a brand ambassador, we immediately knew she would speak to our customer and be a role model for our customers and who they are gifting,” Brabec says. “But most importantly, Rachel’s values and passion for her drive is what truly piqued our interest in a long-term relationship as a brand ambassador.”
Jewelry has always been a way for Balkovec to tell her personal story, and she says she hopes other people who wear her collection will feel the same.
“In 2019, my sisters and I took a trip and visited our great-grandfather’s house in Slovenia and met some of the Balkovec side of our family over there. It was a really powerful experience to see literally where we came from before my great-grandfather and great-grandmother got on a boat and came to the United States and took a huge risk,” Balkovec says.
“I really draw strength from that story and that experience—all three of us have our last name and the coordinates of that home where he grew up in Slovenia [on a necklace],” Balkovec says. “It is a great reminder of what my ancestors did to take risks in life to allow me to have the opportunity to take risks in my life. It is really powerful that my sisters and I all have that same necklace with us.”
These kinds of moments resonate with Borsheims, Brabec says. To honor this partnership, he notes that Borsheims will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Rachel Balkovec collection to Omaha’s Women’s Center for Advancement, which helps women who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking and their children “to achieve safety and empowering them to lead self-determined lives.”
“The jewelry industry, specifically at Borsheims, is ever evolving and growing, and we want to encourage women to do the same,” Brabec says. “Rachel is just that: A woman who paved her own path and continued to evolve, despite it being challenging in a male-dominated industry. That hasn’t stopped her, and she will keep moving forward and mentoring other women to do the same. It’s a natural partnership to bring together to help inspire and shape the women of the future, whether it’s in the jewelry industry or on the field.”
Top: Rachel Balkovec is working with Borsheims as its brand ambassador for a special collection that focuses on women’s strength and empowerment, the two say (photos courtesy of Borsheims/photos by Stacey Kinney Photography).
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