Mohammad Barimany and Jairo Rojas didn’t open Dominion Jewelers in 1985 with the aim of promoting 25 to 35 items of bijou — 80 p.c of them made in-house — per week. However that’s precisely what the brothers-in-law are doing.
Barimany, a gemologist, handles the diamonds and valuable gems, whereas Rojas, a Rhode Island College of Design–skilled craftsman, manages design and manufacturing.
“They actually married their two abilities, and it’s nonetheless that manner at the moment,” says Rachelle Barimany, Mohammad’s daughter and chief operations and monetary officer.
Many different facets of their enterprise have modified, nevertheless. For one, it moved in 2013 from 107 Rowell Ct. in Falls Church to its greater present location at 917 W. Broad St.
However the largest shift was their marketing strategy. They initially got down to present high-end {custom} manufacturing to native jewelers, to not the general public. It was an untapped market within the Washington metropolitan space on the time, Rachelle Barimany says. “You needed to go to New York [or] L.A. to get high-end {custom} manufacturing,” she says.
However phrase shortly bought out a few duo of gifted jewellery makers. By the point Barimany joined the corporate in 1997, it was 60 p.c manufacturing and 40 p.c direct-to-the-public retail. She and her cousin, Sergio Rojas, Jairo’s son and the shop’s common supervisor, switched instructions with shopper promoting and advertising campaigns.
Immediately, the store has 27 workers, most of whom are centered on retail, though they keep a small contingent of wholesale shoppers.
“The folks have modified, who we serve has modified, however the core values of the corporate, I believe that’s undoubtedly a key to the longevity of this firm,” she says. “My father’s and my uncle’s enterprise ideas and practices have actually been instilled within the second era of this firm. … We’re only a huge household.”
Engagement rings, that are principally custom-designed in-house, are amongst their bestsellers.
The shop designs about 80 to 100 rings per 30 days. Barimany has seen some new traits in what folks need. This contains extra yellow gold and fewer platinum, and extra coloured stones, particularly sapphires, taking the middle spot. Streamlined designs with hidden halos are additionally fashionable. (A daily halo is a hoop of small diamonds surrounding the middle stone, however in a hidden halo, the diamonds sit under the stone and face out, not up.)
“We’re seeing a variety of stacking easy engagement rings with a number of bands to get an even bigger, chunkier look, however every [component is] a little bit bit easier and a little bit extra tailor-made,” she says. “Additionally sort of a throwback is our two-stone engagement rings. We noticed that within the ’80s, late ’70s.”
Regardless of being funding items, engagement ring types are fleeting, she says. Whereas resetting a hoop is simple for somebody who needs a brand new look, it might be a more sensible choice to keep away from getting too stylish.
“Diamonds are lovely in any manner, form, or kind,” Barimany says. “All of those designs might be tailor-made for the individual. Selecting an engagement ring is so much about determining who’s sporting it and what their fingers appear like and what’s going to look greatest on them.” 917 W. Broad St., Falls Church
What’s In Retailer
1. Platinum eternity band with 32 emerald-cut diamonds, $19,000
2. Yellow 14-karat ring with tsavorite garnet, tanzanite, and diamonds, $13,600
3. Platinum marriage ceremony band with sapphire and diamonds, $40,000
4. Platinum halo marriage ceremony band with baguette and spherical diamonds, $6,400
5. Pink peach morganite set in rose gold with small diamond halo, $8,500
6. Fancy yellow canary diamond with hidden halo and platinum diamond band, $35,000
This story initially ran in our January challenge. For extra tales like this, subscribe to our month-to-month journal.
