Talk about a romantic story to share with future generations: Using century-old diamond knowledge and a high-tech approach, bridal jewelry specialist Kwiat gave one couple two diamonds cut from the same stone for their recent engagement.
Kwiat created these dreamy engagement rings for clients Rachel Zakhary and Rebecca Slater, who proposed to each other in April. The diamonds from the same rough are just about equal in size: One is a 2.52 ct. Kwiat cushion and the other is a 2.51 ct. Kwiat radiant.
It’s also a story about marketing: Kwiat’s Mine to Shine program is aimed at customers like Zakhary and Slater, who want to know where their natural diamonds came from and follow them through the ring-making process from start to finish, says Kwiat chief operating officer Russell Kwiat. This particular engagement story has been a favorite since Kwiat introduced the program in mid-2023.
“Technology allows us to do bespoke jobs like this,” says Kwiat, a fourth-generation diamantaire who has been in the family business since 2002. “Each picked the shape that spoke to them the most, and we were able to execute something personalized and special.”
With summer being the most typical season for weddings, it seemed fitting to end June with a bit of romance—and a story about how one company is marketing its diamond engagement rings in a way that emphasizes rarity and storytelling all in one.
Here’s how it worked: Slater and Zakhary started looking at the Kwiat flagship store in New York, hoping to find their dream engagement rings. Through Mine to Shine, they could pick out their rough diamond and find out it was mined in Angola, tracing its origin.
After they chose what diamond cuts they wanted, Slater says they received an update from Kwiat that they had found one rough that could be cut into both of their diamonds.
“Typically, when you buy a ring, they just call you when it’s ready,” Slater says. “We got a call two hours [after we picked out our diamond cuts] that they had found one rough stone to cut both of our diamonds. It was so special to know that our rings would have this unique bond.”
Once the diamonds were mounted in their platinum settings, both women received their rings in Mine to Shine keepsake jewelry boxes, certificates of authenticity, Kwiat Tiara Diamonds Reports for their stones, and a QR code that shows a video of their diamonds’ complete journey.
That transparency continues with Kwiat’s nonprofit partner charity: water. Kwiat makes a donation for every ring sale to the organization, which uses the funds to provide people in underdeveloped nations with clean drinking water.
Mine to Shine is a tribute to Kwiat’s history—Sam Kwiat founded the company in 1907 in New York City—and how far it has come through the family, Kwiat says. This boutique experience is available at its Madison Avenue store and at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas as well as Kwiat retail partners around the United States.
Kwiat says Mine to Shine works because it democratizes this process of allowing a client to order the diamond they want from the rough. Anyone with any budget level can do it, and Kwiat has worked with clients who wanted half a carat to walk them through the process.
“We’re more than 100 years old, but every generation has continued to improve the business and the quality of the diamonds. We’re innovating in the best ways we can,” Kwiat says.
Top: Rachel Zakhary and Rebecca Slater proposed to each other in April using Kwiat diamonds that were cut from the same rough stone. (Photos courtesy of Kwiat)
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