A partnership between Gemist and the Natural Diamond Council will blend Gemist’s interactive customization platform with the works of of its Emerging Designer Diamond Initiative (EDDI), amplifying BIPOC designers while also giving customers a way to personalize the metals and gems they want to wear.
The first partnership launch dropped on Aug. 11 with jewelry designer Dorian Webb, who says she hopes her customizable collection on Gemist speaks to the way people invest both financially and emotionally in fine jewelry.
“This gives people a way to be involved in the process and make it their own. Jewelry should never sit in a jewelry box. It needs to be seen. It needs to be worn,” Webb says. “I think it’s lovely that people want to customize their pieces and feel invested in them from the very beginning.”
Gemist founder and CEO Madeline Fraser says the EDDI partnership starting with Webb on Gemist is just the beginning. The customization platform will include other designers such as Malyia McNaughton and soon will have a try-on home experience that allows customers to see and experience their custom designs before making a purchase.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Natural Diamond Council and their EDDI designers. Our goal is to amplify the artistic vision of these incredible designers by making their pieces customizable by jewelry lovers everywhere through Gemist’s interactive design platform,” Fraser says.
Gemist launched its customization platform in July with its first design collaboration with Ragen Jewels to create a partnership that allows Ragen to offer a charm experience for its clients. With this tool, clients can design a charm with their choice of gemstone, metal, and chain.
Webb selected two of her signature pieces to feature on Gemist: Her timeless Dome ring and her Trellis earrings. Customers can use the Gemist design experience to choose the style, shape, stone, and metal type, and see the piece come together virtually as they design exactly the jewelry they want.
“I’m excited about the potential with Gemist to make this easier for a greater number of people. That’s the beauty of Gemist—it’s so seamless to use the platform, to make your pieces, to change, or come up with something new,” Webb says.
With her namesake brand that centers on made-to-order jewelry, Webb says she works in a way that already has a personalized element, she says, so this partnership felt like a natural fit. Webb says she feels like the EDDI partnership on Gemist “opens a new world” for people to both find her work and make meaning of the jewelry they own.
Webb’s art and architectural background are omnipresent in her work, which she says grows out of her cultural heritage and background. For example, her baguette hoops highlight the feeling and meaning of music, particularly rap and jazz with its polyrhythms.
“I’m all about details and making meaning through them. Jewelry has a role in starting conversations. You want to have a moment with pieces that invite people in,” Webb says. “Often, jewelry has stories associated with it. When I travel, that’s when I buy new things and feel like my true self. If you are celebrating a meaningful moment, mark it.”
Top: Gemist is working with the Natural Diamond Council and its Emerging Designer Diamond Initiative to highlight jewelry designers such as Dorian Webb and her signature pieces, including the Dome ring, on its customization platform (photos courtesy of Gemist).
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